EXTRAORDINARILY RARE & DESIRABLE FREUND “BOSS GUN” SHARPS MODEL 1874 SINGLE SHOT RIFLE.

EXTRAORDINARILY RARE & DESIRABLE FREUND “BOSS GUN” SHARPS MODEL 1874 SINGLE SHOT RIFLE. SN 159313. Cal. 40-90 Sharps Bottleneck. Very rare example of a desirable Sharps rifle altered by Freund Bros. of Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory after about 1877. This rifle began as a standard sporting rifle with oct bbl that is 27″, originally shipped to H.C. Squires, Sharps Agent in New York City. Front sight is Freund marked with patent dates and rear sight is Freund’s “More Light” ladder rear sight similar to the Lawrence Patent Sharps sight and hand engraved in the base “NEW FIELD & TARGET SIGHT FREUND PAT.” Right ear of the semi-buckhorn is broken. Top flat of bbl has the “Old Reliable” marking in a panel and the Bridgeport address forward of the rear sight and “FREUND BROS.:” in a serpentine shape back of the rear sight. Caliber is marked over the chamber area. Receiver has been modified to accept Freund’s patented camming breech block with improved firing pin and double extractors. Left side of the breech block is stamped “FREUND BROS.” and the right side “Manufacturers”. Left side of receiver is engraved diagonally “FREUND’S / Improved”. Right side of receiver is engraved in an arc from the left bottom to right top “Famous / American Frontier.” and has the engraved figure of an Indian in buckskins wearing a full headdress brandishing an axe or tomahawk in his right hand with what appears to be a scalp in his left hand. Both scenes are surrounded by light foliate patterns and all of the screw holes have engraved rosettes. The gas seal that is attached above the bbl shank inside the breech block opening has a diamond engraved top edge with light foliate arabesque patterns on top of receiver. Top tang is engraved in an arc below the cartridge slot “Boss Gun” and all of the screw holes in the top tang have engraved rosettes. The lockplate is slightly altered and is engraved “Freund Bros. Manufacturers, / Cheyenne, W.T. / U.S. of A.” The hammer has also been altered to Freund’s distinctive style with extended nose and engraved with a cornucopia on the shank. All of the screw & pin holes have engraved rosettes and the entire lockplate has a fine engraved running vine border. Right side of hammer nose is engraved in light foliate arabesque patterns. The breech block pin handle pad and arm have also been slightly altered with a serrated pad. Mounted with checkered American walnut with schnable tip round forearm and pistol grip stock with stepped oval steel grip cap and fitted with Freund’s alteration of a Sharps checkered steel buttplate with large oval, spring-loaded trap door that is decorated with geometric designs. The buttstock has been further altered with two large drilled holes under the buttplate in line with the trap door to accommodate cleaning equipment and/or cartridges. This exact rifle, identified in three photographs and by SN, is pictured on p. 323 of Freund & Bros. Pioneer Gunmakers to the West, Balentine, with credit to the Lloyd Dietrich Collection. Page 211 of the references publication, paragraph 1, states, “Thirty-two of the 43 surviving specimens show engraving”. Paragraph 3 states that “Boss Gun was engraved behind the breech on (only) four of the surviving specimens”, which, indeed makes this a most rare item among the very rare Freund Sharps rifles. Page 210 of the publication has a picture of the buttplate of this rifle. Although not identified by serial number, there is no doubt that this is the buttplate from this rifle. The SN was observed on bottom of bbl and the last four digits inside the forearm of the bbl channel. Trigger plate is numbered “1204” and the lockplate “5801”. Buttplate has the number “208” in the toe. Receiver, stock & breech block are unnumbered but certainly have been part of this rifle for its entire working life. The recent history of this rifle was related to this cataloger by a close friend with direct knowledge of the events as follows: In 1961 a TV repairman from the Waneks Store in Auroura, Nebraska made a service call on an very elderly farmer, estimated to have been well into his 80’s then, who had inherited the rifle from his brother. His brother had been a bachelor who had cowboyed all over Wyoming until he died. The repairman purchased the rifle from the farmer and put it on the rack in the store for sale, allegedly for $400.00. Mr. Dietrich purchased the rifle from the store and kept it in his personal collection until his death in about 2003. The rifle was purchased from Mr. Dietrich’s widow by the Sidney, NE, Cabelas Gun Library who, in turn, sold it to the consignor. CONDITION: Very good. Bbl retains a blue/brown patina with scattered spots of discoloration on the upper half forward of the forearm. Receiver retains traces of case colors in the most sheltered areas and case colors turned silver on the raised areas. Breech block retains about all of its orig bright metal finish. Lockplate & hammer are mostly a medium gray patina. The wood is sound showing heavy wear with a series of gouges on left side of butt stock and two other gouges in the forearm and overall retains a wonderful hand worn patina. Buttplate is mostly gray metal patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with some minor orange peel in front of the chamber. 4-36386 JR211 (90,000-125,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2010

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
