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Corresponded yesterday with an individual from Kalifornia who owns an Optimus that he believes has been in his family since new (family moved from NY State to Kalifornia after the San Francisco earthquake and fire). It is a very early 30" ten bore, serial number 9954. The gun is complete, remains solid, is unaltered, and looks its age (I'm guessing a manufacture date between 1887-89; although its myriad screw slots remain virtually untouched. As with early Optimus guns this example is not engraved nearly to the degree of later Optimus guns, and it has only one gold inlay; a prancing horse with flowing tail on the trigger guard bow. I've never seen a horse figure on another Lefever, or any other make that I can recall; so clearly a very special customer request. Maybe the original owner operated a circus? The gun features a pivot opener, as opposed to the thumb opener, and has a hand-matted top rib (only the second example I've seen with a hand matted rib). The push button fore end release features a single initial, an "S", which is the beginning letter of the family's last name. Based on our discussion the gun will remain within the family; but, as I assume this is a heretofore unknown example of the Optimus and has a very low serial number, a few of Lefever aficionados here would appreciate having this information. And lest I forget, the word "Optimus" is engraved upon the trigger guard.
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