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Any significance to the marking “From W.F. Sheard, Livingston, MT” on an 1886 rifle? The marking is located between the receiver and front sight on top of the barrel. I have also seen the mark as “From W.F. Sheard, Tacoma, WA” as well. Did this guy have two outposts? Thanks.
I’ve read he was in Livingston, MT before Tacoma, WA. Hopefully, that is correct. I’ve seen a number of the Sheard marked guns around and it would be interesting to know if the location of the markings had significance also.
I’ve been more interested in learning about the WF Sheard marked sights I guess.
Brad
Mark,
He started out in Livingston, MT, then moved his business to Tacoma, WA. William Sheard invented and patented a number if gunsights, which he later sold to Marbles. I belive that he was in Livingston until the early to mid 1890s, then he was in Tacoma through the early teens. He eventually sold out and retired in Southern California. During his time in MT & WA, he routinely marked Winchesters with his name and address.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Thanks for the info. I remember when I bought the gun the guy I got it from tried to say it was rare due to the marking. I talked him down anyhow!
I have a Colt Frontier Six Shooter from the early 1900’s with similar Sheard markings (and Sheard sights). Apparantly a lot of custom work was marked as such when it came out of their shop. Or so I discovered when I researched that revolver.
WACA Member. CFM Member. NRA Lifer.
Here is a little bit more about the sights from past discussion if anyone is interested, not so much about the guns. That Marble was advertising and selling the sights as made by them while at the same time Sheard was advertising and selling them himself interests me. Good thinking.
(I have since learned a little more about the C.W. DuBois, Tacoma, WA product line from another sight collector.)
Brad
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-sights/Winchester+Model+1894+Sights+Project/page-2/
As I understand it, W.F. Sheard was a dealer in mostly sporting goods as well as the patent holder of a number of gun sights. His gun inventory was usually stamped with his name and location, somewhat like the guns Winchester sent to Browning as payment and retailed by the latter.
Catalogue titled “Winter of 1896 and 1897. W.F. Sheard’s Classifed Quotations of Raw Furs and Skins – Manufacturer of Fancy Furs and Robes, Exporter of Raw Furs and Skins – Main Office: London, England, Branches: Leipzig, Germany, Chicago, Illinois, New York City, Livingston, Montana – 908 and 910 A Street, Tacoma, Washington” – inside is a price guide for various fur types, guns and cartridges, traps, guides, snowshoes, sweaters and poisons.
http://saskhistoryonline.ca/islandora/object/usaskarchives%3A39729#page/1/mode/2up
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Just came across this thread while researching. We have a 1886 4570 Winchester Lever action rifle in our collections. It is marked on the barrel with “From W.F. Sheard, Livingston, Montana. In our archives and records we show Sheard as being in business in Livingston, Montana from 1884 to 1895. Paul Shea, Director, Yellowstone Gateway Museum, Livingston, Montana.
Wincacher said
Catalogue titled “Winter of 1896 and 1897. W.F. Sheard’s Classifed Quotations of Raw Furs and Skins – Manufacturer of Fancy Furs and Robes, Exporter of Raw Furs and Skins – Main Office: London, England, Branches: Leipzig, Germany, Chicago, Illinois, New York City, Livingston, Montana – 908 and 910 A Street, Tacoma, Washington” – inside is a price guide for various fur types, guns and cartridges, traps, guides, snowshoes, sweaters and poisons.http://saskhistoryonline.ca/islandora/object/usaskarchives%3A39729#page/1/mode/2up
Very neat Wincacher, thanks!
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
November 7, 2015
Offline
I’ve heard the name Sheard before but had no idea the scope of his interests. Thanks, Gents! Excellent thread!
Wow, I love this guy. Do you think He went to the P.T. Barnum school of self promotion? Is it only me that wonders if you looked for Sheards offices in London,Leipzig,Chicago or new york you just might have trouble finding any records?
etrex said
Wow, I love this guy. Do you think He went to the P.T. Barnum school of self promotion? Is it only me that wonders if you looked for Sheards offices in London,Leipzig,Chicago or new york you just might have trouble finding any records?
Hey, smartass, PT Barnum was a shyster whereas Sheard was the real thing.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
I also have a model 1886 with a rear sight marked W.F. Sheard Tacoma, Wash, PAT APP’LD FOR. It is a folding 3 leaf sight with the front leaf having an adjustment screw. The Winchester Museum letter notes Barringer rear sight 2 1/4″ from frame. I cannot find the same sight in any books I have. Has anyone seen this same sight or have any insight regarding the “Barringer”.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Here’s a 1918 patent application:
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
The Barringer sight notation on the museum letter still has me a little perplexed. Maybe it means the sight is in the Barringer style but manufactured by Sheard. The sight on my 86 is not a military style sight – the gun was manufactured in 1896 – much earlier than the patent dates noted above. Once again it is a folding 3 leaf sight with the front leaf having an adjustment screw. The sight is mounted just in front of the receiver and the gun also has front and rear Lyman sights, both of which are noted in the letter. I assume this sight was specifically requested by whomever originally ordered the gun – it is a deluxe, case hardened gun with lots of special order features which letter, including a matted barrel, pistol grip, hand made stock and specific pull, drop at heel and drop at comb. I would really like to find a book or catalog which has a picture of the sight. Thanks for information anyone may be able to provide.
Hi Burt
I saved this image quite awhile ago, I think from ebay, maybe someone here bought or sold it. For starters, does your rear sight look like this, without the MARBLE? I’m not especially familiar with these but do know they can be quite valuable, definitely when intact.
This is a scan from one of my Hunter Tader Trapper magazines from 1912. I do know from looking at catalogs and advertisements that WF Sheard advertised his sights from Tacoma while simultaneously they were advertised by Marble Safety Axe Co. and at times noted in their catalogs as “made under contract” or “made by MSA Co.” Likewise, Marble noted the same for King sights, at least for a time.
I did a Google search on Barringer and this came up first, not exactly the same thing. However, I see Daniel M. Barringer had additonal gun sight patents cited by others:
Thanks Brad – that is the sight on my gun. It is exactly the same as the sight in the Hunter Trapper magazine except under the Tacoma, Wash it has Patent Pending. So, I guess the mystery for me is solved and I will conclude this sight was called a Barringer sight by Winchester because he designed the sight and I assume Winchester obtained the sight from Sheard who made and sold the sight. The serial number on the gun is 109591 – serial number 109588 (3 digits earlier) is exactly the same configuration (including the Barringer sight) and both were received in the warehouse the same day and shipped the same day – both of these guns (per the factory records) were returned and repaired at 2 different times and on the same exact dates – sure makes you wonder what they did to them and if the same guy owned them. Unfortunately, this guy only owns one of them today but if you know who has 109588 it would sure be fun to get them together for observation. An article in the Collector (Summer 2007) indicated only 206 matted barrel 86’s (all calibers) were produced so it might not be that hard to track down 109588. I know there are WACA members who are doing surveys but I do not know if anyone has an 86 survey in progress. Thanks again for your help with this. Burt
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