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June 12, 2013
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Did Winchester ever provide an etched engraved firearm from the factory. Are there any well-known aftermarket etched engravers?
May 23, 2009
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Off hand I can’t think of any good examples. But it is my understanding that there are few factory etched engraved Winchesters and they are very rare.
I’m not aware of any “well known” aftermarket engravers using the etching process. But would highly suspect any etched Winchester to be aftermarket.
I believe there is a well known 4 digit Model 94 with a factory etched receiver that I recall. But I’ll have to dig to find it. May be in Bob Renneberg’s book.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
April 15, 2005
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antler1 said
Did Winchester ever provide an etched engraved firearm from the factory. Are there any well-known aftermarket etched engravers?
Extremely unlikely. It would have to be clearly documented in the ledger records.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
June 12, 2013
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Bert H. said
antler1 said
Did Winchester ever provide an etched engraved firearm from the factory. Are there any well-known aftermarket etched engravers?
Extremely unlikely. It would have to be clearly documented in the ledger records.
Bert
Bert: A friend sent me this link of a past sale at Poulin auction. I find the hand written letter by Maddis very interesting.
https://bid.poulinauctions.com/WINCHESTER-ACID-ETCH-ENGRAVED-MODEL-1892-DELUXE_i46599606
May 2, 2009
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I have never seen a ledger entry for acid etch only “Engraved”. I have seen 73’s that were acid etched afterward.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
March 20, 2009
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I first saw that 1892 Listed on Guns International in 2019. At that time it had a different front sight than that shown in the Poulin listing in 2022. The correct serial number is 848793. It’s kind of weird that George references the incorrect SN several times. My notes show that the gun sold for $8000 at Poulin.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
April 15, 2005
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antler1 said
Bert H. said
antler1 said
Did Winchester ever provide an etched engraved firearm from the factory. Are there any well-known aftermarket etched engravers?
Extremely unlikely. It would have to be clearly documented in the ledger records.
Bert
Bert: A friend sent me this link of a past sale at Poulin auction. I find the hand written letter by Maddis very interesting.
https://bid.poulinauctions.com/WINCHESTER-ACID-ETCH-ENGRAVED-MODEL-1892-DELUXE_i46599606
Pat,
I do not trust any of the Madis letters as “authentic” configuration… I have seen too many of them that do not agree with the original Winchester ledger records.
As for the rifle in question, I am 99.999% certain that it was not acid etched by Winchester.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 20, 2023
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antler1 said
Did Winchester ever provide an etched engraved firearm from the factory. Are there any well-known aftermarket etched engravers?
At least according to the late Don Zutz, The Pigeon Grade versions of the Winchester 101 were “engraved” by a combination of acid etching and hand engraving, which was done at the Olin-Kodensha plant in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. I have not seen or heard this allegation made anywhere else.
Of course, there would be no record of that work in New Haven unless it would be in plans and specifications, etc. for the Japanese Winchesters.
I realize that the question probably was intended to elicit responses about works of the New Haven Custom Shop but I throw this in on the off-chance.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
March 31, 2009
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Bert H. said
Pat,
I do not trust any of the Madis letters as “authentic” configuration… I have seen too many of them that do not agree with the original Winchester ledger records.
I agree. We used to see a lot of Madis letters for guns that needed an explanation for something out of the norm.
May 2, 2009
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I assume Madis got paid for his letters so who is going to pay for a letter that knocks your gun down.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
April 15, 2005
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1873man said
I assume Madis got paid for his letters so who is going to pay for a letter that knocks your gun down.
Bob
Bob,
When I write a letter for someone who has asked, I tell it like it is. To do otherwise is simple dishonestly. I do ask the person requesting a letter if they want “the whole truth and nothing but the truth” before writing the letter.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
