This historic and factory engraved Marlin is inscribed on the upper left barrel flat: "PRESENTED TO THE Grand Worthy President F.O.E. Carl G. Winter ON HIS VISIT TO THE Marlin Rockwell Corp. New Haven, C.T. By Its Members Nov.26.1917." Carl G. Winter was an insurance executive in the early 20th century and Grand Worthy President of The Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.) in 1917. The Order was founded in 1898 in Seattle, Washington. The organization's mission is: "The Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international non-profit organization, unites fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills, and by promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope." Among the notable past members are seven U.S. presidents including Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan. Other notable members include Eleanor Roosevelt, Joe Foss, Billy Ray Cyrus, Gordie Howe, and many more. The rifle has border designs and scroll and punch dot engraving patterns on most of the components along with a game scene on the left side of the action. The game scene and other engraving patterns match other known Ulrich engraved rifles. Conrad Ulrich is estimated by R. L. Wilson on page 83 to have worked at Marlin from 1895 to 1907 and is known to have not fully retired until around the WWI era. According to Brophy in "Marlin Firearms: A History of the Guns and the Company that Made Them", Conrad Ulrich engraved Marlin firearms from approximately 1881 to 1910 and his son George engraved them from approximately 1907 to 1917. Note the similarities to the deer on the Conrad Ulrich engraved Winchester Model 1866 rifle shown on the dust jacket and front piece of "The Book of Winchester Engraving" by Wilson and other Ulrich family engraved rifles. It is equipped with a beaded blade front sight, adjustable sporting rear sight, and a deluxe checkered forearm and semi-pistol grip buttstock made from attractive burl walnut and fitted with a nickel forend cap and a hard rubber "Marlin Safety" buttplate.

Extremely fine. The rifle retains 85% plus of the original blue finish and 50% nickel plating with some minor handling and storage marks, handling wear on the takedown collar, and some minor oxidation primarily confined near the muzzle. The wood is very fine with sharp checkering, minor dings and marks, and minor wear in the varnish on the butt. Mechanically excellent, and the markings and details are crisp. An exceptional Factory Engraved Marlin Deluxe Model 1894 Rifle with interesting history.