MEACHAM CONVERSION SHARPS MODEL 1874 HEAVY 17 POUND BARRELED RIFLE.

SN C31213. 45 Cal. This massive gun with 30-1/2″ oct bbl weighing 17 lbs with adjustable globe front sight, adjustable ladder rear sight and mid-range 4″ tang sight. Frank Sellers states in his text Sharps Firearms that sporting conversions after Sharps went out of business are generally called “Meacham Sharps” because E. C. Meacham of St. Louis advertised and sold large numbers of them; and after Sharps had gone out of business Meacham had some made by his own gunsmiths. The vast majority of the factory conversions were made for dealers other than Meacham. Five hundred were made for Boker in 1879; 1,000 for J.P. Moore and Sons in 1879& 1880; and 1500 for Joseph Fraizer in 1880. The Meacham-Sharps almost invariably had a checkered grip and the forearm does not have the knob at the rear portion. Features which indicate more hand finishing are: double set triggers (a much cruder type, which show two thicknesses and lengths of triggers in one set of triggers, and very coarse finishing); hammers (while very similar to the usual Model 1874 hammers, will clearly show a variance from the factory pattern, and much cruder finishing); rifling has convex-bottomed grooves and is much deeper than factory rifling. The markings on the barrels, which they read the same as the factory marks are struck much deeper in the barrel, with a slightly different letter form being used (somewhat more square formation of the letters). The stamping is often of uneven depth.” Meacham’s catalog in 1884 lists their rifles of various configurations with the heaviest bbls being 16 lbs. This gun conforms to Sellers’ description of “Meacham-Sharps” rifle though differences are the forestock does have knob at rear and there are no markings on bbl other than “MT” and “P” under crown which are stamped on right bbl flat just behind rear sight. This gun does weigh 17 lbs and is heavier than anything Meacham advertised in St. Louis. PROVENANCE: Estate Collection of Lewis & Leyton Yearout. CONDITION: Very good to fine overall. Bbl retains traces of bright blue finish and exhibits bright finish under rear sight and on bottom of bbl where protected by forestock. “DEWEY BRYANT” is stamped on bottom of bbl and inside forestock. Bbl is also stamped with a crude “91”. Breech, hammer and lockplate exhibit thin muted case color but mostly a silver/gray overall as does plain crescent shaped buttplate. Markings on lock and frame are well struck and easily discerned. Proof marks on bbl are discernible as can be seen in photographs. Forestock is not well fit at breech and overlaps such that to turn breech pin to open position forestock has to be removed. Forestock is also different cut of wood than buttstock, oil finished. Buttstock is sound and solid with good checkering more coarse than typically seen on Sharps but consistent with Meacham conversions. Buttstock exhibits scattered small scratches and minor blemishes with thin traces of varnish. Mechanically gun functions well including double set triggers and exhibits crisp, shiny bore. 4-53965 JS99 (6,000-9,000) – Lot 2184a

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
	2184a	$5,750.00	MEACHAM CONVERSION SHARPS MODEL 1874 HEAVY 17 POUND BARRELED RIFLE. SN C31213. 45 Cal. This massive gun with 30-1/2″ oct bbl weighing 17 lbs with adjustable globe front sight, adjustable ladder rear sight and mid-range 4″ tang sight. Frank Sellers states in his text Sharps Firearms that sporting conversions after Sharps went out of business are generally called “Meacham Sharps” because E. C. Meacham of St. Louis advertised and sold large numbers of them; and after Sharps had gone out of business Meacham had some made by his own gunsmiths. The vast majority of the factory conversions were made for dealers other than Meacham. Five hundred were made for Boker in 1879; 1,000 for J.P. Moore and Sons in 1879& 1880; and 1500 for Joseph Fraizer in 1880. The Meacham-Sharps almost invariably had a checkered grip and the forearm does not have the knob at the rear portion. Features which indicate more hand finishing are: double set triggers (a much cruder type, which show two thicknesses and lengths of triggers in one set of triggers, and very coarse finishing); hammers (while very similar to the usual Model 1874 hammers, will clearly show a variance from the factory pattern, and much cruder finishing); rifling has convex-bottomed grooves and is much deeper than factory rifling. The markings on the barrels, which they read the same as the factory marks are struck much deeper in the barrel, with a slightly different letter form being used (somewhat more square formation of the letters). The stamping is often of uneven depth.” Meacham’s catalog in 1884 lists their rifles of various configurations with the heaviest bbls being 16 lbs. This gun conforms to Sellers’ description of “Meacham-Sharps” rifle though differences are the forestock does have knob at rear and there are no markings on bbl other than “MT” and “P” under crown which are stamped on right bbl flat just behind rear sight. This gun does weigh 17 lbs and is heavier than anything Meacham advertised in St. Louis. PROVENANCE: Estate Collection of Lewis & Leyton Yearout. CONDITION: Very good to fine overall. Bbl retains traces of bright blue finish and exhibits bright finish under rear sight and on bottom of bbl where protected by forestock. “DEWEY BRYANT” is stamped on bottom of bbl and inside forestock. Bbl is also stamped with a crude “91”. Breech, hammer and lockplate exhibit thin muted case color but mostly a silver/gray overall as does plain crescent shaped buttplate. Markings on lock and frame are well struck and easily discerned. Proof marks on bbl are discernible as can be seen in photographs. Forestock is not well fit at breech and overlaps such that to turn breech pin to open position forestock has to be removed. Forestock is also different cut of wood than buttstock, oil finished. Buttstock is sound and solid with good checkering more coarse than typically seen on Sharps but consistent with Meacham conversions. Buttstock exhibits scattered small scratches and minor blemishes with thin traces of varnish. Mechanically gun functions well including double set triggers and exhibits crisp, shiny bore. 4-53965 JS99 (6,000-9,000) – Lot 2184a 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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MEACHAM CONVERSION SHARPS MODEL 1874 HEAVY 17 POUND BARRELED RIFLE.