Page 39 - Auction84-Book3

LOT 3031
Special Order Factory Engraved Marlin Deluxe Model 1881
Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter - Serial no. 18956, 38-55
cal., 28 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock.
Manufactured in 1888. The Model 1881 was the first lever action rifle design by
Marlin, and it proved to be very popular with many customers out West. This example has a small frame receiver decorated with a Marlin factory engraving. Both sides of the
receiver feature scrollwork, simple borders and game scene panels. Each game scene depicts a deer in a meadow. In the panel
on the left side a dog is chasing a buck. On top of the receiver a light border surrounds the bolt and a flourish of scrollwork that compliments the sides of the receiver appears
on the chamber. Renowned Master Engraver Conrad Ulrich was performing most of the engraving for Marlin at the time this rifle was manufactured. Ulrich designed the engraving patterns that would be the standard for Marlin high end finishes. The rifle is fitted with a German silver blade front sight, an elevation adjustable rear sight, a mid-range tang peep sight, half
magazine and full octagon barrel. The top barrel flat is stamped with the two-line address/patent date legend ahead of the rear sight and “38-55” at the breech. The checkered forearm and pistol grip stock are select walnut. The buttstock is fitted with a crescent buttplate. The accompanying factory letter confirms the 28 inch barrel in .38-55 caliber, pistol grip stock and half magazine.
The factory letter also states the rifle was shipped on April 24, 1888. Although the high end finishes are not confirmed by the factory letter, the engraving and deluxe checkered pistol grip stock are definitely factory. As noted Marlin expert William Brophy explained, “Unfortunately, the few remaining factory records do not, with any regularity, indicate if the gun was factory engraved or not.”
CONDITION: Fine. The barrel retains 75% original blue finish with thinning to brown on the balance. The magazine has an artificial brown-gray patina. The lever has aged to a smooth dark patina. The remaining metal surfaces have bright appearance. The engraving is crisp. The wood is very good with some chipping at the tang, couple divots, minor dings and scratches, some worn forearm checkering and re-cut wrist checkering. Mechanically excellent.
It is not often that we catalog factory engraved examples of Marlin’s first lever action rifle.
Provenance: The Milan J. Turk Collection.
Estimate: 8,500 - 13,000
CONDITION: Fine. The barrel and magazine retain 80% plus original blue finish with thinning to brown on the balance. 85% bright original blue remains on the forend cap. The receiver and takedown collar retain 40% original case colors. The engraving is crisp. 60% original case colors remain on the hammer and lever. 60% original nitre blue remains on the loading gate. The wood is also very fine
with minor handling marks, a 1 inch scratch on the right wrist and overall crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Milan J. Turk Collection.
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,500
37
LOT 3032
Factory Engraved Marlin Deluxe Model 1894 Lever Action
Takedown Rifle - Serial no. 150105, 25-20 M cal., 24 inch octagon bbl.,
blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in 1897 and featuring
a Marlin factory engraving on the casehardened receiver made up of floral scrollwork on
punch dot backgrounds, scroll, heart and zig-zag line borders and a standing buck game scene
in a circular panel on the left side. Famed master engraver Conrad Ulrich engraved most of the work for Marlin c. 1881 to
1910. The rifle is fitted with a combination Beach front sight, an elevation adjustable rear sight, and a Lyman tang peep sight. The
top barrel flat has the two-line address/patent dates marking and “25-20 M”. The top of the receiver is marked “MARLIN SAFETY.” The checkered forearm and pistol grip stock are highly figured select walnut. The buttstock is fitted with a hard rubber Marlin shotgun buttplate.