2020 September Premier, Volume I

The stories it wears are
almost as good as the stories
it could tell
Collector’s Fact
According to author Frank
Sellers, only 451 of these
rifles were produced at the
Bridgeport factory.
LOT 62
Scarce Desirable and Iconic “Frontier Issued” Sharps
Model 1874 “Hunter’s Rifle” - Serial no. 159958, 40
Sharps cal., 26 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish,
walnut stock. Only around 592 Model 1874 “Hunter’s Rifles”
are believed to have been manufactured per Frank Sellers
in “Sharps Firearms,” and 451 of those were manufactured
at the Bridgeport factory. These were made specifically
as more affordable hunting rifles compared to the other
Model 1874 variants, and thus, the limited number of
surviving examples are incredibly scarce. Sharps’ rifles
we among the most popular in the West in the late 19th
century and were used by pioneers, professional hunters,
fur traders, military officers, and Native Americans to put
meat on the table and defend themselves. This rifle has
open sights and standard Sharps markings. The buttstock
has evidence of brass pin/tack decoration at the wrist and
butt. The included copy of the Sharps’ ledger indicates this
Hunter’s Rifle was shipped to W.L. Cushing & Moore which
had locations in New Orleans, Louisiana and Galveston,
Texas.
CONDITION: Fair in overall condition but radiant in the
spirit of the American West, proudly and confidently
exhibiting the scars of such a cruel and glorious
environment. The well-worn wood is “fair” and likewise
confidently wears its imperfections with pride: repairs,
cracks, and splinters with definitive evidence of Indian
tack decoration. Mechanically fine. An exceptional piece
of authentic western American history. The stories it wears
are almost as good as the stories it could tell.
Estimate: 6500 - 9000