EXTRAORDINARILY RARE SHARPS PATTERN RIFLE FOR THE MODEL 1875.

EXTRAORDINARILY RARE SHARPS PATTERN RIFLE FOR THE MODEL 1875. SN NSN. Cal. 40-70 Sharps Bottleneck. This unnumbered Sharps rifle resembles, and was probably made from Model 1874 parts at the factory in an attempt to produce a more streamlined, lighter rifle during the period 1875-1876 under the direction of superintendent Nelson King. It has a 28″ medium to heavy oct bbl with gold washed combination front sight and Lawrence Patent ladder rear sight. The tang is mounted with a Sharps long range vernier sight with windage and a 3-1/2″ staff, although the top tang is not drilled & tapped for a sight. It is mounted with extremely beautiful center crotch flame grain American walnut, checkered in Sharps patterns with Sharps schnable tip forearm and straight stock with coarse checkered steel buttplate and has dbl set triggers. Top flat of bbl has the “OLD RELIABLE” marking and Bridgeport address with caliber marking over chamber area. Bottom of bbl, under forearm, is unmarked except for a small “S”. The only other marking on this rifle is the number “6779” on trigger plate and two pencil “X”s on front face of buttstock under the wood. There are no other markings whatsoever on any of the various parts. It is noted that the major width of the receiver of this rifle is 1.601″ vs. the 1.833″ of a standard Model 1874 and the rebated front section is 1.404″ vs. 1.512” on a standard Model 1874. This exact rifle is pictured on p. 241 of the book Sharps Firearms, Sellers, with a lengthy & detailed description. The caption is credited to the Dr. R.L. Moore, Jr. Collection. Mr. Sellers notes that the receiver is nearly 1/4″ narrower than standard and that the stock & forearm have been made commensurately more narrow to accommodate this smaller receiver. The breechblock housing has been thinned and reconfigured to an exceptionally elegant shape as found on no other Sharps rifle. He also notes that the hammer is also more narrow & lightened and that while the extractor is 1874 dimensions it has had the extractor lip strengthened. The top edge of the lockplate has also been reshaped to fit flush with this more narrow action. The breech block is commensurately smaller with a very shallow loading groove, nearly flat on top while the bottom is ground concave to fit the concave bottom of the lightened action and the lever locking pin has also been shortened & reshaped. This , undoubtedly, is one of the most rare of all Sharps rifles, one of only four “Pattern rifles” known to the consignor who is considered an authority on Sharps rifles. Accompanied by a letter on Sharps Rifle Company letterhead from Dr. Richard J. Labowskie, the owner of the Sharps Rifle Co. records, wherein he discusses most of the above information and states that this rifle has been in his personal collection since 2001 when he purchased it from the Estate of Dr. Robert L. Moore, Jr. PROVENANCE: Dr. R.L. Moore, Jr. Collection; Richard J. Labowskie Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl retains about 95% strong orig factory blue with light muzzle & sharp edge wear; receiver, lockplate & hammer retain about all of their orig case colors, strong in sheltered areas, moderately to heavily faded elsewhere; top & bottom tangs have turned silver; wood is sound with light handling & storage marks in the varnish and overall retains virtually all of its strong piano varnish finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. 4-44918 JR324 (50,000-75,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2012

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
	2300	$0.00	EXTRAORDINARILY RARE SHARPS PATTERN RIFLE FOR THE MODEL 1875. SN NSN. Cal. 40-70 Sharps Bottleneck. This unnumbered Sharps rifle resembles, and was probably made from Model 1874 parts at the factory in an attempt to produce a more streamlined, lighter rifle during the period 1875-1876 under the direction of superintendent Nelson King. It has a 28″ medium to heavy oct bbl with gold washed combination front sight and Lawrence Patent ladder rear sight. The tang is mounted with a Sharps long range vernier sight with windage and a 3-1/2″ staff, although the top tang is not drilled & tapped for a sight. It is mounted with extremely beautiful center crotch flame grain American walnut, checkered in Sharps patterns with Sharps schnable tip forearm and straight stock with coarse checkered steel buttplate and has dbl set triggers. Top flat of bbl has the “OLD RELIABLE” marking and Bridgeport address with caliber marking over chamber area. Bottom of bbl, under forearm, is unmarked except for a small “S”. The only other marking on this rifle is the number “6779” on trigger plate and two pencil “X”s on front face of buttstock under the wood. There are no other markings whatsoever on any of the various parts. It is noted that the major width of the receiver of this rifle is 1.601″ vs. the 1.833″ of a standard Model 1874 and the rebated front section is 1.404″ vs. 1.512” on a standard Model 1874. This exact rifle is pictured on p. 241 of the book Sharps Firearms, Sellers, with a lengthy & detailed description. The caption is credited to the Dr. R.L. Moore, Jr. Collection. Mr. Sellers notes that the receiver is nearly 1/4″ narrower than standard and that the stock & forearm have been made commensurately more narrow to accommodate this smaller receiver. The breechblock housing has been thinned and reconfigured to an exceptionally elegant shape as found on no other Sharps rifle. He also notes that the hammer is also more narrow & lightened and that while the extractor is 1874 dimensions it has had the extractor lip strengthened. The top edge of the lockplate has also been reshaped to fit flush with this more narrow action. The breech block is commensurately smaller with a very shallow loading groove, nearly flat on top while the bottom is ground concave to fit the concave bottom of the lightened action and the lever locking pin has also been shortened & reshaped. This , undoubtedly, is one of the most rare of all Sharps rifles, one of only four “Pattern rifles” known to the consignor who is considered an authority on Sharps rifles. Accompanied by a letter on Sharps Rifle Company letterhead from Dr. Richard J. Labowskie, the owner of the Sharps Rifle Co. records, wherein he discusses most of the above information and states that this rifle has been in his personal collection since 2001 when he purchased it from the Estate of Dr. Robert L. Moore, Jr. PROVENANCE: Dr. R.L. Moore, Jr. Collection; Richard J. Labowskie Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl retains about 95% strong orig factory blue with light muzzle & sharp edge wear; receiver, lockplate & hammer retain about all of their orig case colors, strong in sheltered areas, moderately to heavily faded elsewhere; top & bottom tangs have turned silver; wood is sound with light handling & storage marks in the varnish and overall retains virtually all of its strong piano varnish finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. 4-44918 JR324 (50,000-75,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2012 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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