Lot - Ulrich Factory Engraved Gold Inlaid Winchester Deluxe Model 1895

Magnificent Documented John Ulrich Signed Factory No. 1 Panel Scene Master Engraved and Gold Inlaid Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1895 Lever Action Rifle with Factory Relief Carved Stock in the Highly Desirable "Teddy Roosevelt Caliber" .405 W.C.F. Manufactured in 1912, this is an incredible example of Winchester's early 20th century "Highly Finished Arms", a highly attractive, John Ulrich signed, factory master panel scene engraved and gold inlaid Model 1895 rifle with a beautiful factory carved stock. These John Moses Browning designed lever actions have become deeply associated with the legendary outdoorsman and President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt, particularly when chambered in the venerable .405 W.C.F. like this example. 2026 represents not only the 250th anniversary of our proud nation, but also the 125th anniversary of Roosevelt becoming president, making a .405 Model 1895 such as this one, that he undoubtedly would have favored, an even greater treasure for collectors. It was a Winchester Model 1895 in the powerful .405 cartridge that took most of the large and dangerous game during Teddy's Smithsonian–Roosevelt African Expedition from 1909 to 1910, with Roosevelt noting that "The Winchester .405 is, at least for me personally, the medicine gun for lions." The Model 1895 represented a modernization of Winchester's classic lever action, designed to handle the most powerful hunting cartridges of the time, and has become essentially synonymous with the American sportsman of the turn of the century. Much like the rest of America, Roosevelt's love affair with Winchester rifles began long before the Model 1895 and his African safari. In 1881, Roosevelt ordered his first Winchester at the age of 22, a special ordered Winchester Model 1876 that marked the beginning of his deep connection with the company, which led to the purchase of at least 20 Winchesters in total. Growing into manhood in the American West, the American-made Winchester lever action was a natural choice for "the cowboy in chief", even though British best-quality guns were the typical choice of the most notable sportsmen of the era. Roosevelt bucked that trend for most of his life, instead choosing a rifle that, at that point, had already become an American legend. He became one of the company's most notable customers, often special ordering their newest models with the simple instructions "stocked and sighted to suit me." Winchester typically understood these instructions to mean a rifle with half octagonal barrel, deluxe checkered pistol grip stock, casehardened receiver (sometimes factory engraved), a plain trigger, half magazine, shotgun butt, and special sights. Though Roosevelt carried and hunted with many of Winchester's legendary models, including the Model 1886 and 1894, rating them highly, it was the Model 1895 that seems to have truly captivated the president. In 1908, when the president's secretary contacted the company regarding rifles for the planned Smithsonian Expedition to Africa, Winchester responded by sending 15 crates of rifles, ammunition, and accessories, showing their respect for Roosevelt as a customer, a president, and a sportsman. Out of these 15 crates, it is believed that Teddy and his son Kermit chose three Model 1895s in the powerful .405 cartridge, as well as a fourth is the high velocity .30-03 cartridge. It is noted that the vast majority of the large and dangerous game taken on the safari were taken with the 1895s in .405, enshrining it amongst American outdoorsman forever as "Teddy's caliber". His admiration for the Model 1895 is perhaps unsurprising given his fondness for the phrase "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." as the .405 Model 1895 was undoubtedly a "big stick". This rifle is an incredible example of the firearms art that was being produced by America's major manufacturers around the turn of the century, with Winchester undoubtedly being one of the finest. Released in 1897, Winchester's "Highly Finished Arms" catalog was truly a celebration of the opulence of the Gilded Age, as well as skilled American craftsmanship and brilliant artistry. It was a catalog that boasted incredibly lavish Winchester arms, showing potential customers that the company was capable of essentially any high grade arm one could dream of. The foundations of firearms artistry at the Winchester company had truly been laid by the Ulrich family as early as the 1860s. The company employed six engraving members of the Ulrich family, though the most notable of the group were Conrad F., Herman L., and their brother John, who created and signed this masterpiece. Conrad F. began his engraving career at Colt, apprenticing under the legendary American engraver Gustave Young, with much of Young's influence later showing up throughout the work of the Ulrichs. By around 1875, Conrad had moved on to Marlin, where he would be their primary master engraver into the 20th century. By 1881, Herman had returned to engrave for Colt, leaving John as the primary Ulrich engraver at Winchester, as well as the Ulrich that designed and refined the company's engraving patterns that carried them into the 20th century. In many ways, the "Highly Finished Arms" catalog released by Winchester in 1897 can be viewed as a portfolio of the work of the maestro John Ulrich's talents, which are clearly evident throughout this magnificent work of American firearms art. The design of the Model 1895 by John Browning was quite a departure for the company from their typical designs, in part to utilize newly created hunting cartridges loaded with pointed "Spitzer" bullets. These newly introduced pointed bullets made for higher velocities down range, flatter trajectories, and longer range, but were unsafe to load end to end in a tubular magazine. In the typical innovative American fashion, Browning simply designed a rifle with Winchester's first ever box magazine to accommodate the cartridges, as well as being the most robust lever action the company ever produced capable of handling the high pressures of the new smokeless powder. The 1895 was the last lever action designed by John Browning. The cartridges that it could chamber played a major role in the model being favored by Roosevelt, as well as landing it in the hands of many other famous American sporting figures of the era, including Martin and Osa Johnson, Charles Cottar, Gerrit Forbes, and Stewart Edward White. Another notable user of the Model 1895 was American industrialist and outdoorsman Bernard H. Matthies, whose personal rifle, serial number 81851, was formerly in the Robert M. Lee Collection and is currently displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (2018.856.6 and pictured on p. 174 of "Winchester Engraving" by Wilson). That rifle, made just two years after this example, bears a very similar variation of the No. 1 engraving pattern and Style B wood carving, the same very rare configuration found on this rifle. The Met notes that there are very few known Model 1895s bearing this combination of embellishment, listing this rifle by serial number, numbers 88044 and 88455, as well as the later production rifles 216937, 403953, and 419777. These rifles bear essentially the highest level of embellishment the company offered, to this day representing treasures that are synonymous with the American sportsman, were held in the highest regard by Theodore Roosevelt, and remain masterpieces of fine art presented on the most American of all mediums: a rifle. Having been manufactured in 1912, it is quite possible that the discerning customer who ordered this rifle was influenced by hearing the exploits of Roosevelt and his party in Africa, and it was certainly ordered by someone of considerable means and refined tastes. Though not specifically listed by serial number, this particular rifle is pictured on p. 112 of "Winchester: An American Legend" by R.L. Wilson, showing very similar embellishment to the previously mentioned rifle on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Winchester Master Engraver John Ulrich has signed this masterpiece with his typical, minuscule "J.ULRICH" stamp just behind the lever latch. The engraving shows a variation of Winchester's No. 1 pattern engraving, the highest grade showcased in their "Highly Finished Arms" catalog. The engraving prominently features three gold inlaid animals, a tiger and bear on the right and a male lion on the left. The receiver, lever, hammer, and takedown collar are extensively accented with beautiful, bright, gold inlaid scrolls and borders, while the barrel has gold inlaid bands at the muzzle and breech. The remaining space of the receiver is filled with tight Ulrich scrollwork, with flourishes of scroll extending to the magazine, takedown collar, hammer, lever, and breech of the barrel. There are Winchester factory oval proofs on the barrel and receiver at the breech. The left side of the receiver is marked with the standard two-line address and patent dates, while the serial number is on the lower tang. The left of the barrel has the two-line nickel steel marking and the caliber marking at the breech. The upper tang has the three-line model and trademark information. Out of respect for this artistic treasure, the rifle was not disassembled to inspect for assembly numbers. It is fitted with a blade front sight on a ramped base and an elevation adjustable No. 24 notch rear sight. It is mounted with an incredibly figured set of the deluxe wood, including a Schnabel tip forearm with an ebony insert and a straight grip stock with a checkered steel shotgun buttplate. Both the forearm and stock exhibit the incredible, floral scroll relief "Style B" carving, which is also exhibited on the highest grades of embellished arms in the Winchester had to offer. This particular rifle, by every measure one can imagine, fits the definition of Winchester's "Highly Finished Arms".

