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LOT 3397
Fine Relief Carved 18th Century Austrian Stock Reservoir Muzzleloading Air Gun by Joseph Lowenz - NSN, 52 , 28 3/8 inch octagon bbl., blue/bright finish, walnut stock. This Austrian air gun is signed with the maker name “JOSEPH LOWENZ” on the top barrel flat at the breech. Joseph Lowenz is listed as an active air gun maker out of Vienna, Austria, circa 1750-1800. “Wind guns” had several advantages over conventional firearms including that they were quieter, smokeless, quicker to reload, and relatively unaffected by rain. They also required less cleaning since they did not require corrosive black powder. This example is chambered in approximately .52 caliber/13 mm and features an octagon barrel that loads from the muzzle end with a smooth bore, a blade front sight, a metal buttstock reservoir, and a walnut stock with fancy floral relief carvings and a horn end cap, and a wooden ram rod with horn tip. Circular brass collection tag marked “R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/2075” hanging from the trigger guard. CONDITION: Fine, retains 60% plus original blue finish on the barrel, gray patina on the lock and cocking lever, with scattered moderate brown spotting on the iron overall, and attractive even golden aged patina on the brass. The wood is also fine with defined recut carvings and edges and some light handling marks. Mechanically fine. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection. Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
LOT 3398
18th Century Relief Carved and Silver Inlaid European Stock Reservoir Air Rifle by I. Haas - NSN, 50 , 30 1/2 inch octagon bbl., blue/silver finish, walnut stock. “I.HAAS. NEUSTATD.B.OLMUTZ” silver inlaid on the top barrel flat at the breech with silver inlaid designs and a sunken rectangle with a deer. No information was found related to this maker at the current time, but the marking indicates they were active out of Olomouc (“Olmutz”) in what is modern day Czech Republic. This high quality 18th century air rifle shares strong resemblance to a muzzleloading flintlock rifle of the time, although the “cock” instead only functions as a cocking lever and it uses a detachable walnut wrapped buttstock air reservoir. Air guns of this style were used primarily for hunting. “Wind guns” had several advantages over conventional firearms including that they were quieter, smokeless, quicker to reload, and relatively unaffected by rain. They also required less cleaning since they did not require corrosive black powder like the flintlocks that this example shares resemblance to. Features a 7-groove rifled octagon barrel that measures approximately .50 caliber/12.7 mm with a removable screw-in smoothbore barrel insert that measures approximately .34 caliber/8.5 mm, brass blade front sight, brass fixed and folding notch rear sight, flat beveled iron lock, and high quality floral relief carvings along the edges and bottom of the stock, around the wrist and on the left of the buttstock. Circular brass collection tag marked “R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/495” hanging from the trigger guard. An embellished air gun of this style would have been an advanced hunting weapon of the time, fit for an individual of high status. CONDITION: Very good, retains 30% original blue finish with mild spotting and brown patina on the balance of the iron surfaces with some scattered light pitting, and attractive golden aged patina on the brass. The refinished wood is also very good with scattered scratches, a few chips and cracks at the edges, a few small discreet repairs, defined recut carvings, and attractive overall figure. Mechanically fine. The buttstock sits off center when tightened. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection. Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 3399
Documented Engraved and Relief Carved 18th Century English “Flintlock” Ball Reservoir Muzzleloading Air Rifle by George Wallis of Hull - NSN, 9 mm , 33 inch part octagon bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. “G. Wallis” signed in fancy script on the flat beveled step tailed lock, with a ring neck cock. George Wallis (1731-1803) is listed as an active maker out of Hull, England. Though this example offered looks like a flintlock long arm, it is actually a muzzleloading air rifle with a copper ball reservoir. Ball reservoirs were in use since the late 17th century and had the added advantage of being easily swapped out. This exact air gun is photographed on page 170 of “Blue Book of Airguns, Thirteenth Edition”. Air guns of this style were used primarily for hunting. “Wind guns” had several advantages over conventional firearms including that they were quieter, smokeless, quicker to reload, and relatively unaffected by rain. They also required less cleaning since they did not require corrosive black powder like the flintlocks that this example is modeled after. The part octagon/round barrel has fine-groove rifling and measures at approximately .36 caliber/9 mm (the book says .327 caliber/8.32 mm) and has a blade front sight and two-position folding notch rear sight. Fitted with a full-length walnut stock with a checkered wrist and clamshell carving on top of the wrist, and an iron ramrod. Floral and border engraving on the barrel tang, lock, sideplate, trigger guard and buttplate tang that also has a pair of birds. Circular brass collection tag marked “R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/075” hanging from the trigger guard. CONDITION: Very good, with some scattered areas of minor pitting, and crisp engraving and lock signature. The stock is fine as lightly sanded and re-oiled, with a repaired split in the wrist, a few small spliced and repaired sections visible, some light handling marks, defined recut checkering and carving , and a solid figure overall. Mechanically fine. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection. Estimate: 4,500 - 7,000
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FEATURED IN BLUE BOOK OF AIRGUNS, 13TH ED. BY BEUNING, ADLER, GAYLORD & BEEMAN