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LOT 3092
Sharps Model 1874 Mid-Range Number One Single Shot Target Rifle,
Documented to Factory Designer and Demonstration Shooter C.E.
Overbaugh - Serial no. 156750, 40 cal., 30 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened
finish, walnut stock. Per the included letter from collector and Sharps records holder
R.L. Moore, this rifle was unlisted in the Sharps invoice books but found on the warehouse ledgers as
having been charged to C.E. Overbaugh via Clark & Sneider of Baltimore, Maryland, at an unrecorded
date. Overbaugh was a factory shooter and arms designer, with the “German pattern” (schuetzen) variant 1874 and the 1877
“English Model” rifles attributed as their development work, as well as one of Sharps’ lead salesmen. The Moore letter further proposes
that the lack of invoice suggests a “factory gun” intended for demonstration and testing purposes, possibly used in exhibition shoots to help sell
the Sharps to prospective clients. Wind gauge spirit level front sight (professionally made modern replacement) and a drilled and tapped hole and winged filler block
in the rear sight position on the “CALIBER 40” marked barrel and matching numbered tang peep sight graduated from “0” to “4” on the side. The serial number is repeated
on the tang (the “6” offset to clear the spring loaded post for the tang sight) and the underside of the barrel, and the forearm bearing a partial matching serial number and marked for “G.W.
LENNOX”, factory stock finisher. Fitted with a checkered forearm and pistol grip stock, and a deeply checkered steel buttplate.
CONDITION: Very good, with 20% of the original blue finish, showing areas of brown patina, edge wear, and minor spotting. The frame has been cleaned, with some traces of dark case pattern. The
stock has been lightly sanded and revarnished, with minor chips and dings overall, dark stains at the buttplate, and some filler material added to the comb suggesting that the stock was at some
point fitted with a prone sight. Mechanically excellent
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,500
LOT 3091
Scarce Early Production Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 No. 1 Mid-Range Single
Shot Rifle with Wood Paneled Action and Factory Letter - Serial no. 7043, 40-70 BN
cal., 30 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in 1878, this
is a fine example of a No. 1 Mid-Range Sharps-Borchardt rifle. Only an estimated 215 of these
Grade No. 1 Mid-Range rifles are believed to have been produced from 1877 to 1880, making this
particular rifle very rare. This rifle features the desirable, early production, special order,
wood panels on the sides of the receiver which are only seen on the Grade No. 1 rifles
until June of 1878, before being switched to hard rubber panels, and the Grade No. 2
rifles don’t feature panels at all. The included factory letter with this rifle notes that the rifle was listed as a Model
1878 Mid-Range with an exact weight of 9 1/4 pounds, and a net price of $50.00 when shipped to William Read & Sons in
Boston on 25 June 1878. It is also noted that an order of 300 .40 2 1/2 inch case cartridges was included with the rifle. These
rifles failed to gain much commercial traction in the United States, other than with competition shooters and commercial
hunters, but, to this day, the action remains one of the strongest ever produced. This particular example was produced at
the Bridgeport facility and has the one line address and “Old Reliable” marking on top of the barrel. The patent date and serial
number are marked on the bottom of the action. It is fitted with a replacement windage adjustable globe front sight with a spirit
level, a graduated folding ladder rear sight, and a replacement peep sight mounted on the integral mounting point on the upper tang. It is mounted with
a mostly straight grained, multi-point checkered, Schnabel tip forearm and checkered pistol grip stock with a checkered hard rubber buttplate.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 70% plus of the original blue finish with some scattered patches of light pitting and 60% of the original case colors with the balance mostly
a grey patina. The wood is also fine with some scattered minor handling marks and mostly crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 6,000 - 9,000
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