My take on this gun, and I can speculate as good as the next guy, is that old Wilber had this returned A1-Special to unload, and he greased some well heeled customer with the "you can have a gun made for the Czar story." This gun has no special engraving, no Romanoff double-headed eagle, no Nikki II crest, and no rib appelation. Nothing like the Brothers P did for President Benj. Harrison. My bet is old Wilber had read the press on the Marlin pump for the Czar and with the spark that this gun had originally been ordered by a Russian Col. made the rest up as a sales ploy to hook this well to do customer! The Ulrich engraved Marlin had the Romanoff Eagle in gold on the right side, the Russian Bear rampant protecting her cubs in gold on the left side, and on top the Czar's personal crest (N II) inlaid in platinum.
The gun is a rightious A1-Special, with a replacement stock, and an interesting sales history.
