This New Model 1859 Sharps carbine has a great untouched patina to the iron, brass, and wood, and rates about very good for overall condition, with the wood grading lower from handling marks, etc., but which is natural for a carbine produced in time for use throughout the whole war. Serial numbered 34875, it falls into a group of 2,400 NM1859s in the #34000 to #36500 range, of which 1,600 were delivered to Georgia in December 1860 and 800 were from a diverted Egyptian contract that were eventually offered to U.S. Ordnance in April 1861, but ended up in Ohio hands that September.

Developed as a successor to the 1853 pattern, with serial numbers starting about 30,000, the Model 1859 morphed into the New Model 1859 with some internal changes about #32000. Improvements over the Model 1853 included a straight breech and the use of 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, as well as a shorter sling ring bar for the 1841 pattern sling. This one also correctly has the base for a sling 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. This carbine also uses brass furniture, barrel band, patchbox and buttplate, which ceased to be used after number 36000 or so.

The carbine is the standard configuration with 22-inch .52 caliber barrel. Both sights are in place and complete. The barrel is roll stamped "SHARPS RIFLE/MANUFG. CO./HARTFORD CONN." in three lines between the barrel band and rear sight with a little rubbing to the second line. 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 leaf shows some blue. The base is gray and clearly 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 and plum brown, with just some roughness on the top of the breechblock.

The receiver is very good, with smooth metal, crisp markings, and some thin, smokey blues from faded case colors. The left side is stamped "C. SHARPS' PAT./SEPT. 12th 1848.” The right side reads, "C. SHARPS' PAT./OCT. 5th 1852" in two lines on the lock plate and "R.S. LAWRENCE' PAT/APRIL 12th 1859" behind the hammer. The loading channel is smooth metal. The hammer shows some caramel. The serial number is sharp on the receiver tang, which shows some thin blue and gray, with only sone very small dings. The patch box and buttplate have nice medium tones matching the barrel band. The patchbox door has an assembly number, 8, inside. Action works well; bore is very good with just a small amount of dirt present.

The wood has a tight fit to the metal but does show its history of active use in numerous small dings, scratches, some carved initials, and stains and wear to the forestock from being shoved in a carbine thimble, etc. We see one very narrow hairline crack from receiver to just forward of the screw on the underside, but the wood is solid and stable. The buttstock shows numerous dings and scratches from use, as well as the usual dings along the side bar to be expected on a carbine carried on a carbine sling, and some small chipping and a small hairline at the rear of the sling ring bar. We see at least three sets of initials indicating it active life: “J.A.E.” lightly carved on the left butt, along with “A.C.” in a rectangle, and “B.P.W.” stamped near the buttplate. Nevertheless, the wood has good, untouched color, and the marks are commensurate with its early date.

This has a great, untouched out-of-the-attic look that should not be messed with.  [sr] [ph:L]

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