Trying to reconnect with a factory engraved gold plated 1894

[coltsixguns1959]

Hi all,

I owned this rifle from Oct 1992 to 1993 and have wondered where it landed or if anyone has seen it for sale lately?

I sold it to a collector in Florida and later saw a Julia auction catalog where it sold in 1997 I believe. I've looked around and can't find the Julia information so I'm going off of memory on what it was.

It was a factory engraved 1894 in 32-20 takedown that had a gold plated frame, forearm cap and buttplate. Blued barrel and tube. Deluxe checkered wood. Seems like it had a 26" barrel. If I remember correctly it had nice scroll engraving on the loading gate side of the frame and a deer in an oval on the left hand side of the frame. There was about 95% blue on the barrel and tube and over 80% gold plate on the plated parts.

I had sent for a factory letter from the Buffalo Bill Center in WY and if I remember correctly, everything was listed on the letter except for the engraving and the gold plating but there was no doubt everything on the rifle was right as rain.

Thanks,
Jim

[coltsixguns1959]

I dug around and found some notes that I had made. The Julia auction was in 1995 and it was lot 1047 and I believe the hammer price was $7500.
The serial number is 150066


ArtFact had the following information.

Marlin M1894 32-20 caliber octagonal 26" barrel with full magazine, the right side of the frame scroll engraved, the left with round panel showing a stag in a woodland scene, each side of the panel scroll engraved, engraved borders, the forend cap and buttplate were not engraved, deluxe checkered pistol grip stocks. A copy of a factory letter from the Cody Firearms Mus. on Marlin Stationary indicated this gun was shipped Sept. 25, 1897 with the above specifications. (The letter, as is usually the case with Marlin letters, does not mention extra features such as engraving, etc.) CONDITION: Complete and original, excellent bore, the barrel and magazine with 98% blue, the forend cap, lever, buttplate, and take-down ring with 95% original heavy gold plate, the left side of the frame with about 20% heavy gold plate, the right with 75%, where the gold is missing the steel surface a crisp glossy moderate yellow brown color, excellent plus varnished stocks

[coltsixguns1959]

Found a picture of the auction catalog cover. The gold plated Marlin at the bottom of the group is it.

[Parley Baer]

Nice Rifle. I wish I could help you out.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Coltsixguns1959;

Keep checking with the Julia auction group. There are still some Marlins in the Wes Adams collection, and there are two more auctions of his collection to come.
Good luck........

[coltsixguns1959]

Thanks for the idea. I looked at the Marlin rifles that Julia had at the Tulsa gun show on display in April but "old goldie" as I called it wasn't among the ones listed or displayed.

I'll keep an eye open for her though.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Coltsixguns1059;

That is where I got the idea to keep an eye on Julia's. I was at the same show and saw the same guns on display. The gold plated, presentation Model 1889 has some of the finest, artistic engraving on a Marlin rifle. The detail and skill is incredible when you look at it very closely. I have wondered if either John or Herman Ulrich did the work. It looks more like engraving you see on some of the best Model 1866 Winchesters. Conrad F. Ulrich's work is good and in many instances does compare to either John or Herman, but this does not look like his work.