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Rare and Desirable Special Order Antique Casehardened Winchester Model 1885 High Wall Thin Side Single Shot Rifle in Extremely Scarce .45 Express with Factory Letter - Serial no. 18132, 45 express cal., 30 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. The Winchester Model 1885 was Winchester’s first firearm capable of firing powerful big game cartridges and is based on designs patented by John Moses Browning in 1879. The .45-125 Winchester Express cartridge was introduced in 1886 and only available by special order and discontinued after only a few years making rifles like this one chambered for this long express cartridge true rarities. This early rifle from 1887 has a beaded blade
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front sight, the two-line address ahead of the three-leaf express rear sight, “45 EX.” on top of the barrel at the breech, “4” on the bottom of the barrel ahead of the forearm, “11” under the forearm, “45 EX 7” on the bottom at the breech, a period modified Vernier tang peep sight on the upper tang, casehardened frame, patent marking and script serial number on the lower tang, and smooth walnut forearm with contrasting insert in the tip and straight wrist stock with steel shotgun buttplate. The included factory letter confirms the 30 inch no. 4 weight octagon barrel in .45 Express
and plain trigger. The letter also states the rifle was received in the warehouse on February 26, 1889 and shipped the same day. CONDITION: Very good with a very attractive frontier used, buffalo hunter look traces of original blue and casehardened finish, mostly smooth plum brown patina on the visible areas of the barrel, mottled dark gray patina on the balance, some patches of light oxidation and pitting, front sight bead absent, the noted repaired/modified peep sight, and general dings and scratches. The wood is also very good and has numerous minor scratches and dings, some surfaces flakes, and general moderate wear. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 9,000 - 14,000
with large cheekpiece and nickel Swiss buttplate. CONDITION: Very fine as upgraded. The replacement #3 barrel has 98% of the refinished blue remaining, some minor edge and handling wear, and crisp markings. The upgraded refinished/recheckered wood is very good and has beautiful figure, some thin cracks and small chips in the pistol grip, somewhat loose stock fit, minor edge wear, crisp checkering, and light markings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
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Custom Engraved Marlin Ballard Schuetzen Single Shot Rifle with Al Siegrist Barrel - Serial no. 25095, 28 cal., 28 inch part octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. This is a very fine example of a custom Schuetzen rifle with an Al Siegrist 28 inch part octagon heavy barrel. Attractive floral engraving with a punchdot background on the frame and lever. Drilled and tapped for a tang peep sight, double set triggers, a two-finger spur lever, and is fitted with a custom checkered walnut Schnabel tip forearm and straight grip stock,
raised comb with cheek rest, and a silver plated Swiss buttplate. The receiver and lever are casehardened, and the barrel is blued. The top of the barrel is marked “A. SIEGRIST”. The left of the receiver is marked with the two line Marlin Fire Arms Co. maker and patent information and the serial number “25095” is marked on the bottom of the frame at the
front. Includes an assortment of brass .28-30-120 Stevens shell casings and .28 caliber lead cast bullets. CONDITION: Very fine as professionally custom embellished/built, retains 99% original blue finish on the barrel, 99% refinished vivid case colors, and 80% silver finish on the buttplate. Wood is also very fine with crisp checkering, cracks on either side of the buttstock, some light handling marks and defined edges. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Gerard F. “Jerry” de Vaudreuil Collection.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
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Antique Special Order Winchester Model 1885 High Wall Single Shot Target Rifle with Factory Letter - Serial no. 3204, 38-55 cal., 30 inch part octagon bbl., blue/casehardened/nickel finish, walnut stock. The factory letter lists this rifle in .38-55 caliber with a 30 inch, 1/2 octagon, #2 weight barrel (current replacement barrel marked “3”); plain trigger, and checkered stock with pistol grip (no mention of cheekpiece or Swiss style buttplate) and indicates it was received in the warehouse on June 21, 1886, and shipped on June 27, 1886, in order 7069. It is equipped with a windage adjustable globe front sight, spirit level in the rear dovetail, adjustable single set trigger, Vernier peep sight, deluxe checkered Schnabel tip forearm, and deluxe multi-point checkered pistol grip stock
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