This difficult to find New Model 1859 Sharps carbine, serial number 32326, is complete, all original, and rates very good for condition with clear markings, a tight fit of wood to metal and very good inspector cartouches. Developed as a successor to the 1853 pattern and improvement upon the Model 1859, the latter numbering fewer than a thousand, the New Model 1859 marked carbines start showing up in the upper 30,000 range (with some overlap.) An initial Army order for 620 carbines in March 1850 was quickly expanded to 2,500, of which the first 300 seem to have been the Model 1859 and the remainder this New Model 1859. With a shipment of 1,300 carbines going to Mexico in late 1859, it is pretty clear this nice example falls within the first 2,500 ordered by the U.S. government in 1859, delivered by June 1860, and intended for issue to the 1^st and 2^nd U.S. Cavalry.

Improvements in the New Model 1859 carbines included a cut-off for the pellet primers, an improved gas check, a longer chamber intended to take a combustible cartridge rather than a paper cartridge needing to have its end sheared off by the breech block, a shorter sling ring bar for the 1841 pattern sling, and, most obviously, a straight breech. Some 27,000 were produced in total. This one also correctly has a swivel at the toe for alternative use of the 1859 pattern sling that would buckle around the barrel to enable the trooper to carry it across his back. This was specified for the New Model 1859 and continued to about number 43,000. And, this carbine uses a brass barrel band, patchbox and buttplate, which changed to iron after number 36000 or so.

The carbine is the standard configuration with 22-inch .52 caliber barrel. Both sights are in place. The barrel is roll stamped "SHARPS RIFLE/MANUFG. CO./HARTFORD CONN." in three lines between the barrel band and rear sight. The markings are very good, with just a little salt-and-pepper pitting in the center. The rear sight is the New Model 1859 carbine leaf sight graduated to 700 yards for the elevator with squared opening and 800-yard notch at top. The sight base is crisply stamped with the Lawrence patent markings: “R.S. LAWRENCE / PATENTED / FEB 15^th 1859.” Just to the rear of that is the barrel stamp, “NEW MODEL 1859.” The metal is generally smooth with a mix of steel gray and plum brown. The forestock has nice color and surface with a good fit, good edges, and few handling dings.

The left side of the receiver is largely smooth metal and crisply stamped "C. SHARPS' PAT./SEPT. 12th 1848" is stamped on the left side. The right side of the receiver and lock plate shows scattered salt and peppering, but crisp stamps, "C. SHARPS' PAT./OCT. 5th 1852" in two lines on the lock plate and "R.S. LAWRENCE' PAT/APRIL 12th 1859" behind the hammer. Both sides show mottled bluish-gray and gray tones of faded case color, stronger on the left. The hammer shows some dings on the left side. The top of the breechblock preserves some thin blue. The loading channel is nice, smooth metal. The serial number is fully legible on the tang with just a little wear along the top- a natural wear spot in handling the carbine. The buttstock matches the forestock in color, finish, and fit. It has very few handing marks and also shows two very strong cartouches on the wrist, under the sling ring bar. Patch box and butt plate have a tight fit and nice medium tone. The patchbox door has an assembly number inside. The patchbox cut-out is crisp.

The Sharps was a well-respected and highly sought after carbine carried by scores of regiments, with many making their way south before the war by individual an state purchases, and during the war by capture (Georgia, alone, ordered 2,000 in November 1860.) This is a very good example showing clear U.S. inspection markings and produced well before the outbreak of the war.  [sr] [ph:L]

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