SPECTACULAR WINSTON CHURCHILL ENGRAVED SHARPS BORCHARDT SINGLE SHOT TARGET RIFLE INSCRIBED “KNOWLTON”.

SN 6676. Cal. 40-50 Sharps Straight. Spectacular custom engraved Borchardt with 32″ tapered rnd bbl, spirit level windgage globe front sight, Lawrence Patent ladder bbl sight and an integral tang sight base containing a Sharps vernier 4″ staff. Receiver & lever are French gray finished while the breech block & buttplate are bright nickel finish. Mounted with exceptional, center crotch, flame grain American walnut with checkered schnable tip forearm and serpentine grip buttstock with crescent buttplate. Receiver is spectacularly engraved by master engraver Winston Churchill and signed on top of the receiver ring “W. CHURCHILL ENGR.”. Receiver has full coverage elaborate foliate & floral arabesque patterns with a very fine shaded background. Left side of receiver is inlaid with an incredibly detailed raised gold Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep in a mountain scene with two other rams in the background. Right side is inlaid with an equally elaborate raised gold leaping whitetail buck in an extremely detailed forest scene. Lever & top tang are engraved to match. Receiver has its orig hard rubber inlaid panels engraved on the left side with a large “K” or “R” and “H.C. KNOWLTON”, all of which is surrounded by a very fine border. Corners of the panel have orig foliate arabesque patterns with matching patterns on the right side panel. Muzzle & chamber ends of the bbl are inlaid with a narrow gold band and the “Old Reliable” panel is inlaid in gold with a narrow gold border. Matching foliate & floral arabesque patterns extend about 5-1/2″ up the bbl from the receiver and around the front sight. The trigger & safety are hand checkered. All the screws are equally beautifully engraved. Bottom of the stock has a small gold oval engraved “Pete”. Accompanied by a copy of a letter from Winston Churchill dated May 6, 1989 wherein he acknowledges having engraved this rifle between the years 1971 and 1976 (working on it occasionally). He states that if he were commissioned to do the same job, his charges would be $40,000. Also accompanied by a note card from Mr. Churchill dated June 17, 1996 wherein he reiterates having engraved this rifle early in his career for a “(Pete) Belisle” of Hadley, Mass. He states that at the time he engraved this rifle he was working for Griffin & Howe with the renowned engraver, Josef Fugger. Mr. Churchill worked & studied under Mr. Fugger at Griffin & Howe for four years before striking out on his own and returning to his native Vermont where he still lives & works alternating between regular engraving and sculpting. In one of the above correspondences Mr. Churchill states that this rifle represents some of his earlier work which he apparently considers inferior to his current work. Fortunately for the world at large his inferior work is still better than just about any other work one could find. Additionally accompanied by a box containing an unusual homemade sgl cavity picket ball mold, a set of hand loading tools, a patch cutter and a large quantity of primed & loaded cases without bullets and one sgl loaded round. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus. Overall retains virtually all of its crisp custom finish with bright blue on the bbl and crisp gray on the receiver & lever. Wood is sound with no discernible flaws and retains about all of its fine custom finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. Tools & ammo are fine. 4-50842 JR153 (30,000-50,000) – Lot 1163

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1163	$0.00	SPECTACULAR WINSTON CHURCHILL ENGRAVED SHARPS BORCHARDT SINGLE SHOT TARGET RIFLE INSCRIBED “KNOWLTON”. SN 6676. Cal. 40-50 Sharps Straight. Spectacular custom engraved Borchardt with 32″ tapered rnd bbl, spirit level windgage globe front sight, Lawrence Patent ladder bbl sight and an integral tang sight base containing a Sharps vernier 4″ staff. Receiver & lever are French gray finished while the breech block & buttplate are bright nickel finish. Mounted with exceptional, center crotch, flame grain American walnut with checkered schnable tip forearm and serpentine grip buttstock with crescent buttplate. Receiver is spectacularly engraved by master engraver Winston Churchill and signed on top of the receiver ring “W. CHURCHILL ENGR.”. Receiver has full coverage elaborate foliate & floral arabesque patterns with a very fine shaded background. Left side of receiver is inlaid with an incredibly detailed raised gold Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep in a mountain scene with two other rams in the background. Right side is inlaid with an equally elaborate raised gold leaping whitetail buck in an extremely detailed forest scene. Lever & top tang are engraved to match. Receiver has its orig hard rubber inlaid panels engraved on the left side with a large “K” or “R” and “H.C. KNOWLTON”, all of which is surrounded by a very fine border. Corners of the panel have orig foliate arabesque patterns with matching patterns on the right side panel. Muzzle & chamber ends of the bbl are inlaid with a narrow gold band and the “Old Reliable” panel is inlaid in gold with a narrow gold border. Matching foliate & floral arabesque patterns extend about 5-1/2″ up the bbl from the receiver and around the front sight. The trigger & safety are hand checkered. All the screws are equally beautifully engraved. Bottom of the stock has a small gold oval engraved “Pete”. Accompanied by a copy of a letter from Winston Churchill dated May 6, 1989 wherein he acknowledges having engraved this rifle between the years 1971 and 1976 (working on it occasionally). He states that if he were commissioned to do the same job, his charges would be $40,000. Also accompanied by a note card from Mr. Churchill dated June 17, 1996 wherein he reiterates having engraved this rifle early in his career for a “(Pete) Belisle” of Hadley, Mass. He states that at the time he engraved this rifle he was working for Griffin & Howe with the renowned engraver, Josef Fugger. Mr. Churchill worked & studied under Mr. Fugger at Griffin & Howe for four years before striking out on his own and returning to his native Vermont where he still lives & works alternating between regular engraving and sculpting. In one of the above correspondences Mr. Churchill states that this rifle represents some of his earlier work which he apparently considers inferior to his current work. Fortunately for the world at large his inferior work is still better than just about any other work one could find. Additionally accompanied by a box containing an unusual homemade sgl cavity picket ball mold, a set of hand loading tools, a patch cutter and a large quantity of primed & loaded cases without bullets and one sgl loaded round. CONDITION: Extremely fine plus. Overall retains virtually all of its crisp custom finish with bright blue on the bbl and crisp gray on the receiver & lever. Wood is sound with no discernible flaws and retains about all of its fine custom finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. Tools & ammo are fine. 4-50842 JR153 (30,000-50,000) – Lot 1163 Auction: Firearms - Spring 2014 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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SPECTACULAR WINSTON CHURCHILL ENGRAVED SHARPS BORCHARDT SINGLE SHOT TARGET RIFLE INSCRIBED “KNOWLTON”.