Engraved Model 90?

[toller16]

I hope you guys can help me. My brother inherited a model 90 from his inlaws, its 12ga d/t but the interesting part is it has 100% coverage engraving w/gold pheasant on one side duck on other have had no luck finding any info on these guns engraved. He doesn't want to sell it just curious about value and rarity any help would be greatly appreciated thanks

[Sure-Shot]

Could you get some digital pictures. You can email them to me and I would post them so we can see what it looks like. I am sure a number of posters would be happy to let you know whatever we can.

[toller16]

I'll see my brother this weekend will take pics then not very computer savy so I appreciate your offer. I'll take pics and get s/n then. thanks again

[toller16]

sure shot i can't figure out how to post the pics. Can I have your e:mail address so I can send them to you directly? Thanks.

Dave

[Sure-Shot]

Just click on email at the bottom of my post. Or lounrw@comcast.net

[Sure-Shot]

[toller16]

Thank you Sure Shot, any one see a model 90 like this before any info or theories would be appreciated

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Toller 16;

Whoever did the engraving was really pretty good. Much in the style of the old masters, Nimschke, Ulrich's and Young.
Get a magnifying glass and look for some type of signature. Many artists sign their work is some non-descript location. Sometimes, it will be hidden in the work, sometimes out in the open, just where it cannot be readily seen.

[toller16]

Is there any way to determine if this was ordered from the factory? I was told you can get the year of manufacture from the serial number(K1660) Thanks toller

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Toller 16;

The "K" serial number prefix indicates 1954. Unfortunately, Marlin did not have a custom shop during this time to do custom work such as this. The only "factory" engraved Model 90's were the early guns that had the "engraving" roll stamped on the receiver. This is not roll die engraving. The only, true, hand engraved Model 90 is the one made for Tom Mix, and that was done outside the factory by a company that specialized in stationary engraving. Your gun has engraving on surfaces that the Tom Mix gun does not.
I doubt the factory had anything to do with this engraving, but it was done by someone with considerable talent. The scroll work is very good and would appear they knew how to refinish the metal after the engraving.
Again, look for an artist signature. It might help identify who did this engraving, and maybe when.

[BarkeyVA]

Regnier (gunrunner)

I was trying to find out some information about the aftermarket engraving on a 16 ga. Marlin model 90 I recently bought. I contacted Lehman Brothers, the stationary engraving company that did the special engraving on the Tom Mix Model 90, to see if they had any records of special engraving jobs they might have done.

I got a email back from David Perkins (203-624-9911) stating that Lehman Brothers never actually did any of that kind of work. He said that their shop is next door to the original site of the Marlin firearms factory, and Charlie Preiss and Dan Cavenaugh (mentioned in Brophy's book) and other Lehman Brothers employees would "moonlight" at Marlin for extra cash.

[BarkeyVA]

I have since learned that my engraved Model 90 is a Skeetking. Skeetkings were only available by special order in 1939 and 1940. Also,the "K" serial number indicates that Toller 16's gun was made in 1953 rather than 1954. Marlin did not use "I", "O" or "Q" in their post-WWII serial numbers.