No other Winchester name carries with it more public appeal or notoriety than "1 of 1000," and these rifles, made in both the 1873 and 1876 models, are certainly among the absolutely most highly sought after rifles for Winchester collectors. Most collectors are "still in the hunt" for these rare rifles as there are far too few to go around. James D. Gordon wrote, "To the collector of early Winchesters, the Model 1873 'One of a Thousand' has long been the epitome of desirable guns." This Model 1873 example has everything a collector could want: immense rarity, extremely high condition, and exceptional quality. The One of One Thousand program was announced by Winchester in 1873 and then more fully explained in Winchester’s 1875 catalog under the headline “Variety of Arms” which stated: "Every Sporting Rifle we make will be proved and shot at a target, and the target will be numbered to correspond with the barrel and be attached to it. When one hundred barrels are thus proved, the one making the best target will be selected and set aside, and another hundred proved in the same way, and so on until one thousand have been tested and ten targets selected with the barrels with which they were made. They will then be made up into Guns, in which each part is selected with the utmost care and finished in the finest manner. They will then be again subjected to trials for accuracy, and the best of the ten selected and marked ‘One of a thousand,’ the price of which will be $80.00 to $100.00. The other nine will be marked ‘one of a hundred,’ and the price will be from $60.00 to $75.00 each. Sportsmen will readily see that this severe process of gleaning will be a slow and expensive one, and the result be but a limited number of choice Guns, and that orders should be given in advance of their wants, or patience exercised with the necessary delay of filling them." While the 1 of 1,000 and 1 of 100 rifles are thought of as incredibly valuable collectibles today, it is clear the program was originally specifically meant for serious sportsmen that were looking for deadly accurate rifles. Frontiersmen like Granville and Thomas Stuart sought out these rifles for use in hunting, target shooting, and defending their homesteads. Others were owned by wealthy hunters who appreciated these rifles increased accuracy over your standard Model 1873 or 1876. Winchester only manufactured 132 of these highly sought after rifles as part of a brief sales campaign in the 1870s specifically advertising them to men seeking the most accurate repeating rifles in the world. Many have long since been lost. When Gordon published "Winchesters New Model of 1873: A Tribute" in 1997, only 57 were known to the author. The factory ultimately abandoned the program but not before it gained the attention of some of the pioneers in the West, including Granville Stuart who ordered at least five of the 132 One of One Thousand Model 1873s. The rifle features a full length octagon barrel with an inlaid silver band at the muzzle followed by scroll engraving around the dovetail base of the combination bead and globe front sight, the two-line address and King’s improvement patent marking ahead of the adjustable sporting rear sight, "One of One Thousand" inscribed on top of the barrel (fourth style marking), and another silver band and scroll engraving at the breech. The first model frame is casehardened and has a tang peep sight and single set trigger. The serial number is in script numerals on the lower tang. The left side of the lower tang is marked “XXXX 297.” The assembly number “297” is repeated on the stock inlet and buttplate. The rifle is mounted with a highly figured checkered walnut forearm and straight wrist stock with casehardened forend cap and trapdoor crescent buttplate containing a four piece cleaning rod. The accompanying factory letter confirms the rifle's 1 of 1000 status as well as set trigger, octagon barrel, checkered stock, and casehardened frame. The letter states the rifle was received in the warehouse on July 6, 1877 and shipped on July 9. On page 25 of Edmund Lewis’ “The Story of the Winchester 1 of 1000 and 1 of 100 Rifles” and page 377 of James Gordon's "Winchester New Model of 1873: A Tribute Volume II" the rifle is confirmed by serial number as a Model 1873 1 of 1000 that was sold on July 9, 1877 to order number 9369. Based on factory records Winchester shipped a total of eight Model 1873 One of One Thousands on the same 9369 order number. The rifle is also pictured and identified in the aforementioned book by Lewis on page 61. Lewis noted, “This beautifully case-hardened 1 of 1000 was sold in the 1950s by Paul Water to George Everhart and later to Paul Sorrell.” Provenance: The Paul Water Collection; The George Everhart Collection; The Paul Sorrell Collection; The Norm Vegely Collection; Property of a Gentleman

Exceptionally fine. The barrel and magazine tube retain 85% plus original blue finish with thinning to brown on the balance. The receiver retains 70% original case colors. The hammer and lever retain 50% original case colors. The forend cap retains 40% original case colors. Patterns of original case colors remain on the buttplate. 60% original nitre blue remains on the loading gate. The wood is very fine with minor dings and scratches and overall crisp checkering. The set trigger does not function, otherwise action functions properly. Truly a beautiful, well documented factory engraved "One of One Thousand" Winchester Model 1873 Rifle that will be a welcome addition to any lever action collection. One of the finest original "One of One Thousand" Model 1873 rifles we have had the pleasure of cataloging!