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LOT 65
Exceptional Desirable Wood Paneled Action Sharps
Borchardt Model 1878 Long Range Rifle with Desirable Paneled
Action and Very Scarce Freund Sights - Serial no. 6651, 45 cal., 34 inch
round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Only approximately 230
Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 Long Range rifles were manufactured in 1877 to 1880. This example
has the desirable figured walnut panels on the sides of the action, an F.W. Freund patent accented blade front sight marked “APRIL 17/1877.” to the left of the
blade, the “Old Reliable” marking and Bridgeport address, notch and folding ladder rear sight with “F.W. FREUND/PATENED/1876” marked at the top of the ladder, tang mounted “PAT. NOV. 1877” marked Hugo Borchardt patent peep sight, plain trigger, checkered forearm with contrasting nose cap, and sculpted pistol grip stock with a contrasting inlay and checkered shotgun buttplate. Matching serial numbers are found on the bottom of the barrel, back of the forearm, ahead of the trigger on the frame, and on the right side of the breech block.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine. The barrel retains 90% of the lightly fading original blue finish, and the frame has 75% of the original case colors. The wood panels are fine and have attractive figure and minor dings and scratches. The lightly sanded and refinished stock and forearm are also find with a blond coloration, crisp checkering, a few nicks and scratches, and minor overall wear. Mechanically excellent. Overall a stunning Sharps-Borchardt target rifle with desirable Freund sights.
Estimate: 9,000 - 14,000
LOT 66
Desirable Sharps Rifle Company Capital
Stock Certificate - Offered here is a certificate
dated December 11, 1875 for five shares of
capital stock in the Sharps Rifle Company for
one J. Armstrong. The bottom of the certificate
is signed by then president E.G. Westcott and
secretary W.L. Hubbell. The lower left corner
has three men hunting (two of which appear
armed with Sharps rifles) with their dog. The
upper right has a Union soldier with a rifle and
U.S. flag. The back has the transfer information
filled out partially for transfer to another
person who’s name is illegible. The sharps rifle
company was founded in October of 1851 by Christian Sharps, Samuel Robbins, and Richard S. Lawrence in Hartford, Connecticut. Though Christian Sharps left the company in 1853 to start Sharps & Hankins, the Sharps Rifle would remain popular with sportsman and target shooters, as well as with the U.S. military seeing use throughout the civil war. In 1876, Sharps would move operations from Hartford to Bridgeport, Connecticut where they would continue production of the ever popular Model 1874. Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company went out of business in 1881 as the repeating rifles of the day began to take over the market and domestic military contracts dried up in the Reconstruction era. CONDITION: Fine with attractive light aging to the paper and printing. The written ink has faded slightly to a brown/ black coloration. The edges of the paper has very slight tearing where creasing has previously occurred. This would make a fantastic display piece in any Sharps rifle collection!
Estimate: 1,700 - 2,500
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