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He had a hunting lodge in Arizona and set many of his stories in the state’s picturesque landscapes and later moved to California where his stories were being turned into films. Grey was a particularly avid angler, traveled around the world for unique fishing opportunities (particularly New Zealand, Australia, and Tahiti), set multiple world records, and wrote about international fishing for major magazines and in numerous books. He enjoyed the hunt for massive fish that put a fight and was a pioneer in big-game fishing, including sailfish. His son Loren claimed that Grey would fish on average 300 days a year. He and his brother R.C. Grey helped establish the Long Key Fishing Club in the Florida Keys, and Zane Grey served as the club president in 1917-1920.
He also served as the president of the Tuna Club of Avalon on Santa Catalina Island. He created the popular “teaser” bait still used today and also helped innovate other tackle designed for the giant marlin, tuna, sharks, and other massive fish that were his prey.
He is quoted as stating, “To bear up under loss — to fight the bitterness of defeat and the weakness of grief — to be victor over anger — to smile when tears are close — to resist evil men and base instincts — to hate hate and to love love — to go on when it would seem good to die — to seek ever after the glory and
the dream — to look up with unquenchable faith in something evermore about to be — that is what any man can do, and so be great.”
This stunning rifle is a fitting treasure for a man that truly loved the American West and made his mark as a writer of frontier stories. Many of his book covers show men armed with Winchester rifles, and his westerns are naturally full of men armed with Winchesters and Colt revolvers. He was clearly also a fan of Winchesters given many photographs of Grey feature his Winchester Model 1894 and 1895 rifles.
As recorded in “Tales of Lonely Trails” (1922), when Grey was preparing for his annual fall hunt in Arizona in 1919, he sought
out a Winchester in .30-06 Springfield. He recalled, “To make sure
of getting a .30 Gov’t Winchester I ordered from four different firms, including the Winchester Co. None of them had such a rifle
in stock, but all would try to find one. The upshot of this deal was that, when after months I despaired of getting any, they all sent me a rifle at the same time. So I found myself with four, all the same caliber of course, but of different style and finish. When I saw them and thought of the Haughts I had to laugh. One was beautifully engraved and inlaid with gold-the most elaborate .30 Gov’t the Winchester people had ever built. Another was a walnut-stocked shot-gun butted fancy checkered take-down. This one I presented to R. C. The third was a plain ordinary rifle with solid frame. And the last was a carbine model, which I gave to Nielsen.”The plain solid frame rifle was used for target shooting and for shooting ravens. He stated he could take out a raven with his rifle at 500 yards. On page 473 of “The Winchester Book,” a letter from Grey in 1921 celebrates the Model 1895 in .30-06. He states it “is the finest rifle ever built. All the outdoor men I have known -I mean real hunters, and not sportsmen- claim this the great rifle for American hunting. I have used all makes -have had many rifles given me to recommend, but none ever equalled the 30.” Famed six gun shooter Elmer Keith
witnessed Zane Grey shooting his Model 1895 in .30-06 with “Z.G. inlaid in gold on the left side of the receiver” and wrote about it in his autobiography “Keith.”
This rifle was manufactured in 1915 and is a stunning example of Winchester’s craftsmanship and a testament to John Ulrich’s superb skills as a master engraver. It may not be the rifle he ordered in 1919, but if it was, that may explain why the inscription is on the sight mount rather than the rifle; if the rifle itself was manufactured in 1915 but not shipped until 1919, it was undoubtedly used as a factory exhibition piece. The rifle features a factory No. 1 engraving and gold inlay pattern. A deer, mountain lion and grizzly bear
are inlaid in solid gold on the receiver (animals Grey hunted). The receiver, upper tang, bolt, takedown collar, hammer, lever, barrel breech and buttplate are engraved with arabesque scrollwork and artistic borders. The scrollwork and engraved borders are accented with numerous gold inlaid borders. A gold inlaid band and an engraved scallop band appear on the barrel at the muzzle. John Ulrich has signed his masterpiece with his “JU” initials on the lower tang. The rifle is fitted with a blade front sight, folding two leaf rear sight and Lyman receiver sight. The receiver sight is inscribed with the original owner’s name in gold: “ZANE GREY.” The deluxe, fancy grade walnut stock and forearm feature Winchester Style B, relief carved scroll and vine designs with a highly polished piano finish.
The serial number is too high to be “lettered” by the factory records. However, the rifle was published by Winchester expert
and author George Madis in “The Winchester Book” on page 472
as well as by R.L. Wilson’s in his book “Winchester: An American Legend” on page 106. According to Madis, a standard Model 95 listed for $32.50, but the added extras on this particular rifle built and embellished for Zane Grey cost an astonishing $335.00 or about $8,476.00 in today’s money! An incredible piece of original documentation accompanies the rifle showing just how much the order of this rifle cost: Zane Grey’s check for $381.68 to Winchester Repeating Arms Co. on Nov. 30, 1921. The check is from the Los Angeles Trust & Savings Bank and is filled out in black ink and signed in blue, a color often used by Grey, including when signing his immensely popular books. The signature is clearly Grey’s own. He had a luxurious estate in Altadena just north of downtown L.A. Documentation like this is exceedingly rare. This unbelievable piece of original documentation certainly adds to this rifle’s historical value.
CONDITION: Excellent, retaining 95% plus bright original high polish blue finish overall, the majority of the finish loss appears
at the takedown joint which is a mottled patina. The engraving
is crisp. The wood is also excellent with some minor handling marks, numerous scattered scratches, most of the original varnish remaining and a crisp carving. Mechanically excellent. Factory engraved, gold inlaid Winchesters rank are the pinnacle of 19th century fine arms collecting. This rifle’s beauty, importance, and rarity are further compounded by its original owner: American West icon Zane Grey. This rifle is an absolute National Treasure worthy piece of American history.
Provenance: The Zane Grey Collection; The Mac McCroskie Collection; The George F. Gamble Collection.
Estimate: 400,000 - 600,000
Featured in the Book Winchester:
An American Legend by R.L. wilson
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Zane Grey’s Check to Winchester dated Nov. 20, 1921