This carbine is identified by specific serial number in Sellers book, "Sharps Firearm" on page 91 as being one of the first 100 Sharps rifles shipped to Kansas to be used by volunteers, "Border Ruffians" of John Brown's during "Bleeding Kansas". "Bleeding Kansas" was a Civil War of sorts in Kansas over whether the state would be anti-slavery or pro-slavery. One of the most famous people of "Bleeding Kansas" fame (or infamy) was John Brown. His father told him stories of farmers who had slaves and he grew angry with farmers and was against slavery. Brown planned to end slavery by attacking farms in Virginia and freeing all the slaves. Brown is best known for the Pottawatomie Massacre and the raid on armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. In 1859 Brown was tried for treason against the State of Virginia, murder and inciting a slave insurrection, was found guilty and hanged. These John Brown Sharps, as were all shipments, were shipped to Kansas in cases marked "Books" or "Bibles". The first organized attempts to procure Sharps rifles was in the spring of 1855 when an order was placed in April of 1855 by George W. Deitzler a member of one of the various Kansas Aid Societies. The shipment was delivered to Deitzler on May 7, 1855 and arrived in Lawrence, Kansas on May 23, 1855. According to Sellers, this is believed to be the first large order by any of the various Kansas Aid Societies. By marking the cases "Books" and "Bibles" they were both hiding the identity of the contents from pro-slavery people and keeping the "Aid Companies" from difficulties with the Federal and State authorities who had banned the shipping of arms to the region. Throughout the Kansas episode these guns were referred to as rifles, however all known deliveries were carbines. Historians agree that John Brown played a major role in the start of the Civil War. This carbine is marked with the three line 1852 patent marking on the lock, three line 1848 patent marking and the serial number on the upper tang and the three line address on the top of the barrel ahead of the rear sight. The barrel is fitted with a brass blade front and folding leaf rear sights. Brass barrel band, patch box and buttplate, with saddle ring bar attached to the left side of the receiver and barrel band and mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock.

Very good. The metal surfaces have a smooth mottled gray and silver gray patina overall. The lock shows some traces of original case colors in the protected area around the hammer with a smooth mottled grayish patina on the balance. The brass has an attractive aged mustard yellow patina. The wood is very good with a few minor dents and dings. The markings are clear. Mechanically excellent.