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| Seller assumes all responsibility for listing this item. You should contact the seller to resolve any questions before bidding. Auction currency is U.S. dollars (US $) unless otherwise noted. |
| Description |
EXTREMELY RARE, ONE OF A KIND SPENCER / BANNERMAN PUMP ACTION SPORTING RIFLE. SN None. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). MFG: Early 1890s, 24" Octagon barrel, Full magazine. This is a fantastic & rare slide action Prototype rifle that is believed to have been produced to be displayed in 1893 at the Chicago World Expo. Mounted with finely checkered round knob pistol grip stocks of nicely figured American walnut. The diamond checkered forearm is a 5'' long round style similar to a Bannerman model 1896 shotgun. The stocks are excellent & solid, with a few light nicks & scratches. Excellent checkering, with the buttstock carries an old restored finish. Forearm has a tiny fill repair in the bottom rear edge, otherwise displays a lovely hand-worn patina. The receiver is a down-scaled version of the Spencer pump shotgun patented by Christopher Spencer in 1882. The magazine loads from the bottom when the breech open. The receiver is very nicely hand engraved in period script F. Bannerman / Manufacturer / N.Y. City. U.S.A. on the left side & Patented, April, 1882 on the right. Both sides have engraved foliate arabesque scrolls & a scalloped border around the rear edge & an engraved zig-zag rosette around the screw holes & around the right sideplate. Top of the receiver, top tang, bottom tang, trigger guard & bottom of the receiver are all engraved to match. The 2-slide bars also have very light engraved flourishes on the front ends. The barrel retains about 80-90% coverage of a strong original brown finish, with scattered fine surface speckling. The magazine tube retains most of its original blue, with a little thinning on the bottom radius. The case-hardened receiver retains muted original case-colors, fading from use & time. The slide bars are a gun metal gray, developing a thin brown patina to match the crescent metal buttplate & trigger guard. Barrel carries a half-nickel front & an elevation adjustable rear sight. Bore is excellent, shiny with strong rifling. Mechanics are crisp & smooth.
History: Christopher Spencer owned the Spencer Repeating Firearms Company from about 1860 until the company fell on hard times & was acquired by Francis Bannerman in 1890. Mr. Bannerman packed the company's entire manufacturing operation & moved it to Brooklyn, N.Y. By the fall of 1890, he was producing shotguns called the Model 1890. They remained in business under the Bannerman name until 1902 when they ceased production to devote more time to the more lucrative surplus military goods business. It was during that time in the 1890s that this rifle was produced as an experimental or prototype but never went into production. This exact rifle is featured & pictured on pgs 308-309 of Spencer Repeating Firearms, Roy Marcot. In the write up about this rifle, Mr. Marcot theorizes that this rifle was an attempt to produce a competitive rifle for the Winchester model 1890. This is an excellent opportunity to purchase & own both a fantastic prototype rifle & a piece of interesting firearm history.* Antique, No FFL Req. - Value: 15000 to 25000
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