RARE DODGE CITY KANSAS SHIPPED SHARPS MODEL 1874 HEAVY BUFFALO RIFLE.

SN 159416. Cal. 44 2-5/8 (44-90 Sharps Bottleneck). True buffalo rifle with 30″ heavy oct bbl, orig Sharps front sight and Lawrence patent ladder rear sight. Top flat of bbl has the “Old Reliable” cartouche and Bridgeport address. Cal marking is over the chamber area. Rifle has Sharps double set triggers. Mounted with straight grain American walnut including a standard smooth Sharps forearm and straight stock with coarse checkered Sharps steel buttplate. All parts of rifle, upon disassembly are matching, including bbl, lock plate, trigger plate, buttstock, buttplate and forearm (barely visible in pencil). Accompanied by two identical Sharps factory records letters, one dated Feb. 2004 and the other Apr. 2004. They identify this rifle as being listed in order book No.3 as a Model 1874 sporting rifle invoiced at Bridgeport on Dec. 27, 1876 to Lee & Reynolds, Dodge City, KS. It was shipped with 30″ oct bbl in cal 44 2-5/8 with double triggers, open sights and oil finished stocks. Weight is listed as 13 lbs 12oz, in a twenty gun shipment. Dr. Richard Labowskie, owner of the Sharps records adds the information that Lee & Reynolds were general merchants on the frontier with operations in Dodge City, Camp Supply, Indian Territory and Sweetwater (later became Mobeetie, TX). He notes that at the time of this shipment Dodge City was the primary supplier to the buffalo hunters that crossed over into the north Texas hunting grounds forbidden to them by treaty. He states that Ft. Griffin, Texas soon replaced Dodge City as the principle supplier for the Texas buffalo hunt. This is a true & authentic Kansas and/or Texas buffalo rifle undoubtedly used during the decimation of the great southern buffalo herds. The harvesting of the buffalo began shortly after the Civil War in 1866 and by 1884 the herds were completely decimated leaving fewer than 2,000 American Bison still roaming the west. Weight 13 lbs 3 oz. PROVENANCE: Kenneth R. Dickinson. CONDITION: About good. Traces of orig finish remain under the forearm with the balance of the bbl a mottled dark brown patina with scattered small spots of light rust; receiver, lock plate, trigger plate & buttplate are matching patina. Buttstock has a couple of cracks around the top tang otherwise shows heavy, weathered use and retains a light hand worn patina; forearm is missing slivers by the bbl channel and has a small crack at the receiver and shows a heavy hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine; strong bore with good shine and a couple spots of heavy pitting. 4-47914 JR128 (30,000-50,000) – Lot 2181

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Auction: Firearms - Fall 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
	2181	$32,200.00	RARE DODGE CITY KANSAS SHIPPED SHARPS MODEL 1874 HEAVY BUFFALO RIFLE. SN 159416. Cal. 44 2-5/8 (44-90 Sharps Bottleneck). True buffalo rifle with 30″ heavy oct bbl, orig Sharps front sight and Lawrence patent ladder rear sight. Top flat of bbl has the “Old Reliable” cartouche and Bridgeport address. Cal marking is over the chamber area. Rifle has Sharps double set triggers. Mounted with straight grain American walnut including a standard smooth Sharps forearm and straight stock with coarse checkered Sharps steel buttplate. All parts of rifle, upon disassembly are matching, including bbl, lock plate, trigger plate, buttstock, buttplate and forearm (barely visible in pencil). Accompanied by two identical Sharps factory records letters, one dated Feb. 2004 and the other Apr. 2004. They identify this rifle as being listed in order book No.3 as a Model 1874 sporting rifle invoiced at Bridgeport on Dec. 27, 1876 to Lee & Reynolds, Dodge City, KS. It was shipped with 30″ oct bbl in cal 44 2-5/8 with double triggers, open sights and oil finished stocks. Weight is listed as 13 lbs 12oz, in a twenty gun shipment. Dr. Richard Labowskie, owner of the Sharps records adds the information that Lee & Reynolds were general merchants on the frontier with operations in Dodge City, Camp Supply, Indian Territory and Sweetwater (later became Mobeetie, TX). He notes that at the time of this shipment Dodge City was the primary supplier to the buffalo hunters that crossed over into the north Texas hunting grounds forbidden to them by treaty. He states that Ft. Griffin, Texas soon replaced Dodge City as the principle supplier for the Texas buffalo hunt. This is a true & authentic Kansas and/or Texas buffalo rifle undoubtedly used during the decimation of the great southern buffalo herds. The harvesting of the buffalo began shortly after the Civil War in 1866 and by 1884 the herds were completely decimated leaving fewer than 2,000 American Bison still roaming the west. Weight 13 lbs 3 oz. PROVENANCE: Kenneth R. Dickinson. CONDITION: About good. Traces of orig finish remain under the forearm with the balance of the bbl a mottled dark brown patina with scattered small spots of light rust; receiver, lock plate, trigger plate & buttplate are matching patina. Buttstock has a couple of cracks around the top tang otherwise shows heavy, weathered use and retains a light hand worn patina; forearm is missing slivers by the bbl channel and has a small crack at the receiver and shows a heavy hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine; strong bore with good shine and a couple spots of heavy pitting. 4-47914 JR128 (30,000-50,000) – Lot 2181 Click here to view provenance Auction: Firearms - Fall 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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RARE DODGE CITY KANSAS SHIPPED SHARPS MODEL 1874 HEAVY BUFFALO RIFLE.