Manufactured in 1889, this is a fine example of special ordered, deluxe Marlin Model 1881 rifle showing artistry attributed as by factory Master Engraver Conrad F. Ulrich. The Model 1881 is historically significant in its own right as Marlin's first entry into the lever action market, as well as the first serious competitor to Winchester's repeater dominance. The Model 1881 design was based on patents from Andrew Burgess, H.F. Wheeler, E.A.F. Toepperwein, and John Marlin himself and was a robust repeater which was capable of handling some of the most powerful cartridges of the time including .38-55 and .45-70, outclassing even Winchester's large Model 1876. The Model 1881 acted as the solid foundation from which the Marlin company would launch their challenge to Winchester, finding more success in that challenge through the years than any other company. These robust rifles found popularity in the American West, particularly among large game hunters, as it was the only repeater available at the time capable of handling these large and powerful hunting cartridges such as .38-55 and the venerable .45-70. It would be another five years before Winchester released their answer in the Browning designed Model 1886. Only around 20,535 of these rifles were produced , with the vast majority being in standard configuration, as was favored by western hunters with limited extra income, making engraved deluxe examples like this one scarce. Conrad F. Ulrich, who had trained under the legendary Gustave Young at the Colt factory was hired as Master Engraver by Marlin the same year the Model 1881 was released, and it is said that he engraved essentially all of Marlin's high grade, deluxe guns from then until 1910. The included factory letter addressed to Mr. Tom Selleck and dated February 03, 2009 lists this rifle in .38-55 caliber with a 28 inch barrel and a pistol grip stock when shipped on 30 August 1889. Marlin factory records are notoriously incomplete and essentially never list factory engraving, even on examples such as this, which were undoubtedly engraved at the factory by Ulrich. This particular example shows one of Ulrich's early factory engraving patterns, showing a buck panel scene on the left of the receiver and a doe scene on the right. Both scenes have a simple gadrooned border and are surrounded by expertly executed, yet simple incised scrollwork, with no distinctive background. There are small flourishes of floral scroll on top of the receiver ring, the bottom of the receiver, on the upper tang, and on top of the breech block. These more simple factory engraving patterns can be viewed as Ulrich developing his truly unique style in his early years at Marlin. This is a very scarce factory lightweight configuration rifle with the narrower front forearm flange on the receiver. The top flat of the barrel is marked with the standard two-line address and patent dates, while the caliber marking is at the breech. The matching serial number is marked on the bottom of the receiver, left side of the upper and lower tang, front face of the buttstock, and inside the buttplate. It is fitted with a beaded blade front sight, elevation adjustable "Rocky Mountain" notch rear sight, and a peep sight mounted on the upper tang. It is mounted with a very nicely figured, multi-point checkered forearm and pistol grip stock with a smooth steel crescent buttplate. Provenance: The Tom Selleck Collection