The factory letter is addressed to a gentleman from Hanau, Germany, and indicates this rifle is listed in the order book as a Model 1878 Hunter's Rifle invoiced on order 6157 at Bridgeport on November 13, 1878, directly to Hugo Borchardt, the inventor of this model, with the notation "For Fair." Dr. Labowski said, "I gather this to mean that the rifle was taken from the factory by Borchardt for exhibition at some unspecified place, probably along with other rifles. The number (19) was entered in parentheses, and I take this to be the dollar value for which Borchardt was liable against the return of the rifle to the factory, the list price at the time being $25." Copies of documents relating to Hugo Borchardt are included such as a telegraph, check to Borchardt from Sharps Rifle Co. on April 26, 1879, and note. Interestingly, November 1878 was also the end of the third Paris International Exposition, the same World's Fair that the Statue of Liberty's head was first on display. The rifle may have been used at the exposition, hence the "For Fair" notation, and then sold or given to Borchardt at its conclusion and invoiced at that time. Borchardt was born in Germany in 1844 but moved to the U.S. in 1860 and worked for several manufacturing companies including Winchester and Colt before becoming the superintendent and treasurer at Sharps on June 1, 1876. Borchardt returned to Budapest after the collapse of the Sharps Rifle Co. in 1881. Sharps Rifle Co. is listed in the "Catalogue of the Iron Age History, Exposition Universelle, Paris, 1878," and other period publications note that the company regularly presented at the World's Fairs. This is a rather plain example for such a major display, but this was also a brand new design that would have been intriguing on its own. The rifle has a globe front sight, Lawrence patent notch and folding ladder rear sight, "BORCHARDT PATENT./SHARPS RIFLE CO. BRIDGEPORT CONN./U.S.A." on the left side of the action, and smooth forearm and stock with checkered steel buttplate. Matching serial numbers are on the forearm, barrel, and action. The buttplate and butt of the stock are marked "3770"