"MARLIN MODEL 1881 EARLY 1ST MODEL REBATED FRAME. SN 10. Cal. 45 Govt. (45-70). Standard grade rifle with 23-3/4" oct bbl, reduced during period of use, full magazine, German silver Rocky Mtn. front sight & Marlin semi-buckhorn rear sight. Receiver has the 1st style "step" on bottom front of frame with the solid carrier & has rare case-colored frame. Mounted with nicely figured, slab-sawed, uncheckered American walnut with straight stock & semi-crescent smooth steel buttplate. Buttplate has the rare nickel-plated feature as found on other very early 1881's. The serial number is found on left side of upper & lower tangs beneath the wood, twice on the tip of the stock under the metal and inside the buttplate. No further disassembly was attempted to verify additionally numbered pieces. The magazine front stud dovetail is contoured to fit bottom flats of bbl. PROVENANCE: Leland Clapp Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl length as noted, probably reduced from a substantially longer length. Bbl retains 70-75% thin orig blue & magazine tube 65-70%. Both have stronger blue in sheltered areas. Rare case-colored receiver & dust cover retain about 50% faded case colors with balance turned silver. Lever & hammer retain areas of strong case colors and buttplate most of its orig nickel plating. Wood is sound, missing a small sliver by top tang & a gouge by bottom tang and retains most of an old refinish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with some minor orange peel pitting. 4-35999 JR28 (4,000-6,000)"
Back to the index
|
