doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com An interesting rifle

Perhaps for us who are not collectors, someone could give us a few pointers in researching a rifle. It seems one might want to know who did the work, but for me, I really want to know about the man who ordered it.

But I really don't know how to go about that. I posted a note on a Marlin Collector's forum in case the rifle was well known. But I was not surprised at that nothing came of that.

I posted a note to the biggest Marlin collector I know, and though he lives just a few miles away, I haven't heard from him.

I have considered how I might go about contacting the successful buyer by trying to persuade the sell into connecting me to him, but that might be considered in poor taste, and is marginally outside the bounds of gunbroker rules.

I have the serial number of the rifle and I'm seriously considering sending off a request to the Cody Museum. Probably a bit expensive for something that is unlikely to go anywhere, even if there is a record.

But perhaps there are other methods. A little bit of schooling on how to run down a gun would be nice. But maybe each rifle is a project unto itself and there are no general methods.

Anyway, Michael, I think I'm trying to ring your phone...

I'm not sure who would publish it, but I would love to read an article on how this research is conducted myself. It constantly amazes me what some guys come up with.

SKB,
I would suggest it be "published" right here and maybe Dave could make a "sticky" out of it so it would not be lost.

Kutter,
I agree entirely and that is part of why I don't think this is a richman's rifle. It is almost folk-art in a way. But a bit too refined for that perhaps.

"It is almost folk-art in a way. But a bit too refined for that perhaps."

The relief inlays look like better talent than the scroll and other metal work. It's usually the other way around.

Plus the use of different K'ts gold, looks like 'green gold' in a couple of the figures. That's generally 18K sometimes 14K and not easy to work with.
Plus silver or white gold (I don't think platinum). White gold is even harder alloy,,usually 10k. Very tough to inlay with.
Not the type of odd scraps you have around the home workshop normally to tinker with, especially the colored gold alloys.

Then the scroll and background looks crude,,both layout and execution. I still think acid etch was involved.
Perhaps more than one person lend their 'talents' to the project. The inlays could have been added at a later time to spice the looks up.
Easier to do overlays than flat/flush inlays on existing work.


As far as a record of the rifle goes:
I believe some of the background paperwork used in the auction pictures is a request for a check on the rifle by serial number. The request came back unable to supply any information as the rifle is post 1906.

Picture #18 in the auction listing (the forward portion of the bbl showing the missing front sight). The paper work in the background says 'We regret also having to advise that we have no serial number information on Model 1895's made after 1906'.

I think that's a Marlin letter in the background, not a Cody letter. In Pic#4, you can see part of the Marlin, North Haven CT address on one of the pages.

What ever, I believe the records are missing. (I thought it was 1904 and forward).
Those that fake Marlin L/A rifles by upgrading usually make sure the serial number range falls after the date in question so no factory letter is available to verify their new beauty.
I'm not saying that was done here as I don't think this is factory work anyway,,just as a point of interest and something to keep in mind.

BrentD,

Perhaps you might like to consider making yourself a .22 varmint rifle based on a Winchester Low Wall, for taking the smaller vermin, it could be engraved and there is room on the side of the action for an engraving of one of the most dangerous of all small varmints, i.e. The Sabre Toothed Squirrel.

Harry [img:center][/img]