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Fabulous Documented Winchester Special Order J. Ulrich Signed Engraved and Gold Winchester Model 188

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:80,000.00 USD Estimated At:160,000.00 - 250,000.00 USD
Fabulous Documented Winchester Special Order J. Ulrich Signed Engraved and Gold Winchester Model 188
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Fabulous Documented Winchester Special Order J. Ulrich Signed Engraved and Gold Winchester Model 1885 with Relief Carved Stock and Forend

This is an unbelievable example of one of the finest and most impressive Winchester Repeating Arms Model 1885 single shot rifle that we have had the opportunity to sell. This superb rifle has been masterfully embellished and signed by one of Winchester's most prestigious and highly sought after and well known engravers; "J. Ulrich". This outstanding rifle features tons of a wide line gold borders, with beautiful highly detailed gold inlayed animal scenes and meticulous extremely fine English scroll engraving and to top it off, it has deluxe extra fancy hand carved walnut stock and forend. This fantastic rifle has been correctly signed: "ULRICH" in front of the set screw on the double set triggers. This fabulous rifle is also accompanied by a Winchester factory letter dated Dec 2006 that validates and verifies the exact configuration of this rifle as being 100% factory corrected. It has also been documentation page 173 of the "The Book Of Winchester Engraving: and also on page 141 of the book: "Winchester" An American Legend" both by R.L. Wilson. John Ulrich needs no introduction to the firearms community as his skill was unprecedented in the firearms industry in the early 1900s and even remains that way today. According to family tradition John Ulrich was taught the art/skill of engraving by his older brother Conrad Ulrich, who was taught by Gustave Young (the Masters-Master engraver) while both of them worked at the Colt factory. John Ulrich eventually began working for the Winchester factory in late 1869/70 and remained there working off an on for Winchester until his death in 1924. This exceptional rifle features a fabulous gold inlayed game scene on each side of the receiver that features a beautifully and highly detailed gold inlayed bull moose on the left side (Winchester vignette No. 9) and a large dall ram; (Winchester vignette No. 12), on the right side of the receiver. Each animal is perfectly inset into the metal and each one is perfectly sized and anatomically correct for the panel. Each panel features a forest or mountain game scene with each animal having an extremely high level of detail giving them a life-like appearance. The panel scenes also feature a highly detailed and meticulously engraved background scene. Each game scene is set in a oval picture panel that features a heavy gold line border. Around each panel it is further embellished with an extremely tight and highly detailed English scroll engraving with a small geometric border around the outer edges of the receiver. The upper tang behind the tang mounted peep sight there is a silver filled engraved intertwined initials "CWH". Additionally all the outside edges of the receiver, loading lever, upper and lower tang, being further engraved in a matching heavy inlayed gold line border. The rifle exhibits such an extensive amount of engraving that Ulrich even engraved the upper receiver ring, the breech and muzzle ends of the barrel, the top side of the breechblock, the entire upper area of the receiver behind the hammer slot, the sides of the loading lever and even on to the sides and base of the tang mounted peep sight. The Winchester factory letter notes that the cost of engraving on this rifle alone was "$60.00" in 1903! In addition to the gold inlayed animals the entire receiver has been inlayed with a wide line gold border that extends around the sides of the receiver, the top of the receiver ring, the top edges of the breech block, (which is casehardened), behind the hammer slot, completely around the rear of the receiver, the upper part of the loading lever, (to include the upper round area that rotates into the receiver), and the top of the buttplate. In addition to all that, both barrels which includes the factory original Winchester barrel and the spare barrel manufactured by "A.O. Zischang" have also been beautifully engraved on the breech and muzzle ends and both have also been inlayed with a double barrel band (silver and gold) on the breech end with a single inlayed gold band around the muzzle. As noted this beautiful rifle has been fitted with special order deluxe/fancy walnut stock and forend. Both sides of the stock and forend feature beautiful highly figured walnut with matching gain on each side. In addition both the stock and forend have been fully factory carved in a "B" coverage, (which is called out by the factory letter; however the actual coverage is closer to an A coverage) that consists of a extremely well laid out flowing vine and scroll pattern that covers the pistol grip area and 2/3 of each side of the forend. In addition the upper sides and over the top of the pistol grip, along with the underside and front 1/3 area of the forend have also been factory checkered in an extremely fine 22 line per inch checkering. The pistol grip is fitted with an original Winchester grip cap and a blue crescent steel buttplate that also exhibits matching engraving and gold inlayed border as noted above. The original barrel is a No. 3 full octagon that is marked on top "-MANUFACTURED BY THE-/- WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO NEW HAVEN CONN. U.S.A-." with the caliber markings "38-55" marked on the breech end in front of the receiver. As noted there is an additional/spare barrel that was manufactured by "A.O. Zischang", who like Harry Pope was one of the premier barrel makers and rifle shots during the late 1800s and early 1900s. This spare barrel is also a No. 3 weight that is 30 inches long in a half round-half octagon barrel configuration. It is chambered in a short .38 caliber cartridge (akin to a 38 special cartridge), however we have not been able to identify it. The barrel has an integral front sight base milled into the barrel which has been fitted with a Marbles No. 2 beaded front sight with no rear sight dovetail slot. Also the top barrel flat has been rolled with the Winchester milled/matte surface. It has been engraved on the left side: "--A-O-ZISCHANG--SYRACUSE--N-Y--", with the right side engraved: "--FLUID-STEEL-KRUPP-ESSEN--". Zischang, Pope and George Schoyen, all old world premier rifle barrel makers and target shooters have both been know to use German Krupp steel barrels. The barrel has six lands and grooves with no Winchester proof or acceptance markings The lower tang is marked with the original Winchester two line patent dates with the full serial number on the rear end of the tang. As noted it is fitted with the wide spaced double set triggers (both are functional) with the face of each triggers being factory checkered.

Manufacture: Winchester
Model: 1885-Rifle
BBL: 30 inch octagon
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 38-55
Finish: blue/gold line engraving
Grips:
Serial Number: 96428

Excellent with 97% of the original blue finish, showing some thinning of the blue area on the middle of the barrel where these rifles are normally picked up and handled. The gold and platinum inlays and the meticulous engraving is all intact and complete. The hammer, breechblock and loading lever all show 70% of their fading case colors (just due to their age). The spare barrel retains 99% of its blue finish overall with only minor edge or handling wear, and has probably never been installed on the rifle. The engraving and inlays are all excellent. The stock and forend are also excellent with the stock retaining 98% of its finish and the forend shows 60% of its factory varnish finish with wear mostly on the middle and front end from where the rifle has been handled and picked up over the years. Inside the forearm are two threaded screw retentions for the receiving side of a palm rest base which there is no exterior signs; maybe an after thought. The wood carving is excellent and the checkering on the stock is excellent with nice distinct sharp checkering on the forend showing some minor handling marks, again due to just how it was handled and picked up over the years. Notwithstanding that this is one of the most spectacular Winchester Model 1885 Single Shot rifles we have ever offered. Certainly a prime high end investment for the advanced Winchester or Single Shot collector.