Posted by Tom Breeden on October 20, 2021, 3:08 pm
I have read the two threads about subject gun several times before I felt confident about the situation so I am sympathetic to Bill Murphy's plight. If two of us were confused I am sure there are others. I would like to summarize the findngs of the two threads here and add an additional reference.
Not less than four De Luxe's were mentioned in the two threads "Krause Signature" and "Serial Number 202811": The real and fake 202811 16 gauges, one 20 gauge serial numbered 202811 and the second 16 Gauge De Luxe bearing serial number 202974.
The last gun, shown in the first picture of the second thread, is not identifed by serial number but 'appears real'. It really doesn't matter, real or fake, as it can be eliminated from this discussion because of a different serial number and engraving that doesn't match either of the 202811s. The 20 Ga De Luxe introduced into the conversation doesn't matter either because of the different gauge. So we are left with the two 16 Gauge De Luxes
I believe the confusuion arises because the 'real 16 Gauge gun is signed' by Krause and the combined opinions of the contributors to the threads are that the signature is fake; ie, a fake signature on a real De Luxe.
I barely remember reading about this gun years ago and found the article in the Summer 1994 issue of the Double Gun Journal. Quoting from page 107 in an article written by Michael McIntosh, "...No. 202811 was one of the very last high-grades built before Marlin acquired the company and changed the name to L. C. Smith Gun Company-which also makes it one of the last guns that Albert Krause engraved and inlaid. (We know it's a Krause gun because he signed his name on the top strap.) It's also a 16 bore, which makes it 50 percent of the total number of DeLuxe Grades built in that gauge..."
The article includes two pictures of the left side that match the pictures taken at the Pratt House Museum by Williamson in the second thread mentioned above, which together don't match the the gun displayed in the auction house.
From this quote we can conclude that the 'fake signature' was applied more than 21 years ago and adds some validity to the claim of the real 16 Gauge De Luxe as photographed by Williamson and passing the scrutiny of McIntosh.
Below are pics of the last Kraus engraved "Deluxe"; it is referred to as the "Field Deluxe" and not included in the remaining company records as a Deluxe Grade. The story with the gun is that, when Marlin made the announcement that they would be closing the gun works, Kraus assembled the engraving department and they decided to collectively build one final Deluxe gun as a tribute to the greatness of the L.C. Smith shotgun; so they took a 12 gauge field grade ejector gun from inventory and remade it into what is seen in the pics. These pics were copied from a for sale listing I saw years ago and I've no idea as to the whereabouts of the gun now.
Posted by David Williamson on December 10, 2021, 3:26 pm, in reply to "De Luxe 202811 Revisited"
After almost 2 months I finally got an email back from the former owner of serial number 202811. He is going to send me some information through the snail mail because his printer does not do a good quality print. He also told me he has information from Jim Stubbendieck stating gun was sent back to factory by the original owner to have a beavertail for-end put on it. When he bought gun it did not come with the splinter for-end.
