This early production Remington No. 1 Rolling Block sporting shotgun, bearing serial number 37, was factory made and embellished for exhibition, most likely for the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876. We have previously cataloged number 11 and 15 which featured similar engraving and inlays. This attractively shotgun features engraved scrollwork along with scenes with a pair of dogs on each side of the action with the right depicting them pursuing a rabbit and the left pursuing a pheasant, a motif based on the Great Seal of the U.S. elaborately gold inlaid on top of the frame, and a scene with a buck is featured on the trigger guard. The animals and seal are executed in gold inlay. The Damascus barrel has a bead front sight and "E. REMINGTON & SONS ILION NEW-YORK. U.S.A." gold-inlaid on top of the raised rib. A "C" in a circle is marked on top at the junction of the barrel rib and frame (also noted on number 11 and 15). The barrel also has a variety of Liege proofs including a "17.0" marking (17 mm = 16 gauge) and "5" and "54" on the underside, and "37" is marked on front of the frame and back of the forearm. The wedge and inside of the trigger guard are marked "1". The stock could not be removed to check the tangs for additional numbers. "REMINGTON'S ILION. N.Y. U.S.A./PAT. MAY 3D. NOV. 15TH 1864 APRIL 17TH 1866" is marked on the upper tang, and a small "crown/V" stamp is just behind the hammer. The length of pull is 14 3/8 inches. Cleaning rod absent. After the Civil War era, E. Remington & Sons had outside salesmen in Europe, including Samuel Remington himself, to perform demonstrations to officials in a variety of different countries and promote the adoption of Remington's Rolling Block Rifles as countries increasingly shifted towards breech loading rifles. Very few of these high end Remington Rolling Block Shotguns are known today. R.L. Wilson described one of them as manufactured in Liege for Samuel Remington (1819-1882) as a showpiece and for his personal use while in Europe. He became president of E. Remington & Sons in 1866 and was in Paris for the World's Fair in 1867 (Exposition Universelle d'Art et d'Industrie de 1867) where the company received a silver medal for firearms and lived mainly in Paris in 1866-1877 while successfully promoting the sales of Remington products abroad. Remington's promotional efforts paid off, and Remington rolling block rifles in various configurations were used in large quantities across the globe.

Very good with bright gold inlays, dark brown patina under a coat of varnish, minor oxidation, and general mild wear. The refinished wood is also very good with some small flakes and chips at the edges. The ramrod is missing. The mainspring is broken or absent; otherwise, the shotgun functions.