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LOT 1288
19th Century Engraved English Ball Reservoir Air Gun by Cook - NSN, 10 mm , 30 5/8
inch round bbl., brown/casehardened finish, walnut stock. “JAs COOK” inscribed on the left of the action. Possibly James Cook, active out of Birmingham circa 1817-1831. Ball reservoirs were in use since the late 17th century and had the added advantage of being easily swapped out. 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. Features floral scroll engraving on the action, trigger guard and cocking lever. It is chambered in approximately .40 caliber/10 mm with a fine-groove rifled barrel, a rotating faucet breech that loads from the top and a walnut buttstock with checkered wrist. Circular brass collection tag
marked “R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/658” hanging from the trigger guard. CONDITION: Very good with a mix of original brown finish and smooth brown patina with scattered patches of light pitting on the barrel, smooth gray and brown patina on the
casehardened surfaces, and defined engraving. The refinished wood is also good, with numerous scattered scratches and dents, a reglued crack visible at the right of the wrist. Absent air needle, otherwise mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
LOT 1289
18th Century Engraved and Relief Carved German “Flintlock” Stock Reservoir Air Rifle by Wentzlau - NSN, 13 mm , 32 inch octagon bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. Though this example offered looks like a flintlock, it is actually a muzzleloading air rifle with a concealed stock reservoir that has a trapdoor on the buttplate for filling access. 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. “WENTZLAV” marked in a ribbon held by a lion on the
tail of the lock and “EHRNBREITSTEIN/No. 174” marked at the center of the lock, with a goose neck cock. A Johann Christian “Wentslau” (Wentzlau, Wenzlau, Wenslau) of Koblenz
is listed as active circa 1747-1784, court gunsmith to the landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt, and also to Ehrenbreitstein fortress, where this embellished air rifle likely once resided.
Octagon barrel with 7-groove rifling that measures approximately .50 caliber/13 mm, bead front sight and filled in rear dovetail. Features floral scroll, border and scenes engraved
on the breech of the barrel, lock and brass fittings, and floral relief carvings in the stock with teardrop flats.
CONDITION: Good, with gray patina and scattered mild brown spotting on the iron surfaces, and mostly legible engraving. The refinished stock is also good with scattered scratches, handling marks cracks, and a few small chips and repaired sections. The buttplate trapdoor is bent and not properly affixed. The set trigger functions, the hammer will not remain cocked, needs work.
Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
er/9.5
ion tag marked “R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/2902” hanging from the trigger guard. Information related to these can be found on pages 213-214 of “Blue Book of Airguns, Thirteenth Edition.” CONDITION: Very good, with numerous scattered scratches and dents, a few filled in replacement sections, and the walnut remains sound. The brass exhibits golden bright and aged patinas. The
set trigger functions fine, otherwise mechanically untested.
Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
228
19th Century Relief Carved Bellows Crank Handle Tip-Up Barrel Air Gun by Arnold of Munchen - NSN, 13 mm , 29 5/8 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. “1821” and “IOS: ARNOLD/IN MUNCHEN” marked on the bottom plate ahead of the trigger guard. No further information was located on the maker. These bellows air guns were generally made in the late 1700s to mid-1800s, and were used primarily for indoor target shooting. Their basic feature is a conical bellows hidden in the hollowed-out wooden buttstock. This bellows air gun has a tip-up smoothbore octagon barrel measuring at approximately .50 caliber/13 mm (possibly for use with darts with a hair tail) that loads from the breech and releases with a lever located on bottom. Dovetail mounted blade front and notch rear sights on the barrel, and mounted with a walnut stock with floral relief carvings on the left and a checkered forearm and wrist. The top of the wrist has a broken fixture for mount a peep sight (absent). Circular brass collection tag marked “R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/2091” hanging from the trigger guard. Information related to these can be found on pages 213-214 of “Blue Book of Airguns, Thirteenth Edition.” CONDITION: Good, exhibiting brown patina on the iron surfaces with traces of original blue finish. The brass shows an attractive golden aged patina. Stock is also good with scattered scratches and handling marks, a few cracks on the sides of the forend, a few small holes visible on the right front edge of the comb, a repaired spliced section on top of the comb, absent end cap with some chips, and otherwise defined relief carvings and edges. Mostly absent broken end cap on the stock, absent ramrod tip, and absent peep sight with broken fixture, and the hair trigger is bent. Mechanically untested. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection. Estimate: 1,400 - 2,250
LOT 1291
LOT 1290 19th Century Silver Inlaid Germanic Bellows Crank Handle Swivel Barrel Air Gun - NSN, 9.5 mm , 36 5/8 inch bbl., walnut stock. These bellows air guns were generally made in the late 1700s to mid-1800s, and were used primarily for indoor target shooting. Their basic feature is a conical bellows hidden in the hollowed-out wooden buttstock. This unique example is mostly wood in construction, with a round brass barrel
surrounded by a walnut housing that has the appearance of an octagon barrel and loads by swiveling to the right; measures at approximately .36 calib mm (possibly for use with darts with a hair tail). Dovetail mounted blade front and notch rear sights. Silver wire inlays on top of the wrist. Circular brass collect