	2088	$103,500.00	EXTRAORDINARILY RARE & DESIRABLE FREUND “BOSS GUN” SHARPS MODEL 1874 SINGLE SHOT RIFLE. SN 159313. Cal. 40-90 Sharps Bottleneck. Very rare example of a desirable Sharps rifle altered by Freund Bros. of Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory after about 1877. This rifle began as a standard sporting rifle with oct bbl that is 27″, originally shipped to H.C. Squires, Sharps Agent in New York City. Front sight is Freund marked with patent dates and rear sight is Freund’s “More Light” ladder rear sight similar to the Lawrence Patent Sharps sight and hand engraved in the base “NEW FIELD & TARGET SIGHT FREUND PAT.” Right ear of the semi-buckhorn is broken. Top flat of bbl has the “Old Reliable” marking in a panel and the Bridgeport address forward of the rear sight and “FREUND BROS.:” in a serpentine shape back of the rear sight. Caliber is marked over the chamber area. Receiver has been modified to accept Freund’s patented camming breech block with improved firing pin and double extractors. Left side of the breech block is stamped “FREUND BROS.” and the right side “Manufacturers”. Left side of receiver is engraved diagonally “FREUND’S / Improved”. Right side of receiver is engraved in an arc from the left bottom to right top “Famous / American Frontier.” and has the engraved figure of an Indian in buckskins wearing a full headdress brandishing an axe or tomahawk in his right hand with what appears to be a scalp in his left hand. Both scenes are surrounded by light foliate patterns and all of the screw holes have engraved rosettes. The gas seal that is attached above the bbl shank inside the breech block opening has a diamond engraved top edge with light foliate arabesque patterns on top of receiver. Top tang is engraved in an arc below the cartridge slot “Boss Gun” and all of the screw holes in the top tang have engraved rosettes. The lockplate is slightly altered and is engraved “Freund Bros. Manufacturers, / Cheyenne, W.T. / U.S. of A.” The hammer has also been altered to Freund’s distinctive style with extended nose and engraved with a cornucopia on the shank. All of the screw & pin holes have engraved rosettes and the entire lockplate has a fine engraved running vine border. Right side of hammer nose is engraved in light foliate arabesque patterns. The breech block pin handle pad and arm have also been slightly altered with a serrated pad. Mounted with checkered American walnut with schnable tip round forearm and pistol grip stock with stepped oval steel grip cap and fitted with Freund’s alteration of a Sharps checkered steel buttplate with large oval, spring-loaded trap door that is decorated with geometric designs. The buttstock has been further altered with two large drilled holes under the buttplate in line with the trap door to accommodate cleaning equipment and/or cartridges. This exact rifle, identified in three photographs and by SN, is pictured on p. 323 of Freund & Bros. Pioneer Gunmakers to the West, Balentine, with credit to the Lloyd Dietrich Collection. Page 211 of the references publication, paragraph 1, states, “Thirty-two of the 43 surviving specimens show engraving”. Paragraph 3 states that “Boss Gun was engraved behind the breech on (only) four of the surviving specimens”, which, indeed makes this a most rare item among the very rare Freund Sharps rifles. Page 210 of the publication has a picture of the buttplate of this rifle. Although not identified by serial number, there is no doubt that this is the buttplate from this rifle. The SN was observed on bottom of bbl and the last four digits inside the forearm of the bbl channel. Trigger plate is numbered “1204” and the lockplate “5801”. Buttplate has the number “208” in the toe. Receiver, stock & breech block are unnumbered but certainly have been part of this rifle for its entire working life. The recent history of this rifle was related to this cataloger by a close friend with direct knowledge of the events as follows: In 1961 a TV repairman from the Waneks Store in Auroura, Nebraska made a service call on an very elderly farmer, estimated to have been well into his 80’s then, who had inherited the rifle from his brother. His brother had been a bachelor who had cowboyed all over Wyoming until he died. The repairman purchased the rifle from the farmer and put it on the rack in the store for sale, allegedly for $400.00. Mr. Dietrich purchased the rifle from the store and kept it in his personal collection until his death in about 2003. The rifle was purchased from Mr. Dietrich’s widow by the Sidney, NE, Cabelas Gun Library who, in turn, sold it to the consignor. CONDITION: Very good. Bbl retains a blue/brown patina with scattered spots of discoloration on the upper half forward of the forearm. Receiver retains traces of case colors in the most sheltered areas and case colors turned silver on the raised areas. Breech block retains about all of its orig bright metal finish. Lockplate & hammer are mostly a medium gray patina. The wood is sound showing heavy wear with a series of gouges on left side of butt stock and two other gouges in the forearm and overall retains a wonderful hand worn patina. Buttplate is mostly gray metal patina. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore with some minor orange peel in front of the chamber. 4-36386 JR211 (90,000-125,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2010 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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