March 11, 2013
Live Auction203 Skowhegan Road
Fairfield, ME, 04937 USA
Phone: 207 453 7125
Fax: 207 453 2502
Email: info@jamesdjulia.com
Viewing NotesFriday, Saturday, Sunday, March 8-10, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., March 11 & 12, 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Sale NotesA spectacular plethora of rare, historic and outstanding condition firearms. Included are items from various renown collections including the final session of the extraordinary Wes Adams Collection.
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Lot 1000: EXTREMELY RARE WINCHESTER BRIGGS PATENT LEVER ACTION RIFLE.
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Description: SN 1. Cal. 44 RF Henry. This very famous and well documented Briggs Patent rifle has been found in several very well known collections for many years. It is described as having a 24" rnd bbl with full magazine and two carbine style bands, the front of which is brass and the rear is blued steel. The brass band has an integral brass sling loop with sling eye on bottom of stock. Bbl is mounted with a windgage, ivory bead, combination front sight and Henry 900 yard ladder rear sight. It also has a later added tang sight with 4" staff. Receiver is that of a late style Henry rifle and it has a small brass forearm which has a screw-head button latch on right side that, when depressed, allows the forearm to slide forward exposing a cutout in the magazine tube to load cartridges. Mounted with very highly figured, burl & flame grain, uncheckered American walnut with straight stock & late Henry style brass buttplate with trap. Left side of lower tang is stamped with the SN "1" and an "E". The matching SN is found in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Receiver is spectacularly engraved with the large oval vignette on the left side plate which is engraved in period script "Presented to / W.C. Dodge Esq. / by the New Haven Arms Co. / as a Testament of voluntary services / in behalf of Breech Loaders / 1865". This vignette is surrounded by very well executed foliate arabesque patterns with fine punch dot background and a zig zag border. Left front flat is wonderfully engraved with a spray of flower blossoms & leaves with fine punch dot background. right sideplate has the engraved, oval vignette of a wonderfully detailed Spanish style mission with a cross over one turret, mountains in the background and desert style foliage in foreground, all surrounded by foliate arabesque patterns and a zig zag border. Right front flat is engraved identically to the left side and the transition flats between sideplates & front flats are engraved with Nimschke style feather patterns. Top front edge of receiver is engraved in foliate patterns. The top of receiver, top tang & brass forearm are lightly engraved with foliate arabesque patterns with punch dot background. All of brass was originally gold plated. The bottom tang is fitted with an unusual swinging lever latch, probably an experimental or prototype. All screws are Henry type. This famous rifle is pictured on the first page of Chapter 7, the Model 1866 chapter of The Winchester Book, Madis. In one of these photos it is pictured without a rear sight and has a tang sight. It is also pictured in full detail with three photos on p. 30 of The Book of Winchester Engraving, Wilson with credit to the Norm Flayderman Collection. In these photos it has the Henry style rear sight. It has a full page, p. 39, in color, in the book, Winchester Engraving, Wilson, at which time it had no rear sight. This famous rifle has appeared in numerous other publications & articles over the years. PROVENANCE: Norm Flayderman Collection; Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl & magazine tube retain about all of a fine professional restoration showing light wear from the sliding forearm; forearm & receiver retain traces of gold in the engraving with lightly worn edges and overall retain a dark mustard patina; buttplate is matching condition with a few small spots of stain; stock is sound with a few minor nicks, dings & scratches and retains about all of a very fine professionally restored finish. Mechanics are fine; strong, frosty bore, dark in the grooves. 4-44558
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Lot 1001: OUTSTANDING DELUXE ENGRAVED WINCHESTER MODEL 1866 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.
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Description: SN 38058. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Outstanding early rifle with 24-1/4" oct bbl, full magazine, combination front sight and a replacement fixed rear sight with tang sight that has a 3-3/4" staff. Mounted with very highly figured flame grain uncheckered American walnut with straight stock and crescent brass buttplate with trap. Bottom of stock has a factory sling swivel with corresponding swivel in the forend cap. Left side of lower tang under the wood is stamped "XX" with large initials "JF", a "B" and an "O". Top tang channel of buttstock has last four digits of SN which number is also found inside toe of buttplate. Rifle is engraved by one of the Ulrichs, probably John, with wonderfully detailed foliate arabesque & Moorish patterns on both sides with very fine punch dot background. Top of receiver, top tang, bottom tang and forend cap are also lightly engraved. Bottom of receiver & carrier are engraved with mirror image patterns and buttplate tang is engraved in a geometric pattern. This is a very fine beautiful '66 with wonderful engraving. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains 93-95% slightly thinned orig blue with muzzle & sharp edge wear; magazine tube retains about 95% strong orig blue with a thinned spot just above the forend cap which corresponds with a wear spot on the bbl; receiver retains fairly sharp edges showing only light wear and overall the receiver, forend cap & buttplate retain a pleasing medium mustard patina; wood is sound with light nicks & scratches and a few dings on bottom of stock and overall retains most of a very old professionally restored finish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bright bore with moderate pitting. 4-44555
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Lot 1002: RARE HALF NICKEL FACTORY ENGRAVED WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.
