Manufactured c. 1876 to 1891, the receiver on of this rifle was beautifully factory game scene engraved. The left side features a magnificent circular scene of two dogs chasing a stag, while the right features a circular scene of a dog fighting a bear, both surrounded by floral scroll and intricate border engraving. The two-line Marlin address and Ballard patent marking are on the left of the receiver. The serial number is marked on the bottom front of the receiver and again on the bottom of the barrel under the forearm. It is fitted with a combination front sight (ring broken off) and an empty rear sight dovetail, and the upper tang is drilled and tapped for a peep sight. It is mounted with a finely figured, checkered forearm with horn tip and a checkered pistol grip stock with a leather shotgun buttplate. The forearm has a factory drilled cleaning rod channel, and there is a cleaning rod thimble installed in a dovetail on the bottom of the barrel.

Very good, retains 20% of the original blue finish with the balance mostly a deep plum-brown patina, while the receiver shows a mixture of silvered case colors and grey patina with mostly crisp engraving. The wood is good with moderately worn checkering, a few scattered hairline cracks, drilled cleaning rod channel (see above), period replaced buttplate, and minor handling marks scattered throughout. The hammer will not hold at full cock, otherwise mechanically fine.