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SCARCE INSCRIBED SPECIAL ORDER DELUXE WINCHESTER MODEL 1886 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:7,500.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 25,000.00 USD
SCARCE INSCRIBED SPECIAL ORDER DELUXE WINCHESTER MODEL 1886 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.
SN 5343. Cal. 40-82. Beautiful, early, special order deluxe '86 with 26" oct to rnd bbl, button magazine, brass bead Jack front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight & Lyman tang sight. Left side of the receiver is inscribed in period script "Charles M. Lea. / Philadelphia. / Pa." Left side of the lower tang, under the wood is marked "XXX" & the assembly #"292". Matching assembly number is also found in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Rifle is mounted with very highly figured, about 3X, flame & shell grain American walnut with H-style checkered forearm and black insert, serpentine grip buttstock that has crescent buttplate without trap although the buttstock is milled with a recess & slot for the trap. Charles Matthew Lea joined his father's medical book publishing company located in the Philadelphia area about 1880 & when his father retired in 1885 he took over the reins of the company. He continued managing the company through various partnerships until retiring in 1915 & passed away in 1927. Hammer spring is missing, a simple repair. PROVENANCE: Woody Frey Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains 96-97% strong orig blue with only light sharp edge wear & muzzle edge wear with a few light nicks. Receiver retains about 80% case colors, strong and bright in sheltered areas, moderately faded elsewhere. Top & bottom of receiver have faded to silver. Hammer retains bright case colors & the lever strong case colors on sides & in sheltered areas, mostly faded to silver on outer faces. Wood is sound with no visible flaws & retains about all of a bright restored finish with freshened checkering. Mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore. 4-48427 JR175