Manufacturer: Winchester

Model: 1895

BBL: 24 inch round

Stock: walnut

Gauge: 405 WCF

Finish: blue

Serial Number78191

Class: Curio & Relic Long Gun

Condition: Very fine as a John Ulrich signed Winchester factory engraved masterpiece, retaining 75% plus of the original blue finish, 60% of the original case colors on the hammer, and essentially all the original bright gold inlays, with some mild high spot wear showing mostly grey patina, some blue touch-up near the front sight and front of the magazine box, scattered light scratches and minor dings, and crisp engraving overall, giving the rifle the appearance of a "Highly Finished Arm" that may have actually taken big game. The wood is exceptionally fine with some scattered light dings and scratches and the carving remaining incredibly crisp. Mechanically excellent. This is a true masterpiece of Winchester firearms art that truly embodies the rugged decadence of the 20th century American sportsman, such as Theodore Roosevelt himself!

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From:	To:	Increments:
$0	$199	$10
$200	$499	$25
$500	$999	$50
$1,000	$1,999	$100
$2,000	$4,999	$250
$5,000	$9,999	$500
$10,000	$19,999	$1,000
$20,000	$49,999	$2,500
$50,000	$99,999	$5,000
$100,000	$199,999	$10,000
$200,000 +		$25,000

Lot 12

Ulrich Factory Engraved Gold Inlaid Winchester Deluxe Model 1895

Ulrich Factory Engraved Gold Inlaid Winchester Deluxe Model 1895

Starting Bid: $50,000

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