This is an extraordinary example of a Deluxe Special Order Winchester Model 1894 Takedown Rifle with factory letter. The letter lists the rifle features as 32 Winchester Special, Octagon Barrel, Plain Trigger, Fancy Pistol Grip, Carved Style F, Lyman front and rear sights, 1/2 magazine, Takedown, Engraved $4.00, #9 and "Name on link 'James W. Byrnes, Saint Louis'". The letter states that this rifle was shipped from the Winchester warehouse on April 6, 1905. The rifle has a blue octagon barrel, half-magazine, forearm cap and receiver. The loading gate is niter blue. The hammer, trigger, lever and crescent buttplate are casehardened. The forearm and pistol grip stock are highly figured fancy grain walnut with a high polish piano finish. The forearm cap, rear of the barrel, takedown collar, top and sides of the receiver and upper tang are decorated with Winchester No. 9 factory engraving. Identical engraving is illustrated in the October 1897 edition of "WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO., HIGHLY FINISHED ARMS" reproduced on page 219 of "THE BOOK OF WINCHESTER ENGRAVING" by R.L. Wilson. The decoration consists of flawlessly executed scroll border and outline engraving with game scenes surrounded by scroll and border work on either side of the receiver. The two game scenes consist of a standing and a running buck deer as illustrated in the "HIGHLY FINISHED ARMS" catalogue. The bottom of the lever link is factory engraved with the inscription "James W. Byrnes/Saint Louis" in script letters. The forearm and pistol grip stock feature fine checkering with relief carved oak leaves and acorns. This style of checkering is listed as Winchester Style "F" in the Cody letter and Winchester Style "D" in the illustration on page 602 of "THE WINCHESTER BOOK" by George Madis. The stock pistol grip has a black, hard rubber cap embossed with "WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS" in relief. The full octagon barrel is equipped with a Lyman No. 5 combination Beach type front sight with white bead and a sporting rear sight with adjustable center insert. A Lyman folding combination rear sight with locking button is mounted on the receiver tang. Special order sling swivel eyes are mounted on the forearm cap and stock. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped "MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO./NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A. PATENTED AUGUST 21. 1894" in two-lines ahead of the rear sight. "NICKEL STEEL BARREL/ESPECIALLY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER" is roll-stamped on the left side of the barrel below the rear sight and the caliber designation "32 W.S." is roll-stamped on the top of the barrel in an engraved panel. The serial number is stamped across the bottom of the receiver. St. Louis businessman and politician James Williamson Byrnes (1868-1953) worked for Meacham Arms Co. and other St. Louis areas businesses before establishing the James W. Byrnes Belting and Hose Co. (later Byrnes Belting Co.) and the St. Louis Fire Hose Co. He was a veteran of the Spanish-American War and World War I and was a colonel in the Quartermaster Corps. Shooting and fishing were noted as among his favored pastimes.

Excellent. The rifle is all original and retains 98% of the bright original high polish blue and 90% casehardened finish. The barrel, magazine and forearm cap have nearly all of the high polish blue finish intact with minimal wear. The receiver has very little handling wear but shows a few scattered and very minor patches of flaking on the upper and lower edges of the left side, the lower tang, lever link and the top of the bolt. The loading gate retains 90% of the bright original niter blue finish. The hammer, trigger and lever have vivid case colors. The case colors on the buttplate have faded to a silver/gray but remain 90%. The well executed engraving and detailed game scenes are extremely sharp. The highly figured fancy grain, walnut stock and forearm are excellent and retain 95% plus of the high polish piano finish. The excellent checkering and relief craving have minimal wear. Stock and forearm have limited scattered and very minor handling marks. This is a magnificent example of a Winchester Deluxe Model 1894 Fancy Lever Action Takedown Rifle with factory engraving and inscription, rarely encountered relief carved and checkered style "F" stock and special order sights and sling swivels. Provenance: The Gateway Collection.