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LOT 15
Highly Desirable Freund Patent Marked
Winchester Model 1876 Lever Action
Rifle with Rare Freund’s Patent Sight - Serial no. 31986, 45-60 cal., 28 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in
1882, this is a solid representative example of Winchester’s powerful Model 1876 as upgraded by one of the frontier’s legendary gun shops. The story of the
Freund brothers as German immigrant gunsmiths traced its path westward, much like the expanding railways and settlers seeking opportunity, as they set
up temporary shops along their route. Eventually the brothers settled permanently with shops in Denver, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming. From those two shops
they became known for retailing and improving mostly single shot rifles, particularly the Sharps Model 1874, making a repeater with their markings quite scarce. The Freund shop sold
rifles to the likes of Philip Sheridan, George Cook, and Theodore Roosevelt. The Model 1876 found popularity on the frontier due to its larger and more powerful chamberings, most of which were
capable of dispatching the most dangerous threats the American west had to offer, animal and human alike. The top flat of the barrel is marked with the standard two-line address/King’s patent marking,
caliber marking at the breech, and “FREUND’S/PATENT/JUNE 28/1880./DURANGO/COLO” just behind the rear sight, likely indicating the shop had modified it. The caliber marking is repeated on the bottom of the
cartridge elevator, model marking on the upper tang, and serial number on the lower tang. It is fitted with a Freund blade front sight, showing the Freund Patent marking on the base, and an “1876” marked folding
ladder rear sight with the notch period modified to be more open, likely by the Freund shop. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and
straight grip stock with a trapdoor crescent buttplate.
CONDITION: Good, retaining traces of the original blue finish with the balance a mixture of grey/brown patina and some scattered light pitting, typical
of a rifle that spent time on the western frontier as a working gun. The lightly sanded/reoiled wood is also good with a repaired minor crack in the right
of the wrist and scattered minor dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. A solid Winchester Model 1876 rifle that looks like it could tell stories of the
frontier!
Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500
LOT 18
Highly Desirable
William Butcher, Sheffield, Etched Blade Bowie Knife with
Sheath - Manufactured c. 1822-1826. As early as 1819, William
Butcher is listed in the Sheffield directories as manufacturing edged
tools from a small manufactory on Eyre Lane. In 1826, William joined
with his brother Samuel and John Brown in a partnership that lasted
until 1830. From 1830 onward, William and Samuel Butcher partnered
together in a business more commonly known as W.& S. Butcher. From 1830 through the 1850s, the Butcher brothers expanded their business
and production capacity in Sheffield to meet the ever-increasing demands of the American market. The business continued on under various
ownership and names well into the 1900s. Among Bowie knife collectors, the Butcher firm is known not only for their extremely high quality, but as
one of the earliest Sheffield firms to break into the American market, making their knives extremely collectible in any condition, with high quality
examples like this being particularly desirable. A very similar Butcher knife is pictured on p. 375 of “The Antique Bowie Knife Book” by Adams,
Voyles, and Moss, which has a different blade profile and slightly different guard, but an almost identical grip. This very attractive knife measures
13 1/2 inches overall with an 8 1/4 inch blade, featuring a long, shallow clip point, faint etching on the left (illegible), a Spanish notch just above
the ricasso, and the maker’s mark under the “WR” and crown marking on the left ricasso. The German silver guard has large shallow scallops on the
quillions and a large bolster below it. The German silver hilt is fitted with rosewood grips with German silver nameplate, pins, and a flat pommel.
Includes a red leather scabbard with attractive, ornate German silver fittings and absent belt button.
CONDITION: Fine, the blade showing a mostly bright grey patina with some light pitting, faint traces of acid etching, and clear maker’s markings.
The German silver is bright with some light dings, concentrated on the butt of the pommel. The grips are also fine with a few horizontal hairline
age cracks and light handling marks. The sheath is fine (see above) with some mild wear and scuffs.
Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
LOT 16
“Frontier Issued” Sharps Bridgeport Model
1874 Sporting Buffalo Rifle in .40-70 Sharps Necked with Factory Letter - Serial no. 160602, 40-70 Sharps cal., 30 inch
octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Sharps reportedly manufactured approximately 6,400 of these sporting rifles in a variety of configurations
between 1871 to 1880 according to production figures listed on page 218 of “Sharps Firearms” by Sellers. Includes a copy of a factory letter that lists this rifle by serial
number as invoiced January 5, 1878, to western dealer Ben Kittredge and Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, noted as a “Model 1874 Sporting Octagon Rifle” in .40 caliber with a
full 30 inch octagon barrel, double set triggers, open sights, oil finished stocks, weight listed as 12 1/4 pounds, and list price of $45. These Sharps Model 1874 rifles were a highly valued arm on the
frontier, not only due to their firepower, but also their long range accuracy. They were popular for both protection and hunting, seeing widespread use throughout the turbulent American west and
commonly referred to as “buffalo rifles,” as used by the commercial hunters of the period. This example features double set triggers and a 30 inch octagon barrel, with a dovetail mounted blade front
sight and a Lawrence patent notch and ladder rear sight. The top barrel flat is marked with the boxed “Old Reliable” ahead of the Sharps Bridgeport address, with “CALIBRE
40” at the breech and “2 1/4” upside down on the right barrel flat at the breech, indicating chambering for the .40-70 Sharps necked (.40 2 1/4) cartridge. The left side of
the receiver is marked with the two-line Sharps 1869 patent date, and the matching serial number “160602” is marked horizontally on top of the receiver and on bottom
of the barrel. It is mounted with a smooth walnut forearm with pewter end cap and straight grip stock with a flat checkered steel buttplate.
CONDITION: Very good, exhibiting plenty of frontier character, with the exposed surfaces exhibiting mostly smooth brown patina with scattered natural frontier freckling,
strong original blue finish showing in the concealed area of the barrel hidden beneath the forearm, strong traces of original case colors in a few of the protected areas
with some areas of silvering on the action, and mostly defined markings in the metal. Wood is good as sanded and re-oiled, with a filled in replacement section visible on
the right edge of the forearm, a crack on the right side of the wrist with a small filled in spot, various minor hairline cracks at the edges, and some general frontier dings and
scratches. Mechanically fine. This “frontier issued” Sharps Model 1874 sporting buffalo rifle would make a proud addition to any western or Americana collection!
Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
LOT 17
Desirable
Herter’s Inc.
Hudson Bay 41
A X Kodiak Bear
Trap - Manufactured c. 1971-1979, this is a
desirable example of a Hudson Bay Kodiak
Bear Trap manufactured by Herter’s Inc.
Established in Waseca, Minnesota, in 1937,
Herter’s was a prominent mail order sporting
and outdoor goods retailer that was a major
inspiration for many modern sporting goods suppliers. Herter’s appears
to have began producing various traps starting in the 1960s, with the
first bear traps appearing in 1971 and continuing until 1979. This massive
trap measures approximately 43 1/4 inches long with the setting springs
extended fully. The pressure plate has the standard model and manufacturer
markings in raised letters and a pierced through “H” at the center.
CONDITION: Fine overall, showing an attractively aged brown patina overall
with some scattered light oxidation. Mechanically untested but appears to
be functional.
Estimate: 1,500 - 2,500