Sharps 4-Barrel Pistol

[Bill D]

I'm on a buying binge.

Had an opportunity to buy a nice little Sharps 4-barrel with a brass frame and checkered wooden grips. All seems to be in good working order and exterior is in attractive condition. Caliber is .32 and I assume it is rimfire? Is there a difference beetween Sharps and Sharps & Hankins?

Anyone have an idea of approximate value. Gunbroker is all over the place and I don't see a lot of what I would call legitimate bids. I'll try pictures when I get a bit more time.

http://www.jouster.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=14839&d=1328993521http://www.jouster.com/forums/attachment.php?

http://www.jouster.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=14841&thumb=1&d=1328993524

[5MadFarmers]

Is there a difference beetween Sharps and Sharps & Hankins?


The Sharps Rifle Company was started in Hartford, mainly built upon the wreckage of Robbins & Lawrence, to build his carbines. He fell out with them and moved to Philadelphia where he made items - some with Hankins. So there really isn't any affiliation between Sharps and the Sharps Rifle Company past about 1860/1861.

The leading technical light at the Sharps Rifle Company was Lawrence of Robbins and Lawrence. Eventually that mantle was passed to Hugo Borschardt.

[Hefights]

http://www.nramuseum.org/the-museum/the-galleries/the-american-west/case-43-the-stars-sixguns-frontier-justice/sharps-breechloading-four-shot-pepperbox-pistol-(1).aspx

This link has a pic of the pepperbox along with a nice summary of the Sharps story.