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LOT 3012
Historic Winchester Model 1892 Lever Action Saddle Ring Carbine in .44 W.C.F. with Factory Letter and Documents - Serial no. 143099, 44 WCF cal., 20 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This interesting Winchester Model 1892
SRC has a copy of a 1980 dated letter from
J.S. Wilkinson of Prescott, Arizona, states that another Model 1892 carbine bearing the serial number “144240” was from a group of several cases of “Winchester rifles” purchased from the U.S. Customs Service at Nogales, Arizona, c.
1950 by author Roy Dunlap. The carbines had apparently been seized by the Customs Service “25 or 30 years” before they were purchased by Dunlap. The author of the letter states that the “rifles” were new in the original packing cases
and that he purchased several of the “rifles”
but retained carbine serial number 144240
in “unfired” condition. The letter states that Wilkinson “presumes that the rifles were on their way to Mexico, perhaps to Pancho Villa or some other revolutionary” when they were seized by U.S. Customs. The included factory letter with
this carbine confirms its configuration as well as listing a shipment date of 24 August 1900 in order number 68770, the same shipment order number
as carbine 144240. Another 1892 carbine, serial number 144967, previously sold here at Rock Island Auction Company in April 2016 included a similar Wilkinson letter and was in a shipment two days before this carbine and carbine 144240, indicating that these two shipments were both likely part of those seized by the Customs Service. This specific carbine was manufactured in 1900. The barrel is marked with the standard two-line address and caliber marking at the breech. The upper tang has the three-line model and trademark information, and the serial number is on the bottom of the receiver. It is fitted with a pinned German silver blade front sight, folding ladder rear sight, and a saddle ring on the left of the receiver. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a carbine buttplate. Included are Cody Firearms Museum research requests for carbines 144240 and 144967, as well as their relevant previous sale catalog pages, along with the previously mentioned documents. CONDITION: Very fine, retains 75% plus of the original blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina and a few scattered minor dings. The wood is also very fine with some scattered minor dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. A very fine Model 1892 carbine with an interesting documented history! Estimate: 12,000 - 18,000
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