This factory engraved Winchester Deluxe Model 1892 Fancy Sporting Rifle with numerous special order features was manufactured c. 1908. This deluxe takedown rifle has a part-round/part-octagon barrel and half-magazine. The barrel has a blued sporting style front sight with adjustment screw on the base and a factory blank in the rear sight dovetail. A Lyman folding combination peep sight is mounted on the receiver tang. The rifle has rare factory double set-triggers. The rifle has a deluxe, fancy grain walnut forearm and pistol grip stock with Winchester "Style H" checkering, crescent buttplate and extremely rare cheekpiece. The pistol grip has a black hard rubber cap embossed "WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO." The rifle features Winchester factory No. 6 engraving on the forearm cap, takedown collar, receiver and buttplate heel. This engraving is illustrated on page 15 of the 1897 edition of the Winchester "Highly Finished Arms" catalog reproduced on page 236 of "Winchester Engraving" by R.L. Wilson. The engraving features game scenes that depict a highly detailed big horn ram on the left side of the receiver and a white tail buck on the right side. The Winchester description of No. 6 engraving notes that it "embraces scroll, line, and ribbon engraving", and the "receiver is profusely engraved on the sides and under part with ribbon work". The left barrel flat is roll stamped: "MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO./NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A. PATENTED OCTOBER 14.1894" in two lines ahead of the of the rear sight dovetail followed by "-NICKEL STEEL BARREL-/ ESPECIALLY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER " in two lines behind the dovetail and "25-20 W.C.F." immediately in front of the receiver. Winchester oval proof marks are stamped on the top barrel flat and top of the receiver. The serial number is roll stamped across the underside of the front of the receiver. The rifle has a blue finish on the barrel and magazine with high polish blue on the forearm cap, takedown collar, bolt and receiver. The loading gate is fire blue. The hammer, lever and crescent buttplate are casehardened. The stock and forearm have a high polish piano finish. The rifle is accompanied by a detailed, handwritten evaluation by author and Winchester expert George Madis. The letter states that Madis carefully examined the rifle, determined it to be all original, discusses the numerous special order features and concludes: "number 444758 is a unique Winchester deserving a prominent place in any collection or museum". This rifle is pictured and identified in R.L. Wilson's "Winchester Engraving" on page 254.

Very fine. The rifle retains 85% original blue overall, and the only significant blue wear is some thinning on the lower portions of the takedown collar. The muted case colors on the hammer, lever and buttplate have a silver patina on contact points; the toe of the buttplate has some scattered spots of age discoloration. The barrel markings and proof marks are crisp. The flawlessly executed engraving and highly detailed game scenes are in perfect condition. The highly figured walnut stock and forearm remain in excellent condition with sharp checkering and retain most of the high polish piano finish with some very limited finish loss on the forearm at the junction with the takedown collar. Stock wear is limited to a few scattered and very minor handling marks. The most significant of which is a 1/4-inch dent on the right side of the stock comb. This is a truly exceptional example of a factory engraved Winchester Model 1892 Fancy Sporting Rifle with rarely encountered special order double set triggers and ultra-rare pistol grip stock with cheekpiece. As the Madis letters states: "this is a unique Winchester" that deserves a place in the finest collection. Formerly in the Larry Jones collection, property of a gentleman.