GUN FALL 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.
EXTREMELY RARE AND FINE GUSTAVE YOUNG ENGRAVED "EXHIBITION" SHARPS DELUXE MODEL 1853 SHOTGUN.SHARPS1853932426 GACal. 26 ga. This particular gun, once part of the famous A.E. Brooks collection prior to 1900 and later in the U.S. Cartridge company collection was little doubt an exhibition gun. Only 320 model 1853 shotguns were manufactured and only 6 were "Extra Fancy Engraved" according to Frank Sellers 1978 text Sharps Firearms. Factory letter states this gun was invoiced at the Hartford factory January 11, 1855, being stocked with fancy wood and extra fancy engraved. Larry Wilson in his 1974 text Colt Engraving pg 145, another Model 1853 "Exquisitely engraved by Gustave Young as an exhibition piece". Still another engraved 1853 Sharps, SN 8421, on pg 103 of Steel Canvas 1995, Wilson attributes to shop of Gustave Young. Gustave Young's signature features are note on this example his deluxe scroll with pearled background and instead of dog or eagles head, engraving on top of bbl terminates in sea serpent with pointed tongue. This shotgun has 3 panel scenes of hunting and game, which, as can be seen in photographs are quite elaborate and well done. PROVENANCE: A. E. Brooks Collection, Hartford, CT, about 1880; Displayed at A. E. Brooks Restaurant at 387 Main Street, Hartford, CT til 1893; Displayed at the Wadsworth Athenaeum, 1894; A. E. Brooks Collection Catalog, Item #1563, line #447, pg 72, 1899; U. S. Cartridge Company Collection, Lowell, MA, 1902; Exhibited by the U.S. Cartridge Company at St. Louis World Exposition, 1903-1904; Collection auctioned Robins H. Ritter, East Hartford, CT Auction, 1942; Michael Cairns, 1989. CONDITION: Very fine to extra fine overall. Mechanically excellent with crisp, bright, shiny bore, retains virtually all of bright piano polish varnish surface with several cosmetic dents and scratches. Metal overall is silver/gray with bright finish found in protected areas, light staining and pitting on bbl, which retains much of its thinning brown finish. 51006-1 JS (15,000-25,000)