Sherry Rifle

[Liebherr135]

Hi all! New to the forum. Recently received a rifle from my father. It is a Sherry rifle from Clarion County, PA which has never left our family. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get this rifle appraised for insurance purposes? How do you value something that there is only one of? This is a published rifle in a Harriger book.

[Tanselman]

Sherry rifles are usually high quality guns with significant art work in the stock carving and the patchbox and other brass work. Impossible to evaluate without a good set of photographs that covers the entire gun, both sides, from butt to muzzle. Usually "standard" half-length shots from butt to about 8" past lock plate area on both sides of rifle, plus a full length view of front side [all in focus], and detail [close-up] shots of all important features, will get it started. The only way to get a good  appraisal is to work with a firm, or a person, who is knowledgeable about rifles from this area of PA, and has seen and handled Sherry rifles in the past. Large auction houses that specialize in selling early American rifles can help, such as Cowans in Cincinnati, Morphy's in PA, Rock Island Auction in IL, etc., all have experts in antique arms, and usually have access to prior sales of similar or comparable rifles and are willing to help...especially if they think you might be selling it some time down the road. The Kentucky Rifle Association, or KRA of which I am a member, is the premier collectors group for better Kentucky rifles, and has many members who are advanced collectors of PA longrifles, have bought and sold them, and would have good knowledge in this area. Contacting their web site and asking for help would get you hooked up with a knowledgeable collector. BUT, always remember that most collectors will probably be interested in the rifle themselves, and may be a little low in their estimates, "just in case" it might come their way. Hard not to be!

Most antique dealers do not have the specific knowledge to properly appraise a high quality Kentucky rifle; they work on generalities, often missing the mark on a really outstanding rifle. So you need to work with someone knowledgeable about better PA rifles, and familiar with Sherry's work and what his rifles have brought in the past, or having access to prior auction sales of similar rifles. We on this site are not supposed to discuss specific value in the postings, but if you post the 3 "standard views" of the rifle that I mentioned above, we can advise you of how it stacks up against other known Sherry rifles, so you will know if  you have an average, or perhaps very fine, example of his work.  Shelby Gallien

[LynnC]

The above is Excellent information and advise. I too would love to see a few photos if you could post them.

[Liebherr135]

This rifle is unsigned, but documented. It was started by Michael Sherry, John Sr. son, and upon Michael's death finished by his son Henry. Pics to follow.

[Liebherr135]

Here are some pics of the rifle. If someone wants to see something specific, let me know.













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[Tanselman]

Thank you for posting the pictures of your family rifle. This is a rather late rifle with none of the artistic stock carving, engraving of brass surfaces, or artistic shaping of brass furniture found in John Sherry's earlier work. In my opinion, it would be difficult to connect this rifle to the Sherry family without a strong provenance. With that said, this is a gun of moderate value since it was made years after stock carving and fancy boxes and inlays went out of vogue. The artistic decoration on earlier rifles is what makes them attractive to collectors, and what pushes the value up. If you have a solid documented provenance [not verbal family hearsay] it will enhance the value somewhat. But these late, rather generic looking [lacking attractive artistic details that immediately identify the maker] rifles simply don't attract collectors' attention as much...although a Sherry descendant would probably pay significantly more money for this rifle simply to acquire a piece of his/her family history...regardless of the collectors' market value of the rifle.

While perhaps nitpicking, the surface of the brass patchbox looks newer than the surfaces on the other brass mountings, having less color [patina], no dents, and less nicks and dings than other brass mounts...less than would be expected on this rifle that has been used in the field...as witnessed by the corrosion under the nipple and darker oxide layers on surfaces of other brass mounts. The box may be original, but it does raise a small red flag that it may have been added sometime later in the rifle's life.

This rifle has moderate value outside the family, and in my opinion probably does not require being insured. Just enjoy it as a family heirloom...and make sure you make copies of whatever family documentation you have...because if lost, you will have lost a chunk of the gun's value.  Shelby Gallien

[Liebherr135]

Thanks for your insight Shelby. It is a later rifle.

[Tanselman]

Does Harriger's book illustrate any signed John Sherry rifles for comparison to this rifle? If so, it would be educational to see one. Shelby Gallien

[Liebherr135]

Here you go. I guess his kids weren't as talented.

[Tanselman]

I GOOFED UP... meant to ask if any Michael Sherry signed rifles were pictured BY Harriger. I've seen and handled several John Sr. rifles, and they are  beautiful, very well made, and highly sought after rifles. But does Harriger illustrate any signed Michael rifles...that we could compare to your family rifle? Shelby Gallien