Page 29 - Auction84-Book3

LOT 3018
Excellent Special Order Marlin Deluxe Model
1895 Lightweight Lever Action Takedown Short Rifle -
Serial no. 288168, 33 WCF cal., 22 inch round bbl., blue/ casehardened finish, walnut stock. This is a stellar example of a deluxe lightweight takedown variation of the Marlin Model
1895. Manufactured in 1904, this rifle pre-dates the well established assertion that
Marlin introduced the Model 1895 lightweight in 1912 by several years (see Brophy’s “Marlin Firearms”
pages 231, 629). By 1912, Model 1895 receivers were blued, leaving the casehardened option as a special
order feature. The 22 inch tapered barrel is fitted with a beaded blade front sight, has a filler block in the rear sight seat and is marked with the
two-line address/patent dates marking ahead of the rear sight, “33-CF” at the breech, and “SPECIAL SMOKELESS STEEL” on the left side. The top of
the receiver is marked “MARLIN SAFETY” and has a Marlin peep sight. The left side of the lower tang and stock inlet are numbered to the gun. Griffin &
Howe style sling swivel studs are mounted on the underside of the forend cap and buttstock. The highly figured deluxe walnut forearm and pistol grip
stock feature No. D factory checkering featuring diamond patterns. The buttstock is fitted with a hard rubber Marlin buttplate.
CONDITION: Excellent. The barrel and magazine tube retain 97% plus original blue finish with a small patch of slight spotting on the magazine. Forend cap retains most of
the original blue finish. The receiver retains 90% plus vivid original case colors. The takedown collar, hammer and lever retain 80% original case colors. The wood is very fine with most of the crazed original varnish remaining, minimal handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. A highly attractive special order Marlin Deluxe Model 1895 Lightweight Takedown Short Rifle.
Provenance: The Wes Adams Estate; The Milan J. Turk Collection.
Estimate: 8,500 - 13,000
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