Lot 29

Engraved and Gold Inlaid Winchester Flatside Model 1895 Rifle

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Engraved and Gold Inlaid Winchester Flatside Model 1895 Rifle

Estimate: $45,000 - $70,000

Starting Bid: $40,000

(0 Bids)

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

Highly Desirable Factory Exhibition Engraved and Gold Inlaid Antique Special Order Winchester Deluxe Flatside Model 1895 Lever Action Rifle with Extra Length Barrel and Factory Letter Manufactured in 1897, this is a highly attractive example of a documented factory exhibition engraved and gold inlaid special order Winchester deluxe Model 1895 rifle with scarce factory carved wood. This is one of only approximately 5,000 produced with the desirable "flatside" receiver at the very beginning of production. Designed by the legendary John Moses Browning, the elongated receiver and box magazine of the Model 1895 provided ample steel canvas for Winchester master engravers to show off their skills, but a limited numbered of this model were engraved, especially when compared its predecessors. As Winchester author and expert George Madis pointed out in "The Winchester Book", "Engraved Models 95 are very rare; by the time the Model 95 was introduced the cost of engraving had become quite high". And then there was World War I and the wars that followed, which had, in Madis’ words, “created such a demand for Winchesters that the engravers were too occupied with die work to do much engraving”. Model 1895s are among the rarest of the factory engraved Winchesters, particularly examples like this one that was displayed on the exhibition circuit. The included factory letter lists the serial number as applied on 19 February 1897 and the rifle in .38-72 caliber with a 30 inch half octagon barrel, plain trigger, Lyman hunting front sight, "Engraved $10.00, page 18 new catalog", scrolls and gold band on barrel $5.00, page 23 new catalog", and a "Fancy checkered $7.50. page 4 new catalog" pistol grip stock with a shotgun buttplate when received in the warehouse on 24 September 1897 and shipped the same day to order no. 15974. The mention of the catalog pages from the "Highly Finished Arms" catalog in the letter is very interesting and rarely seen, matching up perfectly with an addition of the catalog we had available for reference. The noted pages for the engraving display a Model 1892 exhibiting the same patterns, while the noted page for the wood carving shows the pattern on a Model 1894 rifle. The letter additionally lists two return and repair dates of 18 August 1895 (a factory error noted as "date per record", which we believe to actually be 1898) and 21 April 1900. It is beyond doubt that this magnificent rifle was produced by Winchester specifically for displaying at the various large trade fairs of the period, with two possibilities in 1897 being the last couple months of either the Exposition Internationale de Bruxelles in Belgium or the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1898, before returning to the factory, there were also multiple large fairs that it may have been displayed at, the most likely being the Trans-Mississippi Exposition held in Omaha, Nebraska. Then finally in 1900 the rifle returned to the factory a final time for a refresh before being sent to impress the crowds of the Exposition Universelle held in Paris, France. There are Winchester factory oval proofs on the top flat of the barrel and upper left of the receiver ring, indicating that the rifle also returned to the factory for work sometime in 1905 or after. The engraving is of the factory No. 9 pattern as exhibited in the Winchester "Highly Finished Arms" catalog, which was published the year this rifle was built. It features circular panel scenes on either side of the receiver, both showing a whitetail buck. Both of the scenes are surrounded by highly attractive scrollwork and decorative borders. There are flourishes of floral scrollwork on the barrel at the muzzle and the breech, both of which also have a gold inlaid band. The top flat of the barrel has the two-line address and the caliber marking at the breech. The upper tang has the trademark and model marking, while the serial number is on the lower tang. The left side of the lower tang is marked "3707 XXXS", with "3707" repeated twice on the butt of the stock and once inside the buttplate. It is fitted with a period replaced Lyman beaded blade front sight (not "Hunting" type), a period installed four-leaf "express" rear sight with three folding leaves, and a Lyman peep sight mounted on the left of the receiver. It is mounted with a very nicely figured Schnabel tip forearm and pistol grip stock, both with Winchester factory F-pattern carving/checkering, an ebony insert in the tip of the forearm, a hard rubber grip cap, and a smooth steel shotgun buttplate.

Manufacturer: Winchester

Model: 1895

BBL: 30 inch part octagon

Stock: walnut

Gauge: 38-72 Winchester

Finish: blue

Serial Number2981

Class: Antique

  • Condition: Very fine as factory refurbished for exhibition display, retaining 90% plus of the blue finish, 95% plus of the vibrant case colors on the hammer, and all of the bright gold inlays with the balance a plum brown or smooth grey patina, a few patches of very light surface freckling, a patch of light surface spotting on the bottom from of the magazine, and crisp engraving. The wood is also fine with scattered minor dings and scratches, much of the factory varnish, and well-defined checkering. Mechanically excellent. These factory exhibition engraved and gold inlaid Winchester Model 1895s are extremely scarce; don't miss this opportunity!

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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