1098

*RARE SAVAGE MODEL 1899 LEADER GRADE LEVER ACTION RIFLE.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:4,000.00 USD Estimated At:8,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
*RARE SAVAGE MODEL 1899 LEADER GRADE LEVER ACTION RIFLE.
SN 35416. Cal. 303 Savage. Beautiful rifle with 26" tapered oct bbl, Lyman ivory bead front sight, Lyman 6A 2-leaf folding rear sight and an early Lyman combination tang sight. Mounted with very highly figured American walnut with schnable tip forearm, extensively checkered with foliate patterns at the front and scalloped at the rear. Buttstock has raised checkered side panels with matching checkered & carved wrist and fine checkering over top of wrist with serpentine grip cap and crescent buttplate. Receiver is beautifully engraved by Enoch Tue in grade "B" patterns consisting of the small vignette of a mortally wounded bull elk on left side, a doe deer on right side and the large vignette of a squirrel in a tree on bottom. The side vignettes are surrounded by very well executed foliate arabesque patterns. Receiver ring is delicately engraved in foliate patterns with a triangle pattern back of the bolt opening and has matching patterns on each side of lever boss. The entire remainder of the receiver is very finely stippled. SN was observed on bottom of receiver, rear face of forearm, rear face of buttstock under buttplate and inside toe of buttplate. Accompanied by two Savage historian letters which identify this rifle in caliber 303 Savage, accepted from the factory Aug. 21, 1902 and shipped Oct. 14, 1903 to "E. Tue". There is a note in the record entry "bargain". The earlier letter states that there is no way to know whether the engraving was done prior to or after the shipment. Mr. Clark, the historian, speculates that because of the work "bargain" in the entry it may have already been engraved. PROVENANCE: George R. Adams Collection; LeRoy Merz Collection; Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching. Overall the metal retains 98-99% strong orig finish with only faint sharp edge wear and a minor nick or two; bolt is slightly dulled and covered with old dried oil; lever retains case colors on the sides and sheltered areas with the outer faces faded to silver; wood is sound with a few minor nicks & scratches and overall retains most of its orig piano style varnish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. 4-44799 JR387