Winchester Deluxe Engraved Model 1876 50/95 Express Rifle with Winchester Museum letter. The rifle is signed on the lower tang by the master Winchester factory engraver John Ulrich. The left side of the receiver is engraved with a running moose in a circular panel. The panel is surrounded by fine scrollwork and simple borders. The left side plate is engraved: "H.T. LOWERY" in Old English letters on an open scroll. The scroll is surrounded by delicate scrollwork with an engraved border along the edge of the side plate. The right side of the receiver is engraved with a bison in a bordered, circular panel surrounded by scrollwork. The right side plate is engraved with a circular panel that contains a detailed scene of a hunter felling an elk. The side plate and panel are decorated with fine scroll work and engraved borders. The top of the receiver, upper tang, bottom of the receiver, cartridge elevator forearm cap and buttplate are all engraved with bordered panels and restrained but delicate scrollwork. Scrollwork is present on the dust cover rail. The dust cover is engraved with scrollwork and borders. The rifle is marked with the engraver's small signature stamp: "J.ULRICH" on the lower tang behind the trigger. The style and level of engraving on this rifle are very similar to the John Ulrich Model engraved 1876 rifle, serial number 38647, owned by Theodore Roosevelt and illustrated on page 156 of "THE BOOK OF WINCHESTER ENGRAVING" by R.L. Wilson. This rifle is pictured and described on page 136 of "ANTIQUE ARMS ANNUAL" by R. L. Wilson. The rifle has a blued octagon barrel with full-length magazine and casehardened forearm cap, receiver, loading lever and hammer. The rifle has the Second Model, screw fastened dust cover guide and late Second Model dust cover with serrated edges. The forearm and pistol grip stock are "4X" presentation grade fancy grain walnut with "Style G" checkering. The stock has an ebony inlay on the pistol grip cap and a blued steel shotgun style buttplate. The barrel has a Beach combination folding front sight with ivory bead and a sporting style rear sight. A graduated peep sight is mounted on the receiver tang. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: "WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN.CT./KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29.1866. OCTOBER 16.1860." ahead of the rear sight. "50-CAL" is stamped on the top barrel flat just in front of the receiver. The top of the dust cover is engraved: "WINCHESTER EXPRESS/ 50 CAL. 95 GRS." in two lines. "50-95" is engraved on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The serial number, "14430", is located on the lower tang between the loading lever latch and the tang screw. The Winchester Museum letter states that this rifle was shipped from the warehouse on July 21, 1881. The letter lists the rifle features as: "50/95 Express, octagon barrel, plain trigger, checkered stock, pistol grip, 4X, pin ball sight, shotgun butt, casehardened, engraved "H. T. Lowery Eng #".

Very fine. The rifle retains 97% of the original blue and traces of the original casehardened finish. The barrel and magazine have some barely noticable, very minor finish loss at the muzzle and barrel edges. The barrel markings are crisp. The bore is perfect. The delicate case colors on the forearm cap, dust cover and receiver have faded to an even, silver-gray patina. The loading lever and hammer retain strong case colors. Most of the fiery, niter blue, finish is present on the loading gate. The shotgun buttplate has 90% of the period refurbished blue finish with some minor surface discoloration. The engraving is crisp with perfect details. The deluxe, fancy walnut, stock and forearm are both in very fine with evidence of re-oiling condition. The finely cut checkering on the forearm and pistol grip is slightly flattened from handling but remains in very fine condition. The stock and forearm show only minimal handling and storage wear. This is an exceptional example of a fully documented Winchester Deluxe, Factory Engraved, Second Model 1876 Express Rifle signed by John Ulrich. This rifle would be a stand-out piece in the most advanced Winchester collection.