April 24-25, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2019
Only approximately 6,150 were manufactured in the serial range 30000 to 40000. Adapted for the socket type bayonet. These rifles were government issued and were the finest shooting rifles on the Civil War battlefield. Featured blued barrel, case colored three brands, sling swivels, case colored patchbox, buttplate, frame, hammer and lever; high polish fire blue block, post front sight, Lawrence patented folding ladder rear sight, long military style walnut forend, walnut buttstock, single trigger, Maynard priming system. Barrel is stamped "SHARPS RIFLE MANUFG HARTFORD CONN". Breech of barrel is stamped "NEW MODEL 1863". Left side of frame has the Sharps 1848 patent date and "M" inspector stamp. Right side of frame has the Lawrence patent date 1859 and Sharps patent 1852. Screws are fire blued. Lower tang has "M" inspector stamp twice. Let side of barrel has inspector stamp "MNM" for Moses N. Marshall. Left side of stock has two cartouche stamps in box on wrist "MNM" and "TWR" for Thomas W. Russell, both are listed as inspectors for the 1863 Sharps. It is obvious this high condition rifle saw very little use. There is blue wear to the barrel forward of the sight cause by removal of the bayonet; you can see the lines where it locked in place. Otherwise barrel retains approximately 90% original factory blue. Razor sharp legends. Traces of color on barrel bands. 75% bright nitre blue on block. 80% or better original case colors on frame. Traces of case colors on lever. 50% case colors on hammer with military proof "P". 50% colors on patchbox with military proof "M". Buttplate has greyed out. Generous amounts of nitre blue on screws and takedown lever. Wood is excellent to near mint, proud to metal, with only nominal abrasions. Near mint bright bore. Fine action. This is definitely a fine, high condition, collector grade, mid-war Sharps rifle in superb, all original condition.
Caliber/Bore
.52 Percussion