Engraved Winchester Model 1866 Saddle Ring Carbine Attributed to the Ulrich Brothers

.44RF. 20" round barrel. SN: 165569 (mfg. ca.1887). Blued finish, color casehardened lever and hammer, brass receiver and furniture, walnut stock and forend with single barrel band. Lever action tubular magazine fed lever action saddle ring carbine. Barrel marked in two lines: WINCHESTER'S - REPEATING - ARMS. NEW HAVEN, CT/KING'S - IMPROVEMENT - PATENTED - MARCH 29, 1866, OCTOBER 16, 1860. Top of barrel, forward of receiver engraved .44 CAL. Serial number stamped in italics on lower tang. Left side of lower tang, under stock is numbered 122 and the toe of the buttplate is number numbered 3594 on the interior. The receiver is engraved with flowing Arabesque scrolls with punch dot background shading with the central panel on the obverse being a flower with a blank interior that could have been used as a presentation panel. The reverse receiver features a somewhat folksy Mexican Eagle & Snake motif. Similar extant examples exist and are published in the Book of Winchester Engraving by Wilson and in Madis' The Winchester Book. In both cases the engraving is attributed to the Ulrich Brothers. The upper tang and part of the top of the receiver are engraved ensuite with the same style of Arabesque scrolls. The carbine retains the saddle ring and staple on the left side of the receiver, the L-shaped aperture leaf rear sight, the musket style post and blade front sight, forend barrel band, barrel and magazine tube band near muzzle and the three-piece cleaning rod in the butt trap. An attractive, if well used, 1866 Saddle Ring Carbine that may well have spent much of its working life "south of the border."

This lot is located in Cincinnati.