Model 94 Checkering|Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

pine_worker said
 Did Winchester ever offer checkering on a 1894?

  

It was available as an option; even fancy wood could be ordered.  But you’d have to be a very good judge of factory checkering to be sure it’s original.  If it’s well done, I think it adds to value, whether original or not.

Bert H. said

Factory original checkering enhances the value, whereas aftermarket work (regardless of its quality) does not. 

So if you happened to be looking for a late ’94, & found two (un-letterable) ’94s side by side in a gunstore rack at the same reasonable price, one with factory-quality checkering, one without, you’d choose the plain one?  Wait–that’s too easy, so let’s say the checkered gun was $50 higher, as I’m sure it would be, all else being equal.  You wouldn’t pay $50 more for factory-quality checkering, even if it couldn’t be authenticated?

Bert H. said

clarence said

Bert H. said

Factory original checkering enhances the value, whereas aftermarket work (regardless of its quality) does not. 

So if you happened to be looking for a late ’94, & found two (un-letterable) ’94s side by side in a gunstore rack at the same reasonable price, one with factory-quality checkering, one without, you’d choose the plain one?  Wait–that’s too easy, so let’s say the checkered gun was $50 higher, as I’m sure it would be, all else being equal.  You wouldn’t pay $50 more for factory-quality checkering, even if it couldn’t be authenticated? 

Correct… I would buy the plain (unaltered) gun even if it was priced $50 more than the non-factory checkered gun.  I am far from being the only collector who would make the same choice.

  

I think I have even stronger feelings about it.  I would dramatically prefer the plain gun over a non-factory checkered gun.  This would be particularly so if the checkering could be determined to be non-factory.  However, let’s say it couldn’t be determined to be non-factory checkered.  That is, knowledgeable collectors couldn’t call it either way.  I would still be wary as it would always be a matter of opinion.  

steve004 said

 I would dramatically prefer the plain gun over a non-factory checkered gun.

I don’t get the logic of this, if the work is as good or better than factory.  Doesn’t good checkering made a gun better?  So you’d downgrade, for ex., in a Model 52 rebarreled by Pope or Hubalek or Niedner?  Or some other Winchester engraved by Kornbrath? 

steve004 said There are exceptions – such as the historically famous craftsman you mention – but a Winchester M1894 with anonymous aftermarket checkering leaves me flat.  

You’re right–the work of those famous names wasn’t a good comparison.  However, quality workmanship speaks for itself…IF you have the experience to recognize it.  “Originality,” like any other positive value–loyalty, patience, peacefulness, humility, etc.–can be pushed to an irrational extreme.

  If a Winchester was checkered by someone outside the factory, it is not factory original. Now you have a custom gun, different set of values, different group of collectors considering purchase. If it is done good enough that you can not tell, perhaps someone else can tell. Perhaps it went through an auction or was advertised  in the previous configuration.

  If the gun has been restored or no longer is in collectible condition then it makes little difference to the value.

  I think Bert is right. T/R