description

The Winchester Model 61 pictured here was worked over by Griffin & Howe in the 1950’s and is the most spectacular Griffin & Howe rifles I have ever had in my hands. 

Based on Winchester's Model 61 hammerless, slide action "pump" rifle chambered in .22 Long Rifle. First introduced by Winchester in 1932, this rifle was made in the early 1950's. The original 24” barrel features G&H’s distinctive ramp front sight with removable hood and single folding rear “Express” sight that is gold lined and engraved “100 yds” a banded swivel stud mounted to the barrel and straps over the magazine tube. 

G&H replaced both the forend piece and butt stock in fine walnut with G&H’s distinctive stock shape, point pattern checkering, beaded cheekpiece, steel grip cap, and rear swivel stud with a Niedner style checkered steel butt plate and a blank stock oval. 

The rifle features full coverage scroll engraving with gold inlayed game scenes on the receiver, wedges of scroll around the front sight and on top of the barrel past the rear sight. Gold fox and hounds are inlaid on the left side of the action and a gold lynx and grouse are inlaid on the right side of the action with highly detailed alpine scenes in the background. There is an inlaid bust of a hound on the grip cap. The balance of the engraving is a grape and vine scroll pattern with geometric border details. The maker’s name, address, and serial number are inlaid in gold on top of the barrel. The Winchester serial number is inlayed in gold both the receiver and trigger plate. With close inspection, the rifle is also engraved on the bottom of the receiver, just above the serial number: "Engraved by Josef Fugger".

Josef Fugger was G&H’s in-house engraver from 1927 – 1960. He studied under the much-revered Rudolph Kornbrath and in turn Fugger was the master engraver famed American engraver Winston Churchill studied under, all of them working for Griffin & Howe.  

To complete the package the rifle is in its original lightweight leather case that offers some excellent provenance. G&H’s trade label is affixed to the inside and bears the “202 E. 44th Street” address in New York. Below the address is “Jos. Fugger Engraver”. The outside of the case is embossed: “Arthur D. Leidesdorf 125 Park Ave. N.Y.C.” in the center and in the bottom right hand corner is: “Winchester 22 Cal. Rifle No. 152708”.  

share