This is an example of 1 of the 3,000 Sharps Model 1855 carbines with an 18 inch barrel sold to the British Government. Marked "SHARPS/PATENT/1848" on the upper tang and the primer door is marked "EDWARD MAYNARD/PATENTED 1845". The British contract called for no maker's markings or country of origin be put on the various parts of the carbines, but some of them managed to get through. It was a practice in England that all guns coming into the country had to go through the British proof system. This is still the practice today. Often the proofing would cause damage to the finish. These damaged areas, sometimes the whole gun, were then refinished. The London proofmarks on this are on the left rear of the barrel, the receiver tang and on the right side of the breech block. The broad arrow used to indicate government ownership, is at the rear of the barrel. Blade front and two folding leaf (fixed "v" notch in between the two), saddle ring and bar mounted on the left side of the forearm, blue barrel, with casehardened remaining parts and mounted with a smooth walnut forearm secured by a single barrel band and straight grip stock with a brass patch box and brass buttplate with "F" ahead of the screw and "2/DG/238" below the screw on the buttplate tang. The marking indicates issue to the Dragoon Guards and was number 238 .