UNUSUAL SHARPS MODEL 1874 SPORTING RIFLE.

UNUSUAL SHARPS MODEL 1874 SPORTING RIFLE. SN C53678. Cal. 40-50 Sharps Bottleneck. Fine Sharps sporting rifle with 28″ medium weight oct bbl mounted with a 32-3/4″ Malcolm scope. Top flat of bbl is marked “SHARP’S RIFLE MANUFG. CO. / HARTFORD CONN” with the caliber marking over chamber area. There is also a small “20” on the top flat near the receiver. Rifle is mounted with highly figured, uncheckered American walnut with rnd, pewter tipped sporting rifle forend and straight stock with cheekpiece and heavy brass Swiss buttplate. SN was observed on top tang, bottom flat of bbl under the forearm, inside bbl channel of forearm, inside lockplate & trigger plate. Buttstock & buttplate are unnumbered but there is little doubt that they are orig to this rifle or, as a minimum, they have been with the rifle most of its life. Accompanied by a Sharps Rifle Co. records letter which identifies this rifle in 40 caliber with 28″ oct bbl, dbl triggers with globe & peep sights with varnished stocks and “rifle butt”. “Rifle butt” signifies a semi-crescent buttplate. It was invoiced at Hartford factory on Sept. 6, 1872 to George A. Fairfield of Hartford, CT who was one of the most heralded machine-tool designers of the 19th century along with Richard S. Lawrence, Elihu Root and Francis Pratt. The letter notes that Mr. Fairfield may have been a Sharps employee but was, for a time, the superintendent of the Weed Sewing Machine Co. which shared space with Sharps. The letter also notes that this rifle had been in the collection of noted Sharps historian & author, Frank Sellers. This exact rifle, identified by SN, in its current configuration is pictured on p. 239 of the book Sharps Firearms, Sellers. Mr. Sellers notes that the scope, with buttstock cheekpiece and heavy Schutzen style buttplate are “unusual for such an early gun”. PROVENANCE: George A. Fairfield; Frank Sellers Collection; Dr. Richard J. Labowskie Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except stock & buttplate as noted. Bbl retains about 95-96% strong orig blue with only sharp edge wear; scope retains about 65-70% thin orig blue; optics are clear with the spider web crosshairs a little slack; receiver retains strong case colors in sheltered areas with smoky colors on the two raised side panels; top tang has case colors under the sight with the balance turned silver; lever retains dark case colors; lockplate retains about 65-70% orig case colors, dark around the hammer, faded on the tail; hammer retains strong bright case colors; trigger plate retains about 50% dark case colors with the rear half faded colors; stock has a couple of tiny hairlines back of lockplate, otherwise wood is sound and retains most of its orig finish showing wear over the center of the forearm. Mechanics are crisp, very bright shiny bore. 4-44920 JR327 (20,000-30,000)

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
	2301	$0.00	UNUSUAL SHARPS MODEL 1874 SPORTING RIFLE. SN C53678. Cal. 40-50 Sharps Bottleneck. Fine Sharps sporting rifle with 28″ medium weight oct bbl mounted with a 32-3/4″ Malcolm scope. Top flat of bbl is marked “SHARP’S RIFLE MANUFG. CO. / HARTFORD CONN” with the caliber marking over chamber area. There is also a small “20” on the top flat near the receiver. Rifle is mounted with highly figured, uncheckered American walnut with rnd, pewter tipped sporting rifle forend and straight stock with cheekpiece and heavy brass Swiss buttplate. SN was observed on top tang, bottom flat of bbl under the forearm, inside bbl channel of forearm, inside lockplate & trigger plate. Buttstock & buttplate are unnumbered but there is little doubt that they are orig to this rifle or, as a minimum, they have been with the rifle most of its life. Accompanied by a Sharps Rifle Co. records letter which identifies this rifle in 40 caliber with 28″ oct bbl, dbl triggers with globe & peep sights with varnished stocks and “rifle butt”. “Rifle butt” signifies a semi-crescent buttplate. It was invoiced at Hartford factory on Sept. 6, 1872 to George A. Fairfield of Hartford, CT who was one of the most heralded machine-tool designers of the 19th century along with Richard S. Lawrence, Elihu Root and Francis Pratt. The letter notes that Mr. Fairfield may have been a Sharps employee but was, for a time, the superintendent of the Weed Sewing Machine Co. which shared space with Sharps. The letter also notes that this rifle had been in the collection of noted Sharps historian & author, Frank Sellers. This exact rifle, identified by SN, in its current configuration is pictured on p. 239 of the book Sharps Firearms, Sellers. Mr. Sellers notes that the scope, with buttstock cheekpiece and heavy Schutzen style buttplate are “unusual for such an early gun”. PROVENANCE: George A. Fairfield; Frank Sellers Collection; Dr. Richard J. Labowskie Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching except stock & buttplate as noted. Bbl retains about 95-96% strong orig blue with only sharp edge wear; scope retains about 65-70% thin orig blue; optics are clear with the spider web crosshairs a little slack; receiver retains strong case colors in sheltered areas with smoky colors on the two raised side panels; top tang has case colors under the sight with the balance turned silver; lever retains dark case colors; lockplate retains about 65-70% orig case colors, dark around the hammer, faded on the tail; hammer retains strong bright case colors; trigger plate retains about 50% dark case colors with the rear half faded colors; stock has a couple of tiny hairlines back of lockplate, otherwise wood is sound and retains most of its orig finish showing wear over the center of the forearm. Mechanics are crisp, very bright shiny bore. 4-44920 JR327 (20,000-30,000) 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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