Pauline Muerrle has asked me to Post the following because she cannot get Registered on this site.
"There were four authentic Winchester factory Grand Royals produced. The first one was the prototype done for John Olin. The serial no. is W9190. It was not finished in time to show Mr. Olin before he passed away in 1982. The original project was started in late 1979. The Winchester Custom Shop handled all of the manufacture except the engraving which was executed by Alvin White. This gun is pictured in The Winchester Book of Engraving by RL Wilson. This Grand Royal had Gold Inlays of John Olins head, King Buck his prize lab and his other favorite dog Satans Sizzler. There is elaborate scrollwork and gold line work. It is very intricate yet tasteful engraving unlike the gaudy specimen that is on CSMC's website.
The three other Grand royals were all produced in the Winchester Custom Shop, again except for the engraving which one other was done by Alvin White and the other two done by Howard Dove. I have original factory documentation on the three that were produced after the Olin gun. These three are consecutively seial numbered and were produced in 1980. The engraving pattern was different than the Olin gun but featured elaborate scrollwork and inlaid gold. Again, these three were very tastefully engraved. They did not have embedded jewels or other "over the top" embellishments."
So, if Ms. Muerrle is correct, is this over-the-top Winchester Model 21 Grand Royal that CSMC has advertised a non-authentic Winchester---and thus a fake?
