Up for Auction:  Some of the more extraordinary Winchesters known contained in the Collection of A. I. McCroskie (a firearms collector icon) will be auctioned at the end of the summer.  The auction will be held in Moline, IL on September 10-12th, 2010.

The McCroskie collection contains the General Sheridan Winchester 1876 recognized as the finest Winchester in existence. Rock Island Auction Company is scheduled to sell the best known 1 of 1000 1876 Winchester as well as the 1 of 1000 factory engraved Model 1873 Centennial Winchester. This spectacular Winchester was the display rifle for Winchester at the U.S. Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia 1876. These and other McCroskie Winchesters will join the over 260 Winchesters in a firearms auction containing over 2600 lots.

This Winchester 1876 has “One of One Thousand” barrel markings, script engraving and inlays on the barrel and muzzle, select walnut stock and forearm, “extra finish” bluing and case colors and set-trigger are typical features of Winchester Model 1876 “One of One Thousand” rifles. Provenance: A. I. McCroskie Collection. The accompanying factory letter dated April 17, 1989 verifies the rifle configuration, octagon barrel, set trigger, checkered stock, long range sights, casehardened, “1 of 1000″ and that it was shipped with one other gun on December 28, 1877 to order number 10889.

There is also a Winchester Museum letter dated April 28, 1966 that verifies the same information, and one dated May 14, 1959 on Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation letterhead, signed by the Winchester Gun Museum Curator, T.E. Hall, with the addition of 45-70 caliber and states “plain trigger”. There are also two other letters of correspondence in reference to the rifle, one makes reference to an individual having a detailed letter from the Museum stating that this rifle was the 12th 1876, 1of 1,000 made.

The condition of this rifle is excellent. The rifle retains 95% of the original blue and 90% plus casehardened finish. The barrel has some very minor edge wear along the flats. The engraving and barrel markings are extremely crisp. The receiver case colors are vivid; wear is limited to some silvering on the bottom of the loading lever. The case colors on the forearm cap and buttplate have faded to a mottled dove-gray.

The stock and forearm are in excellent condition with nearly all of the original piano finish, crisp checkering and only scattered and very minor storage wear. This is a magnificent example of a rare and highly desirable Winchester Deluxe, “One of One Thousand” First Model 1876 Sporting Rifle. Winchester 1876 Rifle.