Like many in the American firearms industry in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Freund brothers Frank W. and George were German immigrants. They had various temporary shop locations as they followed the Union Pacific westward and established more permanent shops in Denver, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, where they regularly modified firearms, particularly Sharps rifles, to fit their customer's needs. They sold rifles to the likes of generals Philip Sheridan, George Cook, and Theodore Roosevelt. In addition to mechanical alterations and creating new configurations, the Freunds also designed new sights. This Model 1874 rifle has a Freund style beaded blade front sight, Freund patent Lawrence rear sight that is marked on the base "FREUND'S/PATENT-" (twice), "JUNE 29/1880" and "DURANGO/COLO", and a tang mounted vernier peep sight. In the text of the Freund brothers 1880 dated patent number 229,245 for the rear sight it states, "The object of our invention is to provide a rear sight for rifles, which will enable the marksman to level the piece when aiming without the use of spirit-levels or pendulums, and also to aim at different elevations without raising or lowering the sight with respect to the barrel; and to these ends the invention consists in forming an angular diamond-shaped opening directly below the ordinary sight-notch." The rifle features fine scroll engraving on the frame, hammer, lower tang, and lever. The barrel has the Sharps Bridgeport address on top, and "CAL. 45" on top at the breech. The bottom of the replacement barrel is marked "15424". The full serial number is on the top of the frame behind the breech. Sharps 1869 patent marked on the left of the frame. The rifle is equipped with adjustable double set triggers. Fancy checkered high grade pistol grip stock with a hard rubber clamshell grip cap and a hard rubber buttplate displaying scenery with crossed rifles and handguns. Sharps rifles were preferred by many in the West because they could reliably take down game and could be used in defense at longer ranges. Provenance: Firearms for Freedom Collection

Very good and radiant in the spirit of the American frontier. 30% thinning original blue finish on the barrel with mostly brown patina on the balance. Casehardened surfaces displaying 40% German silver plating mixed with smooth brown patina and sharp engraving and markings. Nicely figured wood is very good with some light checkering and finish wear, some light handling marks, and a period repaired section where a swivel used to be attached with a horizontal reglued crack visible on the forward right side of forearm. A Sharps rifle full of character as upgraded by some of the West's most historically significant and accomplished gunmakers, and displaying honest wear from use during the Indian Wars and buffalo hunting era.