ITEM # 73
serial#7150, 45 2.4" caliber, 34" round barrel with a bright minty bore. This is a truly exceptional rifle. The action, breech block, lever, wedge, wedge escutcheons, and heel position sight base all feature lovely scroll engraving executed by L. D. Nimschke. A factory letter dated January 23, 1986 and signed by the late Dr. R. L. Moore (a highly respected collector, historian and owner of the original Sharps Company records) states the following: "Regrettably, your Sharps rifle number 7150 is not in the original Sharps rifle company records that are in my collection. I have examined photographs of your gun, however, and it is an extremely fine model 1878 long-range target rifle shipped from the Bridgeport, Connecticut, Old Reliable plant. On the finer factory engraved pieces, Sharps rifle company engaged master engraver, Louis D. Nimschke, of New York City to do the work. Without question, he engraved your gun.". The rifle features hard rubber panels and original windgauge front sight with spirit level and long-range vernier tang peep sight. The condition of the rifle is truly fabulous. The barrel retains 95% original blue finish with the most loss being a 1" by 1/2" area on underside of barrel about 6 inches back from muzzle where it is gray and has a little light pitting. The action retains 98% vivid original color casehardened finish. All engraving remains extremely sharp and crisp. The checkered pistol grip buttstock and forend are of lovely Circassian walnut and rate excellent plus with virtually all of their original finish and just a couple very light handling marks. The checkering remains very sharp and virtually perfect, the forend cap, pistol grip cap and checkered hard rubber buttplate are all excellent. Rifle comes with a notarized letter from C. Brockway stating that he purchased the rifle on November 17, 1982 from Far West Gun & Supply. The rifle was left on consignment at Far West by Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Jones of Solvang, California. Mr. Brockway states that he met with Mr. and Mrs. Jones in December of 1982 and Mrs. Jones stated that the rifle came from the estate of her grandfather Colonel Archibald Rogers of Hyde Park, New York. The rifle was part of Mrs. Jones's mother's inheritance of the estate of her father. Archibald Rogers was president and owner of the Pennsylvania Railroad and a close friend and companion of Theodore Roosevelt. Rogers owned the Pitchfork Ranch at Meeteetse, Wyoming where he hunted with friends including Roosevelt. Included with the rifle is a folder of correspondence, newspaper articles, photographs, targets shot by Ray Day with this rifle as well as a book "Brand of a Legend". A truly fabulous Sharps Borchardt rifle worthy of the finest collection. {Provenance: Archibald Rogers Family, C. Brockway, Ray Day} (1915-4) {ANTIQUE} [Ray Day Collection] (30,000/50,000) SOLD FOR $80500.00 |
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