Winchester Model 1886 Takedown rifle with the factory inscription: "F.F. Bowman" engraved in script letters on the left side of the receiver. The takedown rifle has a 24-inch round barrel chambered for the .33 W.C.F. cartridge and full length magazine. The barrel has a special order Lyman Semi-Jack front sight with colored bead and a flat top sporting style rear sight with "V" notch. The rifle has a blue finish with case-hardened hammer and lever. The pistol grip stock and forearm are deluxe, highly figured, fancy grain, walnut with 'Style I' checkering. The stock has a black, checkered, hard rubber buttplate with the round Winchester logo in the center and a black, hard rubber pistol grip cap embossed with "WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS" in relief. The left side of the barrel is roll-stamped: "MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO./NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A. PAT. OCT. 14. 1884. JAN. 20. 1885." in two lines ahead of the rear sight "-NICKEL STEEL BARREL- /ESPECIALLY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER" is roll-stamped in two lines on the left side of the barrel below the rear sight followed by the caliber designation: "33 W.C.F.". The Winchester oval "W/P" proof mark is stamped on the top of the barrel and receiver. The upper tang is roll-stamped: "MODEL 1886/-WINCHESTER/TRADE MARK REG.IN U.S. PAT. OFF." in three lines. The 1884 and 1885 patent dates are roll-stamped in two lines on the lower tang behind the trigger and the serial number "153644" is stamped in block letters behind the rear tang screw. The rifle is complete with a Cody Firearms Museum letter which lists the rifle features including: "F.F. BOWMAN engraved on the left side of Receiver". The letter states that the rifle was "Charged to Jos. A. Marks Co., Detroit MI" and shipped from Winchester on October 12, 1916. A document entitled "A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Men of the City of Detroit" states Joseph A. Marks owned the Detroit sporting goods store "Joseph A. Marks & Co.".

Very fine. The rifle is all original and retains at least 85% of the blue and case-hardened finish. The barrel and magazine retain nearly all of the blue finish with minimal take-down marks. The blue finish on the take-down collar is thin. Most of the high polish blue is present on the forearm cap. The receiver has light-moderate handling wear with scattered small spots of finish flaking and light handling marks. The loading gate has a dull blue finish. Nearly all of the blue finish is present on the bolt. The hammer and loading gate have most of the muted case colors intact with some edge wear and silvering on the sides and bottom of the lever. The highly figured, fancy grain walnut stock and forearm are both in very fine condition. The original oil finish on the wrist and forearm has dulled slightly from handling but the checkering remains sharp. The stock and forearm have minimal handling and storage marks. This is a very fine example of a Winchester Model 1886 Fancy Takedown Sporting rifle with very rare factory engraved inscription.