Seth,

Did you have a specific question in mind?

Bert

[email protected] said
So I received my Winchester letter stating that the rifle was 100% created by Winchester and 9 others as well. Numbers 11-20. I have number 18. Has anyone ever seen one of these before? I would like to find out who placed the order? Is that possible? I have the order # in the letter.   

Seth,

Now that you are a WACA member, please post the pictures.

In answer to your question, No, I have not ever seen one of them.  In regards to your question about finding out who placed the order, unfortunately that information is not available in any surviving records.

Bert

A fellow WACA member WACA member sent this to me and asked that I post it for him, so here it is…

Bert

“Seth,

Although a WACA member I have been having trouble posting a reply to your email on the WACA site and lost a fairly lengthy reply that I tried to post a couple of weeks ago so before trying again to reply on the WACA site, I will reply to you directly.

A twin to your all nickel 1890 was sold by Rock Island Auction in December 2001. It was Porderererry #17, serial #268238, .22 short with full nickel plating. It appears to have been part of the 1890/90 collection of the Kidd brothers that was sold in that auction. RIAC described #17 as retaining nearly all of its refinished nickel finish and as having its original wood finish in excellent condition. The gun sold for $5,755. Auction estimate was $5k to $8k. It was RIAC lot 2191

Pordererry #17 is also pictured and described a number of times in Volume 1 of Ned Schwing’s book, Winchester Slide Action Rifles. According to Schwing, the inlaid numbers on Pordererry’s 1890s, 1 – 20,  were all inlaid with their respective numbers in silver on the right side of the buttstock, all had deluxe stocks with pistol grip, full nickel finish and were chambered for .22 short. Many of the Kidd brothers’ 1890/90s are pictured in Schwing’s book and Pordererry #17 is pictured and discussed at pp. 160,45 and 233.

According to Schwing, full nickel 1890’s are quite rare: only 73 made between serial numbers 112,000 -322,250 (2nd Model, usually blue finish);. 52 made between serial numbers 15,552 – 112,000 (2nd model, usually case colored finish); and 6 made between serial 1 – 15,552 (First Model, usually case colored). “No data after serial 322,250, but I know of at least one full nickel, deluxe model 90 in the third series as I have one, presumably there are many others although I have not seen one.

According to RIAC 2001 catalog writeup re Pordererry #17: it “was part of the second half of a special group of guns made up for Colonel Gaston Pordererry. He ordered 20 full nickel, pistol grip, checkered stock rifles with one inch silver numbers inlet into the right side of the stock. The factory letter shows that numbers 11 -20 were shipped  January 11, 1906, and that they were not only numbered on the stock, but were in two consecutive serial number groups. The special sights were not mentioned in the factory letter and were thus probably added by the good colonel.” After describing the Schwing material re #17, Rock Island states: Nothing is known of Colonel Pondererry.” It appears that the Rock Island sale included a factory letter for #17.

You have a very interesting and quite rare 1890. I would like to see your photos of your all nickel 1890. Let me know if you are interested in photos of my all nickel 90 and, if so, I will send….I would post on WACA site if I knew how and hope you will post your photos on WACA site as well as I expect there are others who would be interested in seeing your photos. Congratulations on your new 1890. By the way, where did you find it? I watch the auctions pretty closely, particularly for Winchester 1890/90s and didn’t see it come up for sale.

Rick Schreiber”