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I assumed it would achieve a handsome price. But this took my by surprise!
November 7, 2015
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To some collectors the Ulrich engraved gun is more desirable. The realized price of the Marshfield find was due in no small part to the marketing efforts of RIA. The rifles appeal to different collectors for different reasons so we’re comparing apples and oranges. I won’t pretend to understand the thought processes of either buyer but will offer my sincere congratulations on obtaining a truly outstanding Winchester!
Mike
In a world abounding with credulous millionaires, nothing should surprise us. (Except self-restraint & common sense.) But it, at least, is an honest gun & needed no bombastic hype to fire up bidders.
I understand there were several generations of the Ulrich family who engraved for Winchester, Alden George probably being the last since this piece was done in 1946. Among the Winchesters engraved by an Ulrich, whose work is said to be the most masterful and valuable?
- 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.
November 7, 2015
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Zebulon said
I understand there were several generations of the Ulrich family who engraved for Winchester, Alden George probably being the last since this piece was done in 1946. Among the Winchesters engraved by an Ulrich, whose work is said to be the most masterful and valuable?
Bill-
In my opinion Pauline Muerrle answered this question very diplomatically and accurately in one of her books, I think it was her book on engraving but may have been her “…Way it Was” book. The answer may surprise you. My apologies, library still in exile at an undisclosed location.
Mike
Zebulon said
I understand there were several generations of the Ulrich family who engraved for Winchester, Alden George probably being the last since this piece was done in 1946. Among the Winchesters engraved by an Ulrich, whose work is said to be the most masterful and valuable?
Both Conrad and Herman were more skilled artisans than their younger brother John. John Ulrich today is better known, but only because he was more prolific than is older brothers.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert, I agree that the price was surprising. Interestingly there are four more guns in the set of RCS engraved rifles. These guns have been well known to Model 70 Collectors for years. They of course will be found pictured in Whitaker’s book. Putting the value on a rifle like this is very tricky. I comes down to what someone will pay. There is no measuring stick on a very rare or desirable rifle like the above gun. I am sure that the person that bought it is very happy to have it in his collection.
November 5, 2014
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Given the past auction history of this rifle, I have to think that Saturday’s result was a bit of an outlier.
The rifle has an interesting prior record of ownership. Obviously, it was one of a set of five ordered by Dr. Russell C Smith and owned by him until his passing. All five were acquired by Lou Leonard when he and Norm Schoonover purchased the RCS collection from Doc Smith’s widow in 1972. That’s where they were when photographed for Dean Whitaker’s book, published in 1978.
Sometime thereafter, Leonard sold four of the five, but kept the 220 SWIFT. Eventually he sold it to our own Vic Van Ballenberghe, who had it until he dispersed most of his Model 70 collection via Amoskeag Auction in 2014. It sold for somewhere around $40K. Thereafter, it appeared for sale on Leroy Merz’ website priced at $65K (IIRC), and it sat there a while with no takers… I’m not sure if anyone purchased it from Leroy… It next appeared in a couple Rock Island Premier Auctions, (IIRC) September 2016 and December 2019, each time with something like a $60-90K pre-auction estimate. It apparently did not sell (failed to meet reserve), as there is no “Price Realized” listed for it.
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/68/1786/winchester-70-rifle-220-swift
The rifle then went “underground”, i.e. someone acquired it but I don’t know who, until turning up this time. Apparently two individuals really wanted it… Personally, I am still in shock… 
I suspect this was a “New World Record Price” paid for a pre-64 Model 70, and I can only imagine what RIA’s ad in the next Collector might claim… In any event, whoever got the rifle is probably the 5th or 6th owner and they paid handsomely for it…
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Louis Luttrell said
Given the past auction history of this rifle, I have to think that Saturday’s result was a bit of an outlier.
A bit, you think? Would really be interesting to see what happened if the current “lucky winner” decided he needed to raise cash quickly for another purchase, oh, maybe a 300′ yacht, or an island in the Caribbean, & put the gun back on the auction block. By that time, his frustrated competitor might have moved on to collecting Faberge eggs, or some other modest amusement.
November 5, 2014
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Hi Clarence-
You mean you didn’t appreciate my irony??? 
It happens that I know the identity of one of the last two bidders, but not the other. The one I know is NOT a billionaire and does NOT own a yacht… He is also NOT me!!! But he is a SERIOUS collector of Model 70s and knows/appreciates the history of these particular rifles. I’m sure that, as you often state, there are some gun enthusiasts with so much money that it means close to nothing to them. For others, an expenditure like this is painful, but if it’s your passion and you choose to follow it, then go for it!!! I personally feel that the phrase used a lot on this site, “more dollars than sense”, is often thrown around in ignorance…
Cheers,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Louis and Clarence, I knew some of the stories that Glen Hockett told of acquiring his engraved and inlaid model 1894’s back in the day. He would have to raise money by mortgaging his home, then pay off the lien so he once again owned his home. He had a very serious case of addiction to engraved/inlaid model 1894’s and succeeded in putting together an extremely nice collection of them! Glen did not have a lot of money nor did he lack sense. He was just plain addicted! I can see that happening but not as much today as in the past. Tim
Louis Luttrell said
You mean you didn’t appreciate my irony???
Most certainly!
But the price of that rifle would buy you a modest yacht, say a 100-footer, with no on-board pool.
November 7, 2015
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Sometimes a collector has to ask himself; “when will I have another chance at this rifle?” And no, it wasn’t me!
Mike
If you are worth $100 million and your dividend income is 2%, that’s $2 million. Plenty of money to purchase this and have plenty left over and replenish principle as well. Only a couple of months income in reality.
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