Adolph and Elizabeth "Plinky" Topperwein were two of the most famous exhibition shooters in America for the first half of the 20th century. The husband and wife duo worked for Winchester from around 1903 until Plinky's untimely death in 1945. They were well known for their aerial shooting skills, trapshooting, and trick shots. These included shooting small metal disks thrown in the air with rifles, Plinky shooting a spent casing out of Adolph's hand or buttons off his shirt, and Adolph shooting pictures in sheets of tin, one of which is included in the lot. The rifle has the standard deluxe markings and features along with squirrel and rabbit scene engravings on the receiver surrounded by floral scroll and a flourish of floral scroll engraving on the barrel at the breech. Also included in the lot is a photo of Adolph and Plinky signed to some friends and dated 1937, a photo of Adolph holding a Winchester 1894 rifle surrounded by a selection of his aerial targets, a flyer from one of their shooting shows dated 1940, a picture of Uncle Sam made of bullet holes in a tin sheet mounted on a display board that was presumably shot by Adolph, as well as a selection of aerial targets including charcoal balls, metal disks (one with a bullet hole), and a 50 count U.M.C. .22 Auto cartridge box that is nearly full of "U" headstamped cartridges that appear to be .22 Auto. The rifle and many of the items are pictured on page 20 of "The Stagecoach Museum Gun Collection" by Saign, Donaldson, and Fiet. An amazing grouping of items with exhibition shooting history!

Very good as period custom embellished, retains half of the blue finish on the barrel and traces of blue finish on the receiver with the balance a smooth grey patina and crisp engraving. The wood is very good with some scattered minor dings and scratches, mostly well-defined checkering, and most of the varnish. Mechanically excellent. The accessories are generally very good with some scattered mild wear.