In exceptional near mint condition we have a fantastic piece of WWI, a 1917 production US Army Issued Winchester Model 1897 Trench Shotgun, complete with the sling, Winchester Bayonet and the ultra rare cleaning rod which you never ever see!!!
Best of all, this is one of the very rare documented “Ivanhoe” guns that are well known as some of the very few guns with a complete service history.  These shotguns are a group of 74 guns that were US Army WWI issued in 1917-18 and saw use in WWI. After the war in 1921 they were transferred to the Virginia National Guard. They were needed due to violent coal strikes in the southwest part of the state. In 1924 these 74 guns were transferred to the Richmond, VA Police Dept where they sat in storage until WW2 when the Army borrowed them back and used them for the duration of the war. The stock marking visible on the left side of the butt is an Army marking from WW2. After the war they went back to Richmond until 2004 when they were traded in for Sig Sauer Pistols and were surplus sold by the firm Interstate Arms under an affiliate corporation they owned called Ivanhoe Warehouse. These shotguns are well known among collectors as being in “Time Capsule” condition and are highly sought after as 100% documented and certain real WWI Trench guns. See Page 288 of Canfield’s book on combat shotguns, this is listed by serial number. Â
This example is from the top grade of condition that was offered and includes the sling and bayonet and what is like having 10 cherries on top it still has the original and never seen accessory, the military issued cleaning rod.  This is a prime musuem grade example of what was the most feared small arm of the Great War. Â
