The factory letter confirms this rifle "was invoiced June 25, 1874, to Sharp's dealer, A.J. Plate and Company of San Francisco, CA. It is noted as a Model 1874 Sporting Octagon Rifle. The caliber was .50, and it had a full 30" octagonal barrel. It also had double set triggers, open sights, and oiled finished stocks." A.J. Plate & Co. was started by German immigrant Herman Adolph Joseph Plate who went to California with the '49ers during the Gold Rush. He earned enough to have his family sent from New York and open his first store selling used handguns in 1850 and profited from arming miners headed to the gold fields. By 1855 he was special ordering arms from American dealers including Philadelphia Derringers and importing arms from abroad. His sons joined the business after the Civil War, and it remained active for three years after his death in 1878. Frank Sellers in "Sharps Firearms" identified only 2,120 Hartford manufactured Model 1874 octagon barrel sporting rifles. These would have been manufactured with a variety of features making this small quantity of rifles especially rich with variations. This one has a German silver blade front sight, the Hartford barrel address, Lawrence patent rear sight, "CALIBRE 50" at the breech, standard patent markings, double set triggers, smooth stock and forearm with pewter forend cap. The matching serial number is marked on the bottom of the barrel, inside of the forearm, upper tang, and buttplate. Out of caution, the rifle was not disassembled to check the other parts. The toe of the buttplate also has "71." What appears to be "R.A. Gray" is marked in dots on the bottom of the barrel, and "47" is marked on the bottom left of the action and the ejector. Among the potential relevant individuals is Rotheus A. Gray who came to California from New England in 1864. He finished his A.B. in 1874 and A.M. in 1877. He served in the U.S. Navy and the California National Guard and is listed as the surgeon in charge in 1881 at the Green Mountain Mine in Northern California.

Fine. The barrel retains 70% of the lightly fading original blue finish, and the casehardened components retain 20% original case colors. There are patches of minor pitting and some light oxidation. The markings are crisp. The wood is very good other than a crack at the toe and otherwise has mild scratches and dings throughout. Mechanically excellent. This heavy barreled Model 1874 is particularly desirable thanks to its confirmed shipment to well-known Californian dealer A.J. Plate & Co. combined with its overall high condition.