Lot 38

Serial Number 11 Antique Special Order Winchester Model 1873

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Serial Number 11 Antique Special Order Winchester Model 1873

Estimate: $90,000 - $140,000

Starting Bid: $80,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 21, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Historic and Highly Desirable, One of the Earliest Known, Two-Digit Hand-Inscribed Serial Number 11 Antique Special Order Winchester First Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle with Raised "Thumbprint" Dust Cover, Extra Length 30 Inch Barrel, and Factory Letter Manufactured in 1873, the first year of production, this is the earliest example of the legendary Winchester Model 1873 that we have ever had the pleasure of offering for sale here at Rock Island Auction Company. These very early production Winchester Model 1873s played a vital role in building upon the foundation laid by Winchester's Model 1866 and forging a legacy that would earn the '73 the nickname "the gun that won the West". These 1873s found their way to the American frontier in huge numbers, with many of them seeing years of extensive use in the harsh environment, leading to many not surviving, particularly out of the earliest production examples. Out of all the surviving examples of the early Model 1873s known to knowledgeable collectors, only three are reportedly known earlier than this particular rifle, with those being serial number 3, 6, and 10. This Model 1873 certainly shows the look of a rifle that may have spent time in the West as a trusted companion, standing as a testament to the durable and dependable nature of these guns. Being offered only in .44-40 W.C.F. early in production, these Model 1873s were often paired with the equally legendary Colt Single Action Army revolver in the same caliber, becoming an iconic duo of firearms that are essentially synonymous with the American West. Being armed with a Winchester '73 and a Colt Frontier Six Shooter allowed one to source and carry just one type of ammunition for both a long gun and a sidearm, a very valuable option in a region that remained very much untamed and unsettled. Between the general lawlessness of the frontier and the Indian Wars that continued to rage there, these surviving early 1873s are all highly likely to have seen significant use in the West. The connection these early production examples of the First Model 1873s share with the western frontier is deeply rooted and they remain highly sought after to this day as treasured pieces of Americana. Having been manufactured in late 1873, this rifle was received in the warehouse in January of 1874 and possesses all the extremely early production features one would hope to see on a Winchester Model 1873 with a two-digit serial number. This rifle is the earliest surviving example having a special order feature besides a set trigger, with this one having a highly desirable extra length barrel. According to the factory ledgers, out of the first 100 Model 1873s produced, only three rifles were produced with a 30 inch barrel, including this example. The included factory letter lists this rifle with a 30 inch octagon barrel, set trigger, and blue finish when received at the warehouse on 23 January 1874 and shipped the same day to order no. 906. The same information is confirmed on p. 48 of "Winchester's New Model 1873: A Tribute Vol. I" by James D. Gordon, where the very first page of the factory ledger for this model is reproduced in full. The First Model 1873s are found in the 1 through 30000 serial number range, though this particular example falls in the very earliest sub-variation of the First Models, which are only found in the serial number range of 1 through 350. The most notable feature of those first 350 First Model 1873s is that the model designation is hand-engraved on the lower tang along with the serial number, while they also possess other notable features of the First Models. The First Model receiver has the integral dust cover guides on either side of the ejection port, as well as the earliest type of dust cover featuring the raised checkered "thumbprint" grip area, which is found on only approximately the first 2,600 Model 1873s. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard two-line address and King's patent marking. The rifle correctly lacks caliber markings as .44-40 W.C.F. was initially the only caliber offered. The upper tang is correctly unmarked. The lower tang has the correct, extremely early production, hand-engraved "Model 1873" over the also hand engraved two-digit serial number "11". It is fitted with a period shortened "Rocky Mountain" type German silver blade front sight and the correct early style elevation adjustable rear sight with the short "reversed" base mounted in a dovetail just 1 inch ahead of the receiver ring, a feature found on only around the first 1,300 Model 1873s. The special ordered single set trigger correctly lacks a block safety and both the lever and lever latch are correctly of the earliest type. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with the early pattern trapdoor "thick" crescent buttplate.

Manufacturer: Winchester

Model: 1873

BBL: 30 inch octagon

Stock: walnut

Gauge: 44-40 WCF

Finish: blue

Serial Number11

Class: Antique

  • Condition: Fine as one of the earliest known surviving examples of the legendary Winchester Model 1873, retaining 25% of the original blue finish, strongest in sheltered areas, trace patterns of the original case colors on the hammer and lever, and traces of the original nitre blue on the loading gate the with the balance a mixed grey and brown patina with some scattered light dings and a few scattered patches of light pitting, typical of a frontier-used rifle. The wood is also fine, showing the mild wear and scattered minor marks of a well cared for frontier rifle, as well as short stabilized hairline cracks on either side of the front of the forearm. Mechanically functions. Surviving examples of these very early production Winchester First Model 1873s are extremely scarce, and a fine example such as this is worthy of the most elite public or private collections of 19th century American firearms!

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Bid Increments
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