SOLD
3,800.00USD+ buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2024 Jan 27 @ 10:53UTC-6 : CST/MDT
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A full invoice should be emailed to the winner by the auctioneer within a day or two.
Whitney-Burgess-Morse .45-70 lever action repeating sporting rifle. This extremely rare rifle was only made from 1878-1882 and was the first lever action repeating rifle by any manufacturer to be chambered for the powerful .45-70 Government cartridge. (Marlin came out with their first in 1881 and Winchester in 1886). Only approximately 1500 of these sporting rifles were ever manufactured and surviving examples are almost never encountered today. This fine rifle is correctly stamped “A. BURGESS PATENTED JANY. 7TH 1873, PATENTED OCT 19TH 1875” on the upper tang, and on the 26” full octagon barrel “G. W. MORSE PATENTED OCT. 28TH 1856” as well as “45 CAL 70 GR C.F.” (for center fire cartridge). The barrel and magazine show good very thinning barrel blue with sharp markings and a buckhorn rear sight with elevator bar intact with a small blade/bead front sight. Similarly, the receiver shows good thinning blue mixing gray and has the early “S” or serpentine lever. The action is tight and the safety half-cock on the hammer holds securely. The bore shows some normal wear with good rifling all the way through. The stock and forend are fine and show only normal light handling. It has the correct forend cap that still retains some aged blue as does the loading gate. The
crescent butt plate has a brass sliding trap door with a compartment to hold cleaning rods. The large frame Whitney-Burgess-Morse rifle was the predecessor to the later and more widely encountered Whitney-Kennedy repeater. This is the first and only lever action rifle made in a “buffalo hunting” caliber- .45-70, actually made while there was still active buffalo hunting being carried out on the plains. This example with serial number 1086 is in very fine condition considering that most of this model were shipped to the frontier west where they saw very heavy use and often abuse in all types of climates and conditions. Interestingly, the Whitney Firearms Company was purchased by Winchester in 1888 who promptly ceased all production to thwart these fine repeating rifles from competing with the Winchester line! The most advanced lever action rifle collections almost universally lack a Whitney-
Burgess-Morse .45-70 repeating rifle. Most collectors have never encountered one. The rifle weighs 8lbs 14oz. Serial Number: 1086. This firearm qualifies as an Antique, and does not require FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.
Auction Location:
34156 E Frontage Rd, Bozeman, Montana, 59715, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview the Friday before the auction 10am to 5pm or by appointment.
No sales tax in Montana
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
26% |
Additional Fees:
Shipping Details:
North American Auction Company is proud to announce the opening of our new in-house, full-service shipping department. We have listened to you the customer and will now be handling all outgoing packages in our new shipping department. We are confident this new offering will allow for a smooth transition from auction block to your front step. We have partnered with preferred carriers to ensure a safe, efficient delivery that works best with your schedule. Please allow 14-21 days after complete invoice payment is made to package and ship your purchase. After you are notified of your winning bids from our company and your item invoice is paid in full our new shipping department will contact you. Make sure when signing up with our company that your preferred shipping information is up to date as this information will be used to estimate shipping cost. Once the items have been packaged our team will contact you for shipping payment. Shipping invoices and payment will be completely separately than the items invoice. Please notify the shipping department with any alternate request or instructions at mark@northamericanauctioncompany.com or 800-686-4216 ext. 3. For a shipping quote please contact the same information above. PLEASE NOTE a shipping quote price can fluctuate in price. Auction company is not responsible for actual shipping cost being higher than quoted shipping cost. Thank you for trusting North American Auction Co. with your bids and shipping. As our shipping department is brand new please understand that delays can be expected.
