EXTREMELY RARE WINCHESTER BRIGGS PATENT LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 1. Cal. 44 RF Henry. This very famous

EXTREMELY RARE WINCHESTER BRIGGS PATENT LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 1. Cal. 44 RF Henry. This very famous and well documented Briggs Patent rifle has been found in several very well known collections for many years. It is described as having a 24" rnd bbl with full magazine and two carbine style bands, the front of which is brass and the rear is blued steel. The brass band has an integral brass sling loop with sling eye on bottom of stock. Bbl is mounted with a windgage, ivory bead, combination front sight and Henry 900 yard ladder rear sight. It also has a later added tang sight with 4" staff. Receiver is that of a late style Henry rifle and it has a small brass forearm which has a screw-head button latch on right side that, when depressed, allows the forearm to slide forward exposing a cutout in the magazine tube to load cartridges. Mounted with very highly figured, burl & flame grain, uncheckered American walnut with straight stock & late Henry style brass buttplate with trap. Left side of lower tang is stamped with the SN "1" and an "E". The matching SN is found in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Receiver is spectacularly engraved with the large oval vignette on the left side plate which is engraved in period script "Presented to / W.C. Dodge Esq. / by the New Haven Arms Co. / as a Testament of voluntary services / in behalf of Breech Loaders / 1865". This vignette is surrounded by very well executed foliate arabesque patterns with fine punch dot background and a zig zag border. Left front flat is wonderfully engraved with a spray of flower blossoms & leaves with fine punch dot background. right sideplate has the engraved, oval vignette of a wonderfully detailed Spanish style mission with a cross over one turret, mountains in the background and desert style foliage in foreground, all surrounded by foliate arabesque patterns and a zig zag border. Right front flat is engraved identically to the left side and the transition flats between sideplates & front flats are engraved with Nimschke style feather patterns. Top front edge of receiver is engraved in foliate patterns. The top of receiver, top tang & brass forearm are lightly engraved with foliate arabesque patterns with punch dot background. All of brass was originally gold plated. The bottom tang is fitted with an unusual swinging lever latch, probably an experimental or prototype. All screws are Henry type. This famous rifle is pictured on the first page of Chapter 7, the Model 1866 chapter of The Winchester Book, Madis. In one of these photos it is pictured without a rear sight and has a tang sight. It is also pictured in full detail with three photos on p. 30 of The Book of Winchester Engraving, Wilson with credit to the Norm Flayderman Collection. In these photos it has the Henry style rear sight. It has a full page, p. 39, in color, in the book, Winchester Engraving, Wilson, at which time it had no rear sight. This famous rifle has appeared in numerous other publications & articles over the years. PROVENANCE: Norm Flayderman Collection; Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl & magazine tube retain about all of a fine professional restoration showing light wear from the sliding forearm; forearm & receiver retain traces of gold in the engraving with lightly worn edges and overall retain a dark mustard patina; buttplate is matching condition with a few small spots of stain; stock is sound with a few minor nicks, dings & scratches and retains about all of a very fine professionally restored finish. Mechanics are fine; strong, frosty bore, dark in the grooves. 4-44558

Starting Price: $37,500