I happen to own one of the 1897 models. My dad bought it in the 30s, and used it for pheasant and duck hunting long after that. I used it a few times in the 60s, before I moved away from home. When I moved it from my parent’s home a dozen years ago, it was covered by a newspaper. The front page had a picture of henry Kissinger, wearing bell bottom pants and proudly sporting pork chop sideburns.
Fell in love with one YEARS ago and finally got a repro at a gun show:
God, I love racking that puppy!