The 1881 Marlin is an Andrew Burgess design. Burgess was very active after the Civil War. He designed the Whitney Burgess (the first 45-70 lever gun), most of the Whitney Kennedy and Whitney Scharf, the Colt Burgess, the 1881 Marlin and a slide action rifle and shotgun. During the war he was on Mathew Brady's photographic team and took the photo of Lincoln that's on the $5 bill. Very interesting and today largely unknown arms designer.