RARE MONTANA SHIPPED SHARPS SPORTING BUFFALO RIFLE.

SN 160792. Cal. 45 2-1/10 (45-70). Standard sporting rifle with 30″ med to heavy weight oct bbl, nickel silver homemade front sight blade and a Lawrence patent Sharps full buckhorn ladder rear sight. Top flat of bbl has the “Old Reliable” cartouche and Bridgeport address with cal marking over the chamber area and cartridge length on the right side flat. Left top side flat of the bbl, below the rear sight are the hand scratched initials “W” & “H”. They appear to have been scratched at different times, probably by two different people. Trigger plate has factory double set triggers. Mounted with uncheckered, straight grain American walnut with rnd Sharps semi-schnable forearm and straight stock with coarse checkered Sharps steel shotgun buttplate. Accompanied by a packet of provenance letters and a photograph, including two Sharps factory letters, one dated 1992 and the other 2006. Both letters identify this rifle as having been invoiced Sept. 24, 1878 at Bridgeport to J.G. Dow, of Bozeman, MT. It is listed as being cal 45-70 with 30″ oct bbl, double set triggers, open sights and oil finished stocks. Weight is listed as 12 lbs 8 oz. The 1992 letter, over Dr. R.L. Moore, Jr.’s signature gives a little historical information about Mr. Dow. It appears that he was a bank cashier in Bozeman and was the buyer of Sharps rifles for famous gunsmith & supplier to buffalo hunters in that region, Walter Cooper who had been a long time gun dealer in Bozeman and had financial difficulties. The back of this letter has a typewritten note, probably from the addressee, Don Nichols of Tuscon, AZ, addressed to “Lew” (probably Lewis E. Yearout of Great Falls, MT). The note simply describes the rifle and states that it is all matching. The 2006 letter, over the signature of Dr. Richard J. Labowskie, expounds over two pages about the history of J.G. Dow and Walter Cooper. He states that in July, August & September 1878 Mr. Dow received about 150 Sharps sporting rifles, business rifles and carbines ostensibly for Walter Cooper. Dr. Labowskie speculates that the “W” & “H” initials may stand for the tremendously famous buffalo hunters, partners Jim White & Oliver P. Hanna. Mr. White was murdered with his own rifle in 1880 and is quoted in the book about buffalo hunters Getting a Stand, Miles Gilbert, that his rifle was stolen by White’s killer and that it was marked with his initial “H”. He later recovered the rifle. Also accompanied by a copy of a picture of a previous owner Bud Smith and his wife, dated 1995 showing them with a world record American bison which he had shot with this rifle. An additional letter from Dr. Labowskie dated 2006 transmits copies of letters from J.G. Dow regarding big shipments of Sharps rifles for Walter Cooper which included 12-1/2 lb sporting rifles, probably including this rifle. The letters mentioned by Dr. Labowskie are dated Oct. & Nov. 1878 and discuss receipt and shipping of Sharps rifles for Mr. Cooper by Mr. Dow and the bank along with personal information. There seems to be little doubt that this rifle is an authentic buffalo gun used to shoot the northern herd, possibly by the most famous of all buffalo hunters Jim White or his partner Oliver P. Hanna. Documented true buffalo rifles shipped to the immediate area where the shoots took place are a great rarity. Weight 12 lbs 7.68 oz. PROVENANCE: Dave Thorn; Bud Smith; Dr. Richard J. Labowskie. CONDITION: Very good, all matching including bbl, forearm, lockplate, trigger plate, buttstock & buttplate. Bbl retains 60-70% dull orig blue turning brown with sharp edge wear; receiver & lockplate retain traces of case colors in the most sheltered areas being mostly a grey/brown patina. Forearm is missing a sliver from the right bbl channel and has a 1-1/4″ crack at the tip by the left bbl channel, otherwise wood is sound with handling & use nicks, scratches, dings & bruises; buttstock retains about 60% orig varnish and the forearm a hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine; strong, sharp bore with good shine and light pitting. 4-47912 JR130 (15,000-25,000) – Lot 2183

