The Colt Burgess rifles and carbines were only available from 1883 to around 1885, and only 6,403 were manufactured (2,556 had octagon barrels). They were designed by Andrew Burgess who held 894 patents by the end of his life. It has long been rumored that Colt and Winchester came to an agreement that Colt would exit the lever action market and Winchester would not release a revolver, so as not to compete with each other's segments of the Western Frontier arms trade. There seems to be little other reason for Colt to have discontinued these fine repeating arms so quickly after they introduced them, as the Burgess is arguably more advanced and refined than the Winchester Model 1873. This example has a blade front sight, an elevation adjustable rear sight, Rampant Colt stamped on the left side of the receiver, two-line address/patent dates marking on the top barrel flat and straight grip stock with a crescent buttplate. Provenance: The Milan J. Turk Collection; Property of a Gentleman

Good. The rifle has a smooth brown patina with traces of original blue finish in the sheltered areas of the frame, the honest look of true frontier wear. Hammer has grind like marks on the spur. The forearm has a stabilized crack and chip along the inside edge (right side) and a gap visible between rear and face of receiver, otherwise the wood is also good with a number of minor dings and scratches, all typical of efforts to keep a working gun in serviceable condition. Mechanically fine.