Here are some pictures of the 1895 Savage rifle that I have. I am posting it to show one of the different styles of checkering on the 1895.

Heres the letter that goes with the rifle.

cool rifle. the checkering is a lot different that the others. I wonder if it was done at Marlin or when it was returned in 1922. It was at Savage's offices for 16 months maybe it was a special order for St. John's Fair and they checkered it during that time. curioser and curioser! David

Beautiful! Don't think I've seen that style before.

I'm sure the checkering was done before it was shipped to the fair,otherwise it would be a plain old 1895. Now whether it was done by Marlin,or Savage i have no idea, but the checkering is similar to the buttstock checkering on the 1893 prototype.

Great rifle Don and an attractive checking design. Really nice touch under the lever.

A 120 year old rifle

Beautiful...

I wonder what the R is ?

Holy Smokes Don you've got a beauty there.

Alright Don

Now show us the nice stuff...

I’m jealous....

Makes since. Nice rifle. Thanks for the poto's.

The stuff dreams are made of.

That's a dandy rifle for sure!

Beautiful. This forum is a incredible source of knowledge and it amazes me at the different styles of 99's that everyone shares. Thanks for the photos, and the letter is also very interesting.
ctw............I was wondering the same thing.

now that IS A PIECE OF WORK beautiful.

norm

I have no idea about the R that is stamped on the stock by the lever!

Not sure that Iv seen that one, cant get any better tho! We have a St Johns here in Michigan

John, It really would be nice to figure out where St.Johns fair was !

Morning Don. I was going to say the "R" was the prototype for the 99R, but was afraid some one would think I was serious, and hit me. Ask Gary to check the school archives, he works at St Johns College. Maybe they had an annual fair way back when. Still joking around. Thanks for posting those pictures. That sure is a pretty one, Joe.

Maine?? Celebrated each year.

http://myall.bangordailynews.com/20...e-pictures-of-a-maine-st-johns-day-1897/

http://myall.bangordailynews.com/2016/06/23/maine/a-great-and-worthy-celebration-st-johns-day/

LeRoy's 1895 has that "R" stamped under the lever also. David

WOW again!!!!!!!!!!!!

+1

WOW!

I have a few questions about the gun in the photos. The checkering diamonds in the panel on the side of the grip appear to have a much wider angle than the lines in the panel at the top of the wrist. The diamonds on the side panels look nearly square, where the diamonds in the top panel are nearer to a diamond shape. Is that true, or is it optical illusion of the photos? Also, what does the checkering on the forend look like? If the checkering in the two panels on the grip are different angles, is that common on other Savages? I have never seen any high grade or special order Savage guns in person, so am curious.
I'm not a Savage collector, have more Winchesters than anything else, but have been an amateur stock maker and checkerer for a long time and the apparent difference in the grip panels stood out when I saw the photos.

could the R be the inital of the guy doing the checkering??you said there is another gun with that R by the lever, to me that is a design that allows placement of a signature like on a painting.

norm

Good question. My short rifle doesn't have the "R" or any other marking there.

The checkering in the grip area ,and on the side panels are a bit different,The 1895 Savages were made by Marlin for Savage as Savage didn't have the tooling or the manufacturing facility set up yet. The checkering could have been done by Marlin or Savage ,so this is a rare example and not one of later Savage design.