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.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2183	$15,525.00	RARE MONTANA SHIPPED SHARPS SPORTING BUFFALO RIFLE. SN 160792. Cal. 45 2-1/10 (45-70). Standard sporting rifle with 30″ med to heavy weight oct bbl, nickel silver homemade front sight blade and a Lawrence patent Sharps full buckhorn ladder rear sight. Top flat of bbl has the “Old Reliable” cartouche and Bridgeport address with cal marking over the chamber area and cartridge length on the right side flat. Left top side flat of the bbl, below the rear sight are the hand scratched initials “W” & “H”. They appear to have been scratched at different times, probably by two different people. Trigger plate has factory double set triggers. Mounted with uncheckered, straight grain American walnut with rnd Sharps semi-schnable forearm and straight stock with coarse checkered Sharps steel shotgun buttplate. Accompanied by a packet of provenance letters and a photograph, including two Sharps factory letters, one dated 1992 and the other 2006. Both letters identify this rifle as having been invoiced Sept. 24, 1878 at Bridgeport to J.G. Dow, of Bozeman, MT. It is listed as being cal 45-70 with 30″ oct bbl, double set triggers, open sights and oil finished stocks. Weight is listed as 12 lbs 8 oz. The 1992 letter, over Dr. R.L. Moore, Jr.’s signature gives a little historical information about Mr. Dow. It appears that he was a bank cashier in Bozeman and was the buyer of Sharps rifles for famous gunsmith & supplier to buffalo hunters in that region, Walter Cooper who had been a long time gun dealer in Bozeman and had financial difficulties. The back of this letter has a typewritten note, probably from the addressee, Don Nichols of Tuscon, AZ, addressed to “Lew” (probably Lewis E. Yearout of Great Falls, MT). The note simply describes the rifle and states that it is all matching. The 2006 letter, over the signature of Dr. Richard J. Labowskie, expounds over two pages about the history of J.G. Dow and Walter Cooper. He states that in July, August & September 1878 Mr. Dow received about 150 Sharps sporting rifles, business rifles and carbines ostensibly for Walter Cooper. Dr. Labowskie speculates that the “W” & “H” initials may stand for the tremendously famous buffalo hunters, partners Jim White & Oliver P. Hanna. Mr. White was murdered with his own rifle in 1880 and is quoted in the book about buffalo hunters Getting a Stand, Miles Gilbert, that his rifle was stolen by White’s killer and that it was marked with his initial “H”. He later recovered the rifle. Also accompanied by a copy of a picture of a previous owner Bud Smith and his wife, dated 1995 showing them with a world record American bison which he had shot with this rifle. An additional letter from Dr. Labowskie dated 2006 transmits copies of letters from J.G. Dow regarding big shipments of Sharps rifles for Walter Cooper which included 12-1/2 lb sporting rifles, probably including this rifle. The letters mentioned by Dr. Labowskie are dated Oct. & Nov. 1878 and discuss receipt and shipping of Sharps rifles for Mr. Cooper by Mr. Dow and the bank along with personal information. There seems to be little doubt that this rifle is an authentic buffalo gun used to shoot the northern herd, possibly by the most famous of all buffalo hunters Jim White or his partner Oliver P. Hanna. Documented true buffalo rifles shipped to the immediate area where the shoots took place are a great rarity. Weight 12 lbs 7.68 oz. PROVENANCE: Dave Thorn; Bud Smith; Dr. Richard J. Labowskie. CONDITION: Very good, all matching including bbl, forearm, lockplate, trigger plate, buttstock & buttplate. Bbl retains 60-70% dull orig blue turning brown with sharp edge wear; receiver & lockplate retain traces of case colors in the most sheltered areas being mostly a grey/brown patina. Forearm is missing a sliver from the right bbl channel and has a 1-1/4″ crack at the tip by the left bbl channel, otherwise wood is sound with handling & use nicks, scratches, dings & bruises; buttstock retains about 60% orig varnish and the forearm a hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine; strong, sharp bore with good shine and light pitting. 4-47912 JR130 (15,000-25,000) – Lot 2183 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 MONTANA SHIPPED SHARPS SPORTING BUFFALO RIFLE.