Lot 1040

Factory Engraved Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 Long Range Rifle

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Factory Engraved Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 Long Range Rifle

Estimate: $45,000 - $65,000

Starting Bid: $40,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 22, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Scarce, Exceptional, and Well-Documented Factory Engraved Sharps-Borchardt Deluxe Model 1878 Long Range Single Shot Rifle in Desirable .45-70 Government with Hard Rubber Receiver Panels and an 1879 Dated Inscription to H. J. Sisty Manufactured c. August 1878 to early 1879, this is an exceptional example of the very scarce Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 Long Range rifle, of which only 230 total were produced according to Frank Sellers in "Sharps Firearms". The rifle is pictured and described on p. 266-267 of "Sharps Firearms" where it is described as showing the standard pattern of factory engraving. Sellers also notes that only approximately 30% of all Model 1878s had a casehardened frame. It is also listed by serial number on page 106 and pictured on page 123 of "Sharps Firearms: Model 1878 'Borchardt Patent' Rifle & Other Models" by Marcot, Paxton, and Marron. These rifles were primarily produced by Sharps as their top of the line competition variation of the Model 1878, with the price reflecting that. Around 1878, one of the plain Sharps Model 1878 Business rifles cost around $35, while one of the Long Range rifles would set a marksman back $125, which didn't include the engraving like this particular example exhibits. These rifles were not only popular on the competition ranges but also in the American West, where a powerful rifle that was extremely accurate at long ranges was also a welcome companion, particularly in .45-70 Government like this one, as it would have been a prevalent caliber on the frontier. The barrel on this particular rifle is also period inscribed with "H.J. Sisty. June 13th 1879." The most likely candidate for this inscription is Henry J. "Hal" Sisty, who appears to have been primarily a resident of Colorado, sometimes appearing in records as "Harry". Sisty appears to have been the first of his siblings born in the Colorado Territory in 1861 after his family had arrived from Pennsylvania. In the 1870 Census the Sisty family is listed in the town of Idaho (likely modern day Idaho Springs) in Clear Creek County, Colorado Territory, where Henry's father is listed as a miner and 10 year old Henry is listed "at home". An 1883 newspaper lists Sisty as being named the postmaster of a newly established post office in the town of Brookdale, still located in Clear Creek County. By 1893, Sisty appears to have entered the mining business along with investors from Chicago, being listed along with D. Bayner as leasing Sedalia Copper Mine near Sedalia, Colorado. Interestingly, by 1896 to 1899 it appears that Sisty may have become a bit of a swindler, being detained in Denver in 1896 for trading a bad check for $375 for a good one for $350 from E.F. Wells of Colorado Springs. In 1899, another newspaper lists Sisty as being arrested for fraudulently obtaining money, essentially by selling land claims to a man out of state but not actually staking his claim. Sisty appears in the 9 September 1902 issue of "The Engineering and Mining Journal" as the superintendent of the Hite Mine in Mariposa County, California, and it appears he died in 1922. The rifle is an exceptional example of the rare Sharps Borchardt Model 1878 Long Range rifle. The receiver exhibits beautiful decorative border engraving with flourishes of masterfully executed floral scrollwork, very tastefully placed along edges and in corners of the borders. The sides of the receiver are also fitted with a pair of highly desirable smooth hard rubber panels. The top of the barrel has the boxed "Old Reliable" marking as well as the Sharps Bridgeport address. The matching serial number is on the bottom of receiver, bottom of the frame, and the rear face of the forearm. The stock was not removed out of respect for this beautiful rifle. It is fitted with a windage adjustable globe front sight, an elevation adjustable Winchester No. 24 pattern notch rear sight, and a long range peep sight mounted on the upper tang. It is mounted with a very highly figured ebony tipped forearm and pistol grip stock, both with Sharps factory multi-point checkered grip areas, a hard rubber grip cap, a matching factory engraved peep sight mounting point on the rear of the comb, and a checkered hard rubber shotgun buttplate.

Manufacturer: Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company

Model: 1878 Borchardt

BBL: 34 inch round

Stock: walnut

Gauge: 45-70 Government

Finish: blue/casehardened

Serial Number17195

Class: Antique

  • Provenance: H. J. Sisty; The Leroy Merz Collection; The John Dutcher Collection
  • Condition: Exceptionally fine, retains 90% plus of the bright, original, high polish blue finish and 60% plus of the original case colors with the balance mostly grey patina, some scattered light handling marks, and crisp engraving. The wood is also exceptionally fine with some scattered light handling marks, mostly crisp checkering, and highly attractive figure. Mechanically excellent. This is an extremely rare example of a factory engraved Sharps Borchardt Model 1878 Long Range rifle!

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000