Sharps Rifle on Antiques Road Show

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jdb3
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:10 pm
Location: Petersburg, AK

Sharps Rifle on Antiques Road Show

Post by jdb3 »

Saw it last night. They said it was an 1856 model carbine. Had the tape primer case on it and it still worked. They said it was worth aroun $7500. Interesting, I never heard of an 1856 Sharps. Jim
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" Benjamin Franklin.
Todd Birch
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Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:01 pm
Location: Somewhere in the Cariboo ....

Slant breech Sharps

Post by Todd Birch »

I saw that show as well.

If you look on page 63 of Seller's book, you will see the identical Naval Rifle. It is described as the "Model 1856 Military Rifle", itself just a variation of the 1855 Model offered to Britain and rejected.

The 'expert' described the tape primer feed as being of the Maynard pattern, but the books says:
"The Rollins White self-cocking device was placed on 50 of these rifles made for the Navy, but all but 12 were rejected and these returned to the factory to have the Rollins White device removed."

I think he really means "self-priming" rather than "self-cocking". ?????

The next page shows both the Rollins White and Maynard priming feed mechanisms and they are similar except for an extra screw in the feed pawl.

The 1856 date of the Antiques Road show gun refers to the 1856 patent date of the Conant patent gas seal breech incorporated at that time.
"From birth to the packing house, we travel between the two eternities ....." Robert Duvall in "Broken Trail"
Marathonman
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Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2002 6:47 am

Post by Marathonman »

I went to an Antique Road Show in Denver CO last year that was being filmed. I was standing in line with my wife and an antique bowl when I looked behind me and there was a rifle I recognized instantly though I'd never seen one other than in Sellers book. I asked to see it and the group of three women let me examine it closely. It was an original model 1877 Lower Sharps Sporter of which there was only 75 made. It had a serial number of about D45 or so as I remember. It looked to be in fine shooting condition and had probably 70 percent blue remaining on the barrel. The woman holding it asked me what I thought it was worth as she had no idea what it was. I reminded her that any sales of items at the roadshow would get that person ejected according to the rules. However I felt someone might try to take advantage of her and gave her an estimate of $12,000.00. Soon after we were separated by category and I never saw her again. Last week I saw a similar rifle at an auction house for "15,000.00 so I might have saved her from someone swindling her for a couple grand in the parking lot!

Anyway keep your eyes open for a Denver CO edition of Antiques Road Show and see if they highlighted that fine 1877 Lower Sharps sporter.
I had gotten possession of a big "50" gun early in the fight, and was making considerable noise with it.

~Billy Dixon~

Adobe Walls 1874
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