Sharps Model 1853 Slant Breech Saddle Ring Carbine, aka John Brown Sharps

.52 caliber. 21.25" barrel. SN: 12074. Blued and color casehardened finish, brass furniture, walnut buttstock and forend. Single shot percussion breechloading carbine with 9" sling bar missing ring, 1853 pattern sight base missing sight ladder and a brass blade front sight. Standard Sharps lock markings in three-lines SHARP'S/PATENT/1852, tang marked SHARPS/PATENT/1848 and with serial number, barrel marked SHARPS RIFLE/MANUFG CO/HARTFORD, CONN. Matching serial numbers on receiver tang and under barrel, forend with heavy restoration and no number present. Carvings on reverse of butt with the deeply cut initials L.L., and much more lightly carved script name and possibly additional information, which is not legible. A search of published John Brown serial numbers finds that 1853 Sharps Carbine #12077 was in case #321 and is a documented John Brown purchased Sharps. This gun was not found in any available records, but is only three numbers from the documented John Brown Sharps. {ANTIQUE}

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Good. Bore fair to good, dark and heavily pitted with deep rifling. Metal with no finish remaining and a thickly oxidized brown patina with scattered surface roughness and some lightly scattered pitting. Markings remain mostly legible, if weak in some areas. Mechanically functional action. Lever retention catch is missing. Sling ring and rear sight ladder are missing as well. Wood with moderate wear, lightly sanded and showing numerous bumps, dings and mars. Forend with some major restoration and replaced wood along the reverse side.

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Mr. Tim Prince

Senior Consulting Specialist, Arms, Armor & Militaria

[email protected]312 280 1212

Tim Prince has more than 30-years of experience in the field of antique and collectible arms and is a nationally recognized expert in the area of Civil War small arms. A long-time researcher and author, Tim has been a contributing author to two major books about Civil War firearms, including The English Connection: Arms, Material and Support Furnished to the Confederate States of America by Great Britain (2014) and Confederate Shotguns and Southern Agent Marked Shotguns (2017). He was also a major contributor to the recently updated Blue Book of Antique American Firearms & Values – 2nd Edition (2019) as well as the 2010 updates to the Civil War Collector's Price Guide - 12th edition. Over the last decade Tim has authored more than 50 articles on 19th century collectible and military arms, which have been published in such varied publications as Civil War News, North-South Trader, and Military Antique Collector. Since 2016 has appeared as a featured appraiser in the field of Arms & Militaria on the popular PBS television series Antiques Roadshow. He is a member of the American Society of Arms Collectors and currently serves on the board of directors of that organization. He is also a member of and formerly served on the board of directors of the Society of American Bayonet Collectors. Tim is a life member of the Ohio Valley Military Society, the Tennessee Military Collectors Association, the Alabama Military Collectors Association, is a member of the Company of Military Historians and is a member of numerous other colleting groups and societies. He is the owner of College Hill Arsenal, a web based antique and collectible arms retail web site, specializing in the American Civil War and related military items. Tim has engaged in the business of buying, selling, researching, and appraising antique and collectible arms and associated military items for some three decades. Since 2016 he has also served as a senior Consulting Specialist in the field of Arms, Armor & Militaria for Cowan’s Auctions, a Freeman's Company.

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Sharps Model 1853 Slant Breech Saddle Ring Carbine, aka John Brown Sharps

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