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Description: SN 127938. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Beautiful '73 with 24-1/4" oct bbl, full magazine, half nickel front sight and short semi-buckhorn rear sight with checkered edges. Mounted with very nicely figured, center crotch,flame grain American walnut, uncheckered, with straight stock & crescent buttplate with trap containing a 4-pc brass & iron cleaning rod. Receiver has a sgl set trigger. Left side of lower tang is stamped with assembly number "4835", "XXX" and an "R". Matching assembly number is found in top tang channel of buttstock which also has an "S". Matching number is also stamped inside toe of buttplate. Receiver, forend cap & buttplate are nickel finished. Receiver & sideplates are engraved by one of the Ulrichs, probably John. Engraving consists of the small rnd vignette of a standing whitetail buck in a field & forest scene with foliate arabesque patterns fore & aft with one scroll terminating in a large flower blossom. Front & rear flats of receiver are engraved to match. Right side has matching engraving with foliate arabesque patterns terminating in a large flower blossom on the sideplate. Top & bottom of receiver, dust cover, top tang, forend cap & buttplate tang are engraved to match. This exact rifle, identified by SN, is pictured, both sides, on p. 190 of the book Winchester Engraving, Wilson. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter addressed to renowned Winchester researcher, author & authority, George Madis, which identifies this rifle with oct bbl, set trigger, fancy nickel trim & engraved; received in warehouse July 11, 1883 and shipped same day with four other arms to Order #4755. Such early 1873s are rarely found with nickel trim and engraved. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching. Bbl & magazine tube retain 98-99% strong orig factory blue with only very light sharp edge wear and slight thinning in one spot on magazine tube and a few pin pricks of light surface discoloration over forearm area; receiver, dust cover & forend cap retain virtually all of their strong, bright, orig nickel with a few pin pricks of flaking on receiver and some minor flaking on bottom rear edge; buttplate retains about 96% orig nickel turned milky with wear on heel & toe; hammer retains about all of its orig factory case colors, turned a little dark; lever retains bright case colors on sides, faded on outer faces; wood is sound with a few very minor nicks & scratches with some oil staining around tangs and overall retains most of its orig factory varnish. Set trigger needs adjusting, otherwise mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore, may be unfired; bolt face retains virtually all of its orig factory blue. 4-44568
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Lot 1003: VERY RARE SPECIAL ORDER EXTRA HEAVY DELUXE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.
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Description: SN 192643. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Spectacular special order deluxe rifle with 30" extra heavy oct bbl that measures 1" across the flats, full magazine, half nickel front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight and tang sight with 4" staff. Mounted with very highly figured, burl & flame grain American walnut with "H" style checkered forearm and serpentine pistol grip stock with black triangle inlay and crescent buttplate with trap. Left side of lower tang is stamped with assembly number "588" and three, larger than normal "X"s. The matching assembly number is found in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. The number in the top tang channel of the buttstock appears to have been re-stamped over the orig number. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this rifle in 38 caliber with 30" extra heavy oct bbl, plain trigger, checkered stock with pistol grip and case hardened, received in warehouse Oct. 8, 1885, shipping date & order number are blank on the record. It was "repaired and changed to 44 caliber on July 14, 1891". Also accompanied by a copy of the shipping record. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl retains 96-98% strong orig factory blue with very light muzzle & sharp edge wear; magazine tube retains 98-99% strong orig blue; receiver retains about all of its orig case colors, brilliant in sheltered areas, lightly faded but strong elsewhere; hammer retains about all of its brilliant case colors; lever retains brilliant case colors on sides, faded on outer faces; buttplate retains brilliant case colors on the tang, lightly to moderately faded on the face, showing wear on heel & toe; forend cap retains bright case colors on left side, fading to silver on right side; wood is sound with light nicks & scratches showing moderate diamond point wear and retains most of an outstanding professionally restored finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore; has been fired but very little, retains most of its orig factory blue on bolt face. 4-44562
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Lot 1004: EXCEPTIONAL WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.
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Description: SN 205275. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Standard grade 3rd Model rifle with 24-1/4" medium weight rnd bbl, button magazine, blued Rocky Mountain front sight and semi-buckhorn rear sight. Mounted with very nicely figured straight grain American walnut with straight stock & crescent buttplate with trap containing an orig 4-pc brass & iron cleaning rod. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, as new. Bbl retains about 98% strong orig factory blue with only faint muzzle edge wear and a couple of tiny pin pricks of light surface rust and a couple of minor dings; receiver, lever, hammer, forend cap & buttplate retain virtually all of their orig factory case colors, brilliant on sides and most of receiver, lightly faded over top of receiver ring and bottom of receiver at carry point; top tang is also lightly faded as are the outer faces of lever; forend cap is also lightly to moderately faded; buttplate retains brilliant case colors showing wear on heel & toe; wood is sound with a few scattered, very light handling & storage nicks & scratches with a couple of small gouges on forearm and overall retains about all of its brilliant orig factory finish; dust cover retains virtually all of its orig bright blue. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore, probably unfired; bolt face retains virtually all of its orig blue. This is a truly exceptional '73. 4-44587
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