"Shiloh Sharps J.P. Gemmer Single Shot Rifle"












Above images from:

http://www.icollector.com/Shil...hot-Rifle_i13827572#

Sold for $1500 USD in 2012.

Shiloh Sharps J.P. Gemmer Single Shot Sporting Rifle, NVSN, .50-70 cal., 30'' heavy octagon barrel, brown and case hardened finish, with maple type stock, steel crescent buttplate, mid-range vernier tang sight, standard fancy buckhorn rear sight, Lyman combination front sight, marked on top barrel flat ''Calibre 50/70GR'', with Gemmer-St. Louis markings to right diagonal flat. Mfg'd in the early 1980s. Condition is fine with case hardened colors thinning to approx. 70%. Plum barrel and bottom of lever with light thinning and toning. Stock shows only minor handling marks. Action is crisp, bore is bright. Est.: $3,000-$5,000. (Modern)

Auction Location:

16600 Aston Street
Irvine, CA

What I need (like a hole in the head) is another Sharps 1874, .50-70 Govt. with a barrel and sights like Custer had on his rolling block.
Just to be 'musing myself, maybe rebarrel this .45-70 Italian job:



But first to study up a bit about this J. P. Gemmer guy.

Sumbuddy who know?

Riflecrank Internationale Permanente

Gemmer was a gunsmith in St Louis who bought the old Hawken brothers shop; he thought it would be a good idea to combine that new fangled cartridge idea, with what he knew best; muzzle loaders, specifically Hawken style. So as you see in your picture it is a combo of two entirely different rifles; an 1874 Sharps, and a Hawken plains rifle. no good reason for it, it is just a hermaphrodite. A cool looking one though. There were other cartridge rifles made like that as well. .

Gemmer bought out the Hawken shop in about 1880 and continued to make rifles in the Hawken style including using contemporary single shot breech loading actions.

I have a Gemmer style trapdoor in 45-70 built by a friend 30 years ago. He gifted me the rifle a couple of months ago knowing how much I liked it.

Now to use it to take a big Mule Deer.

Thanks for the replies. Hermaphrodite!

Frank Sellers book Sharps Firearms doesn't even mention Gemmers or hermaphrodites.
But Sellers does have a picture with captions about two Model 1874 Sporting Rifles, altered by Slotterbeck of Los Angeles.
See page 224. Same hermaphroditic styling.

James Julia offers a beauty, with "Kentucky Rifle" elements as well as Hawken.
Would this be a "transhermaphrodite?"
(Oversized pictures in next post)

FINE SLOTTERBECK SHARPS MODEL 1874 SINGLE SHOT SPORTING & TARGET RIFLE.
SN C53426. Cal. 44 2-1/4 (44-77) Fine custom rifle by well known gunmaker, Slotterbeck of Southern California with 30″ orig, medium weight oct bbl, Rocky Mountain front sight & Sharps 1869 style buckhorn rear sight. Top tang is mounted with a Winchester-style, thin base Vernier tang sight with 3″ staff. Trigger plate has orig dbl set triggers. Bottom of bbl has two iron guides in Slotterbeck style containing what is probably the orig Slotterbeckhickory & iron cleaning rod. Mounted with Slotterbeck custom tiger striped, uncheckered American walnut with smooth forearm secured by a single key through bow-tie escutcheons & pewter forend cap. Buttstock has Kentucky rifle style slight perch belly with shadow cheekpiece on the right side for a left handed shooter and Kentucky rifle style crescent buttplate with toe plate. Cheekpiece is inlaid with a 2″ x 1-1/4″ oval silver plate. Slotterbeck was known to have altered existing Sharps rifles as well as purchasing surplus Sharps carbines and similarly converting them to sporting & hunting rifles. He frequently supplied his own bbls purchased from Germany. Accompanied by a Sharps factory records letter which identifies this rifle as a Model 1874 sporting model, invoiced at Hartford April 30 1872 to N. Curry & Bro, San Francisco, CA. It was in 44 2-1/4″ Cal. with oct bbl with dbl triggers, globe and peep sights & oil finish stocks. Dr. Labowskie notes in his letter that a case of 10 rifles in various configurations was sent to the Curry firm on April 30 1872, one of which is known to have been modified in the same manner as found here. Weigh 12lbs 8oz. PROVENANCE: Dr. Richard Labowskie Collection. CONDITION: Fine (no disassembly was effected to check for matching numbers). Bbl retains a smooth, even, restored brown finish and receiver, also a smooth brown finish. Forearm has a couple of small cracks, otherwise wood is sound with a fine restored finish. Mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore. 49395-3 JR (15,000-30,000) – Lot 2462

The other shop that was famous for this style of rifle was that of the Freund Brothers who had shops in Denver and Cheyenne from the 1870s through the 1890s.

I have always admired the "Gemmered" Sharps rifle. Can't quite say why. Always figured carrying the wiping stick outside the barrel was kinder to the crown than having it rattling around loose inside the barrel.

As with Bill the Gemmer Sharps has always appealed to me, much like the Ballard Pacific #5. Obviously it's a matter of taste but I really like the looks of both.

Being from Missouri and having read all I could find about "The Hawken Shop" and the brothers then following the trail into J.P. Gemmers time might have something to do with my fondness. Back in the 70's I had occasion to have to be in St. Louis once a month and spent a lot of time at Art Ressel's "Hawken Shop" on North Lindberg and soaked up even more lore. I think Gemmer operated the shop until 1902.

Sharps, interesting that you mentioned the Ballard Pacific No. 5. I think that is the handsomest rifle that was ever made. I am about to trade into a Ballard No. 1 1/2 Hunter's Rifle in .40-70/.40-63 Everlasting.

Bill, here you go:

http://www.gunsinternational.c...cfm?gun_id=100807196

Ha! Bill, it's just as interesting you mentioned a Ballard 1 1/2 Hunter. I have one of the Cody Rifle Works 1 1/2 Hunters but it's chambered in 45-2.6. Been trying to sell it for about 3 years.

Jon, it is a terrible thing to be born handsome but not wealthy ...

The C Sharps custom shop offers the Gemmer. Or, at least I assume they are offering this rifle.

The action is not a Shiloh Sharps. It would be stamped/machined by CNC on the left side of the action.

The action is not a Sharps 1874. It is an earlier model, similar to many that were later converted to cartridges. The convex area on the top front of the action is one indication, as is the thick top rear section of lock plate, dating back to the tape primer.

Clarence

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Dr. Labowskie notes in his letter...

PROVENANCE: Dr. Richard Labowskie Collection...

Some years ago I corresponded with a gentleman who owned the original Sharps manufacturing records, and for a fee he would issue a letter of authenticity, provenance, or whatever he called them, with some additional historical data from the records. I don't recall whether this was the same guy or not. Can anyone confirm this, or know who could provide this sort of thing? If so, would you please PM me with the contact information? Thanks.