VERY RARE SHARPS 18 POUND LONG RANGE ULTRA-HEAVY SPORTING RIFLE WITH J.P. LOWER HISTORY.

VERY RARE SHARPS 18 POUND LONG RANGE ULTRA-HEAVY SPORTING RIFLE WITH J.P. LOWER HISTORY. SN 157962. Cal. 45 2-7/8 (45-110). Fine buffalo rifle with 30″ full oct bbl, extra heavy, the same width as the receiver with windgage spirit level globe front sight, no provision for a rear sight and long range tang sight with 5″ staff numbered to this rifle. Top flat of bbl is marked with the “OLD RELIABLE” and Bridgeport address along with “J.P. LOWER / DENVER COL.”. The caliber is marked over the chamber area and the case length is on the right side flat. Receiver has the usual company name & patent number on left side with no additional markings on receiver or lockplate. Rifle is mounted with nicely figured slab-sawed American walnut with uncheckered schnable tip forearm secured with two screws and a checkered pistol grip buttstock with checkered steel buttplate. It has standard Sharps lever & checkered trigger. Accompanied by a Sharps records letter identifying this rifle as listed in Order Book #5 as a Long Range No. 2 invoiced at the Bridgeport Factory April 5, 1877 “As consigned to Deachamm & Dunn of Houston, Texas”. It is described only as 45 caliber with a weight of 10 lbs. The letter continues that it was returned to the factory on Jan. 10, 1878 along with three other Sharps rifles. The SN index for the Model 1874 Sharps contains the written notation “Deachamm & Dunn to Lower 18 lbs. Sptg.”. Dr. Labowskie, the owner of the Sharps records and originator of this letter states “This I take to mean that this target rifle was re-configured as an ultra-heavy sporting rifle and shipped to John P. Lower, gun and sporting goods dealer of Denver, Colorado.”. He explains that this index was created many years ago by Frank Sellers and his associates as a means for rapidly accessing the shipping histories of individual Sharps rifles. It was compiled from the Order Books and from Shipping memoranda, transfer copies of outgoing company correspondence, and, in some cases, from customers’ letters. He states that not all of this material has survived in his possession. He additionally states that he can find no reference to this rifle as an 18 pounder or that it was invoiced to Lower, however in 1879 Lower did clear out the remaining heavy sporting rifles in the Sharps inventory. Also accompanying is another letter dated 1982 over the signature of Dr. R.L. Moore, Jr., the then custodian of the Sharps records who also notes that it was an 18 pound sporting rifle shipped to Lower in Denver. Additionally accompanying is a copy of the number index or possibly Order Book which initially identifies it as a No. 2 Long Range with the notation “Deachamm & Dunn to Lower 18 lbs. Sptg.”. This rifle was ultimately shipped to one of the major buffalo hunter suppliers and Sharps Agent for the Rocky Mountain Region of Colorado, Western Kansas & Southern Wyoming during the great buffalo hunts and undoubtedly saw service out on the prairie shooting buffalo. CONDITION: About fine. Bbl retains about 95% smooth strong orig blue turning a little plum with sharp edge wear and slight thinning on top flat. Receiver, lockplate, hammer, lever & bottom tang are mostly a mottled silver/brown patina with the silver areas faded case colors. Wood is sound with the forearm having a few nicks & dings across the bottom and retains most of its orig varnish. Stock shows heavy wear on the checkering with normal nicks, dings & scratches and retains about 90% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, brilliant shiny bore. 4-42686 (12,000-17,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2011

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
	2254B	$22,425.00	VERY RARE SHARPS 18 POUND LONG RANGE ULTRA-HEAVY SPORTING RIFLE WITH J.P. LOWER HISTORY. SN 157962. Cal. 45 2-7/8 (45-110). Fine buffalo rifle with 30″ full oct bbl, extra heavy, the same width as the receiver with windgage spirit level globe front sight, no provision for a rear sight and long range tang sight with 5″ staff numbered to this rifle. Top flat of bbl is marked with the “OLD RELIABLE” and Bridgeport address along with “J.P. LOWER / DENVER COL.”. The caliber is marked over the chamber area and the case length is on the right side flat. Receiver has the usual company name & patent number on left side with no additional markings on receiver or lockplate. Rifle is mounted with nicely figured slab-sawed American walnut with uncheckered schnable tip forearm secured with two screws and a checkered pistol grip buttstock with checkered steel buttplate. It has standard Sharps lever & checkered trigger. Accompanied by a Sharps records letter identifying this rifle as listed in Order Book #5 as a Long Range No. 2 invoiced at the Bridgeport Factory April 5, 1877 “As consigned to Deachamm & Dunn of Houston, Texas”. It is described only as 45 caliber with a weight of 10 lbs. The letter continues that it was returned to the factory on Jan. 10, 1878 along with three other Sharps rifles. The SN index for the Model 1874 Sharps contains the written notation “Deachamm & Dunn to Lower 18 lbs. Sptg.”. Dr. Labowskie, the owner of the Sharps records and originator of this letter states “This I take to mean that this target rifle was re-configured as an ultra-heavy sporting rifle and shipped to John P. Lower, gun and sporting goods dealer of Denver, Colorado.”. He explains that this index was created many years ago by Frank Sellers and his associates as a means for rapidly accessing the shipping histories of individual Sharps rifles. It was compiled from the Order Books and from Shipping memoranda, transfer copies of outgoing company correspondence, and, in some cases, from customers’ letters. He states that not all of this material has survived in his possession. He additionally states that he can find no reference to this rifle as an 18 pounder or that it was invoiced to Lower, however in 1879 Lower did clear out the remaining heavy sporting rifles in the Sharps inventory. Also accompanying is another letter dated 1982 over the signature of Dr. R.L. Moore, Jr., the then custodian of the Sharps records who also notes that it was an 18 pound sporting rifle shipped to Lower in Denver. Additionally accompanying is a copy of the number index or possibly Order Book which initially identifies it as a No. 2 Long Range with the notation “Deachamm & Dunn to Lower 18 lbs. Sptg.”. This rifle was ultimately shipped to one of the major buffalo hunter suppliers and Sharps Agent for the Rocky Mountain Region of Colorado, Western Kansas & Southern Wyoming during the great buffalo hunts and undoubtedly saw service out on the prairie shooting buffalo. CONDITION: About fine. Bbl retains about 95% smooth strong orig blue turning a little plum with sharp edge wear and slight thinning on top flat. Receiver, lockplate, hammer, lever & bottom tang are mostly a mottled silver/brown patina with the silver areas faded case colors. Wood is sound with the forearm having a few nicks & dings across the bottom and retains most of its orig varnish. Stock shows heavy wear on the checkering with normal nicks, dings & scratches and retains about 90% orig varnish. Mechanics are fine, brilliant shiny bore. 4-42686 (12,000-17,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2011 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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