"MARLIN MODEL 1892 DELUXE ENGRAVED LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 140491. Cal. 22. Extraordinarily rare Model 1892 with 26" special order oct to rnd bbl, 24" magazine, ivory bead front sight & fixed rear sight. Mounted with extraordinary B-style checkered burl American walnut with serpentine pistol grip & long sweeping cheekpiece with Marlin embossed hard rubber buttplate. This is reportedly the only known lever action Marlin 22 rifle with a cheekpiece. Receiver has special order extra coverage Conrad Ulrich engraving consisting of large vignette of a standing buck deer & feeding doe in a mountain scene on left side surrounded by very fine foliate arabesque patterns with fine punch dot background & multiple borders. Right side has extra coverage foliate arabesque patterns with an 8-pointed flower petal vignette in center. All engraving has a fine punch dot background. Top five flats of bbl has about 2" of matching arabesque patterns over chamber area & forend cap has fine scrolls on each side with a short chip & dot border at top edges. Top of receiver has multiple borders & latch hook style patterns with matching engraving on top tang. This exact rifle is pictured on pp. 186, 533 & 534 in the book Marlin Firearms, Brophy. Mr. Brophy states that the engraving is also special order. PROVENANCE: First reported in the early 1970's at Jack's Gun Shop in Cleveland, Ohio. It was sold from there to Dick Patterson in Indiana who sold it to Joe Baker and it disappeared after Mr. Baker died and his estate was sold. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl & magazine tube retain about 97-98% strong orig blue, slightly dulled on magazine tube. Forend cap appears to have been case colored which is now faded to silver. Receiver retains about all of its fine case colors, slightly faded & turning silver on top & bottom tangs. Lever retains faded case colors, strong in sheltered areas and hammer retains about 90% case colors, bright on sides, slightly faded on outer edge. Wood is sound with minor nicks & scratches and retains virtually all of its orig piano varnish finish. Crisp mechanics, strong bright bore, dark in grooves. 4-33758 JR55 (70,000-100,000)"
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