Lot 43: Winchester 1885-Rifle 32-40 WCF

Winchester Model 1885 High Wall Schuetzen rifle manufactured in 1899. The rifle is complete with a Cody Firearms Museum letter that lists the rifle's features and hand written letter that states this rifle and accessories were originally purchased from legendary barrel maker Harry M. Pope in 1933. The rifle has a Pope heavy, 30-inch, full octagon, blued barrel with false muzzle. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: "H.M. Pope, HARTFORD, CONN." The barrel has a Winchester wind gauge front sight and a blank in the rear sight dovetail. The factory engraved receiver is gold plated with casehardened breechblock and hammer. The receiver is fitted with Pope wind gauge and elevation rear sights, double set-trigger and a Pope style, three finger lever stamped "JOS. SINGER/PAT APPL'D" on both sides. The forearm has a "door knob" style folding palm rest. The Schuetzen pistol grip stock has a Swiss style cheekpiece and Helm Swiss buttplate. The pistol grip has a black, hard rubber cap embossed "WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS". The stock and forearm are deluxe, highly figured, fancy grade walnut with a high polish piano finish with Winchester "Style D" checkering and relief carved accents. The engraving was probably executed by John Ulrich and features a highly detailed game scene on either side of the receiver surrounded by arabesque scrolls and fancy border and line work. The engraving covers the top and sides of the receiver and upper tang with engraved accents on the top of the breechblock, lower tang and buttplate. The rifle is accompanied by a 33-inch telescopic sight with unmarked browned tube, the original engraved and gold plated spur lever and double set-triggers and a shooting box with accessories. The shooting box contains: (1) spotting telescope, (2) powder measure, (3) tin containing two 40-round blocks of .32 caliber cast bullets, (4) box of 50 primed U.M.C. .32-40 shell casings (5) two period powder cans and (6) a spare palm rest. A lower compartment in the case contains re-loading tools. The Cody Museum letter lists the rifle features as: "Type: Rifle, Caliber: 32/40, Barrel Type: 1/2 Octagon, Barrel Weight: #3, Barrel length: 30 inches, Trigger: Set, Fancy, Pistol grip stock -Carved style D, Helm butt plate, Sights: Lyman rear and cup disc, Wind gauge front, No slot, Engraved $14 with band at breech - Gold trims and lever pull gold", and "Spur lever." The letter states this rifle was shipped from Winchester on November 10, 1889, and returned for repair on July 25, 1900. The Pope barrel, rear sight, set-triggers and lever may have been installed when the rifle was returned to Winchester in 1900.

Very fine. The rifle retains 85% of the faded original blue finish on the barrel. The delicate gold wash finish on the receiver, levers, palm rest base and buttplate shows light to moderate handling wear and is 60% complete. Most of the finish wear is concentrated on the buttplate, and there is some on high points wear on the sides of the receiver. The meticulously executed scrollwork and highly detailed games scenes are extremely crisp. The highly figured walnut stock and forearm are both in excellent condition and retain at least 95% of the high polish piano finish. The relief carving and fine checkering shows minimal wear. Most of the gold plated finish is present on the spare finger lever. The telescopic sight is in excellent condition and retains 97% of the original browned finish. The shooting box and accessories remain in very fine condition. This is a fantastic example of a deluxe, factory engraved Winchester Model 1885 High Wall Schuetzen rifle with Pope barrel, double-set triggers, rear sight and original, period accessories that would be impossible to improve upon.