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Any persons who desire to become a Bidder on any firearms are required to be 18 years of age for any long gun and 21 years of age for any hand gun. Auction Co. is a licensed and practicing Federal Firearms Licensed (FFL) dealer. Any Bidders who desire to bid on and purchase any firearms in our auctions cannot have been convicted of a felony, have any restraining orders, or have any reason that they would not pass a NICS FFL Background Check. Auction Co. holds the right to run a NICS FFL Background check on any purchaser. If the Bidder on a long gun is a current resident with correct identification from the states of Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, or South Dakota and are attending the auction, the purchaser can take possession of the long gun at checkout, only if the Bidder is approved by the NICS FFL Background Check. 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Bidders wishing to be a telephone bidder at the time an item is being sold must contact the Auction Co. in advance to make arrangements. The bidder must contact the Auction Co. no later than 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time Zone the day preceding the sale to make arrangements to bid via telephone. If a bidder contacts Auction Co. after 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time Zone the day preceding the sale, Auction Co. cannot guarantee that the bidder's bids will be executed. Bidders are required to fill out the "Phone Bidder Request Form" located on our website under the Phone Bidding tab. Once the bidder has filled out the Phone Bidder Request Form completely the auction company will then send the bidder the Telephone Bidder Terms of Service Document. 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Live Internet Bidding: Auction Co. offers the bidders Live Internet Bidding or otherwise known as Simulcast Bidding as a convenience to our Bidders. Live Internet or Simulcast Bidding is defined as using hosted software by a third party during the live event to relay your bids and have the software and Auction Co. representative bid on your behalf. Live Simulcast Internet Bidding is available through various hosted platforms including but not limited to LiveAuctioneers, ICollector, Proxibid, Invaluable, Auctionzip, and HiBid. Bidders wishing to participate in the Live Internet Bidding event must first register to bid on any of the available hosted platforms in advance including all details of payment. Bidders understand and acknowledge that the Auction Co. is not responsible for the bidders approval to bid and that the Auction Co. has the right to refuse or decline any bidder without limitation. Bidders then must sign into the hosted internet bidding website in advance to the auction and within 30 minutes of the auction event starting time open the Live Bidding window. Auction Co. will not be responsible for any errors or failures to execute bids placed via Internet Simulcast Platforms including without limitation, errors or failures caused by (i) a loss of connection to the internet or to any hosted software platforms; (ii) a breakdown or technical problem with any of the hosted software platforms; (iii) a breakdown or problem with a client's internet connection, mobile network or computer; (iv) the failure to relay the bids placed for any reason without limitation due to the hectic nature of the live auction event. Auction Co. is not responsible for any failure to execute an online bid or for any errors or omissions in connection therewith. Online bidding via all hosted internet platforms will be recorded. All Live Internet Simulcast Bidding is subject to the same terms stated in the Absentee Bidding Section C-4. 4. Absentee Bidding: Auction Co. offers bidders absentee bidding through various venues including but not limited to Online Absentee Bidding, Live Absentee Bidding, Telephone Absentee Bidding, on site in person Absentee Bidding, and Sealed Bid Absentee Bidding. The auction catalog is hosted on various different websites including without limitation LiveAuctioneers, ICollector, Proxibid, Invaluable, Auctionzip, and HiBid. A bidder wishing to participate in the online absentee bidding is required to register to bid and/or create an account, on any of the above listed websites, making sure to fill out the registration and or new account information completely with correct and the most current information. 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Auction Co. is not responsible for any failure to execute an online bid or for any errors or omissions in connection therewith. Online bidding via all hosted internet platforms will be recorded. All bidding is subject to approval by the Auction Co. and Auction Co. Auctioneer representative at the live auction event. Auction Co. holds the right to refuse or decline or accept in any order the bids presented to the Auctioneer at the time of the live event. Bidders understand that all bids placed are considered and executed as Competitive Bidding. Competitive Bidding is allowing the Auction Co. to start the bid at the amount the Auctioneer will accept a bid regardless of any bidder's maximum bid. understand that due to the hectic nature of the live auction event that the Auction Co. and Auctioneer will not take into account the date at which any bid was placed (Example No.1: If the Auctioneer is asking all bidders for a $1,000 bid and a live onsite bidder in person, a bidder through representative, a telephone bidder, an internet live bidder from all of the five available hosted platforms, and an absentee bidder all at the exact same time bid $1,000, the Auctioneer will award the high bid solely at his discretion without limitations. Example No. 2: A bidder number 1 left an absentee bid of $1,000 on a lot. The auction event is in processes and the bidder number 1 is the highest accepted bid at $100 and the Auctioneer according to his sole discretion sets the bidding increments at $100 and then continues to call bids. The bidder number 1 is then accepted as the highest bidder at $900 and the Auctioneer ask for $1,000 and accept the bid from another bidder, bidder number 2, at $1,000. The Auctioneer then calls for any more bids at $1,100 and then sells the item to the bidder number 2. Since the original bidder, bidder number 1, was accepted at $900 and the Auctioneer has chosen $100 increments the next accepted bid must be $1,000 and bidder number 1 cannot bid again as the Auctioneer already has accepted his bid at $900. When the Auctioneer calls for $1,100 bidder number 1 no longer will show the Auction Co. representative any available bids and the item will be sold to bidder number 2). Auction Co. is not liable for any damages or responsible for selling the item to another bidder at your maximum bid amount without limitation. 5. By registering to bid or/and bidding on any item this indicates the bidders acceptance of these terms and all other terms printed within, posted, and announced at the time of sale whether bidding in person, through a representative, by phone, by internet, or other absentee bid. Auction Co. advises any persons who does not fully understand and acknowledge the terms written herewith to refrain from bidding in any manner. All bids left are an acknowledgement and agreement of these terms and a guarantee for all payment invoices on any successful or purchased lots including any additional expenses including but not limited to buyers premium and storage cost and late fees when applicable.