The included factory letter states that this rifle was shipped from the Winchester warehouse on December 21, 1887 and was factory engraved with the inscription "A.M. Ward". The letter further states that the rifle was in "38/56 caliber" with an octagon barrel, plain trigger and "checkered stock with pistol grip". The rifle has a blued barrel and magazine, casehardened forearm cap, receiver, hammer, loading lever and crescent steel buttplate. The bolt and loading gate are blued. The deluxe, highly figured, walnut forearm and pistol grip stock are checkered with a high-polish, 'piano' finish. The pistol grip has an ebony inlay. The barrel is fitted with a Winchester Express front sight with ivory bead and a sporting style rear sight. A folding combination rear sight is fitted to the receiver tang. The left side of the receiver is engraved: "A.M. WARD" in script letters. A.M. Ward" was Aaron Montgomery Ward who established the first successful retail catalog business, "Montgomery Ward" in Chicago, Illinois, in 1872. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with two-line legend: "-MANUFACTURED BY THE-/-WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN CONN.U.S.A.-" ahead of the rear sight. The caliber, "38-56 W.C.F." is stamped between the rear sight and the receiver. The 1884 and 1885 patent dates are stamped on the lower receiver tang behind the trigger and the serial number is stamped between the tang screws.

Exceptionally fine. The barrel and magazine tube have 80% plus of the original blue finish with some scattered and very minor patches of surface rust on the right side below the front sight. The loading gate has 80% of the high polish blue finish. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer, loading lever and buttplate retain nearly 85% of the brilliant casehardened finish; wear is limited to some very minor silvering on the buttplate. The deluxe, burl walnut, stock and forearm are all excellent plus with crisp checkering and show only very minor handling wear and retain nearly all of the high polish, 'piano' finish. The barrel, receiver markings and "A.M. WARD" inscription are extremely crisp. This is an exceptional example of a Deluxe Winchester Model 1886 lever action rifle with factory inscription to pioneer retail giant Montgomery Ward.