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Engraved and gold inlaid Winchester Model 1886 Takedown Rifle in unfired condition made for John F. Dodge. Image courtesy Cowan's Auctions.

Historic sporting rifles made for John F. Dodge star at Cowan’s April 29

Wyatt Barrett
Wyatt Barrett
Engraved and gold inlaid Winchester Model 1886 Takedown Rifle in unfired condition made for John F. Dodge. Image courtesy Cowan's Auctions.
Engraved and gold inlaid Winchester Model 1886 Takedown Rifle in unfired condition made for John F. Dodge. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.

CINCINNATI – Two rare and important American sporting rifles, a Winchester Model 1886 (est. $400,000-500,000), and a Savage Model 1899 Takedown Rifle (est. $200,000-250,000), each made exclusively for American automotive legend John F. Dodge, are set to hit the auction block at Cowan’s Historic Firearms and Early Mililtaria Auction on April 29th, 2009 at Cowan’s 27,000 square foot facility with 400-seat salesroom.

Both rifles are fresh to the market and descend directly from the Dodge family. John F. Dodge and his brother Horace Dodge founded the Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company in 1913, after building a reputation for producing the finest quality automotive parts and supplying them to companies like Oldsmobile and The Ford Motor Company. The Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company grew to be the fourth-largest automobile manufacturer in the country by 1917 and proved a major rival for Ford. The company was purchased by Walter Chrysler in 1928 for $170 million, eight years after John F. Dodge’s death.

Both rifles exude the finest craftsmanship known in American sporting firearms. A complete factory letter, an unusual find, details all the components of the Winchester Model 1886. The letter indicates that the rifle features 195 grams of gold, used in inlays of a buck, doe, fawn, bull moose, and cow. Also interesting is that the rifle was engraved with Dodge’s initials by J. Ulrich, and the checkering rendered by C. Ulrich; seldom does a collector find documentation that indicates both Ulriches’ contributions to the piece.

The Savage Model 1899 Takedown Rifle features gold inlay of tigers at prey and bull elk and cow. It also includes a raised gold monogram of Dodge’s initials. The highly-figured walnut pistol grip stock and forearm is exquisitely carved in deep relief with leaf and vine motifs with a beautiful stippled background.

The sale begins at 10AM Eastern on April 29, and will feature live internet bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com. To order a catalog, visit cowansauctions.com for ordering details.

Click here to view Cowan’s Auctions’ complete catalog.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Raised gold inlaid Savage Model 1899 Takedown Rifle made for John F. Dodge. Image courtesy Cowan's Auctions.
Raised gold inlaid Savage Model 1899 Takedown Rifle made for John F. Dodge. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.
Engraved and gold inlaid Winchester Model 1886 Takedown Rifle in unfired condition made for John F. Dodge. Image courtesy Cowan's Auctions.
Engraved and gold inlaid Winchester Model 1886 Takedown Rifle in unfired condition made for John F. Dodge. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.
Gardner Gun. Image courtesy Cowan's Auctions.
Gardner Gun. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.
Presentation sword of Colonel Thomas H. Ruger, 3rd Wisconsin. Image courtesy Cowan's Auctions.
Presentation sword of Colonel Thomas H. Ruger, 3rd Wisconsin. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.
Jacob Orcutt (Roxbury, Massachusetts) Revolutionary War 1775 engraved powder horn. Image courtesy Cowan's Auctions.
Jacob Orcutt (Roxbury, Massachusetts) Revolutionary War 1775 engraved powder horn. Image courtesy Cowan’s Auctions.