Manufactured in 1897. The short rifle features a 20 inch round barrel, full length magazine and crescent steel buttplate. The barrel has a Winchester Express front sight with brass bead and a folding leaf rear sight. The rifle has a blue barrel and magazine with casehardened forearm cap, receiver, hammer, lever and buttplate. The stock and forearm are nicely figured walnut with a varnished finish. The forearm and stock wrist are checkered. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped "-MANUFACTURED BY THE-/-WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO, NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A.-" in two lines ahead of the rear sight. The left side of the barrel is roll-stamped "NICKEL STEEL BARREL/ESPECIALLY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER" below the rear sight and the caliber designation "30 W.C.F." is stamped on the top of the barrel ahead of the receiver. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped: "MODEL 1894/-WINCHESTER-/PAT. AUG. 21. 1894" in three lines. The serial number is stamped across the front of the receiver bottom. The rifle has custom engraving with inlaid silver borders and silver relief western scenes on both sides of the receiver. The panel on the left side of the receiver features a mounted cowboy with rifle and "ten gallon hat" in silver-relief. The right side of the receiver features a longhorn cow and calf with prominent "7XL" brand in silver relief. There is well-executed scroll and shell engraving with scallop and punch-dot borders on the sides, top and bottom of the receiver, sides of the lever and top of the barrel. The receiver, lever and barrel engraving is outlined with silver inlays.

Very good as custom embellished. The case colors on the receiver, forearm, hammer, lever and buttplate have faded to a muted silver gray patina. The blue finish on the barrel and magazine has aged to a blue-brown patina. Cold blue has been applied to the barrel to "improve" the finish. There are traces on light pitting on the sides of the barrel. The barrel markings are clear. The well-executed engraving and relief panel scenes are crisp. The fancy grain stock and forearm are excellent with minimal wear and sharp checkering. This is a good looking example of an early production Winchester Model 1894 Short Rifle with custom Western themed engraving, fancy grain stock and forearm, and extensive silver inlays.