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LOT 3013
Highly Desirable and Rare Documented Factory Exhibition Relief Panel Scene Conrad Ulrich Attributed Master Factory Engraved Winchester Model 1866 Lever Action Rifle with Gold Finish - Serial no. 103673,
44 WCF cal., 24 inch octagon bbl., blue/gold finish, walnut stock. This extraordinary exhibition grade Model 1866 was manufactured in 1872. A highly comparable Conrad F. Ulrich signed masterpiece is serial number 103675, a Model 1866 believed to have been part of Winchester factory display at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition
of 1876 and presented to South American Gregorio Rozas. These two exhibition grade Model 1866s share similar North American game themes with semi-relief and flush engraved circular panel scenes and most of the scrollwork cut in semi-relief as well. Each rifle is stocked in XXX select walnut and feature gold finished frame, forend cap and buttplate. With only two digits separating these two exquisite masterpieces it is very reasonable to conclude that this rifle (no. 103673) was also featured at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876 and engraved by Conrad F. Ulrich. Renowned Master Engraver Conrad F. Ulrich (1844-1925) did a plethora of engraving for Winchester, including some of the factory’s most spectacular exhibition pieces. See R.L. Wilson’s “Winchester Engraving” on pages 120-121 and “Steel Canvas” on pages 158-159 for photos and discussion of no. 103675.
Additional supporting evidence which places this rifle in the historical context of highly sought after Winchester display pieces comes from other known exhibition grade Model 1866s previous cataloged by Rock Island Auction Co. In May 2022 we sold 96743, which included a factory letter indicating it was embellished by the factory for use as an international exhibition piece as part of a select group of the finest engraved Winchesters. It was “Shipped from the warehouse on May 6, 1878 along with 10 other guns one in silver, 6 in gold, 2 in bronze, and 1 full nickel; 7 with oil finish and 3 in varnish with the same specifications to the same order number.” The order number was 11739. Two other rifles from this order have been previously sold by Rock Island Auction Company: a German silver framed Model 1866 (no. 36200) in our September 2016 auction connected to exhibition shooter Ira Paine (listed on the letters as “silver” and “special gun returned from back book”) and the gold Model 1873 signed by John Ulrich and presented to Honduran President Marco A. Soto (no. 18264) in our May 2021 auction. Serial number 103675 was also part of this order as well as nos. 96740, 96745, and 103672. Note that no. 103672 is another exhibition grade Model 1866 only one digit away from this example (with Cody firearms Record Office serial number search for no. 103672).
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