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LOT 226
Exceptional Engraved and Relief Carved 19th Century Crank Handle Tip-Up Barrel Gallery Air Gun by Anton Sebert of Carlsbad, Czechoslovakia - NSN, 7 mm , 23 1/8 inch octagon bbl., brown/matte gray finish, hardwood stock. “ANTON SEBERT/IN CARLSBAD” marked on the top of the frame. Anton Sebert of Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic) was active circa 1850. Air guns of this style were used primarily for indoor target shooting.
“Wind guns” had several advantages over conventional firearms including that they were quieter, smokeless, quicker to reload,
and they also required less cleaning since they did not require corrosive black powder. This gallery air gun has a tip-up octagon barrel that loads from the breech, chambered in approximately .28 caliber/7 mm with a smooth bore, dovetail mounted blade front sight, dovetail mounted adjustable
notch rear sight, and is mounted with a walnut stock with a high quality floral relief carvings. Flourishes of high quality floral scroll engraving on the barrel at the breech, small fittings, frame, trigger guard and buttplate. It functions through the use of a crank handle (not included) that is inserted in
the right side for cocking in order to fill the cylinder reservoir with air, and upon pulling the trigger the spring loaded piston releases. CONDITION: Excellent, retains 95% original brown finish on the barrel and cylinder reservoir with a few light scratches, 80% original niter blue finish on the rear
sight, nearly all of the matte French gray on the action and fittings with a few patches of minor pitting on the buttplate, and absolutely sharp engraving, markings and edges in the metal overall. Stock
is very fine with defined edges and carvings, scattered light handling marks, some light surface cracking, and attractive figure overall. Crank untested, otherwise the tip-up barrel functions excellent. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection. Estimate: 4,500 - 7,000
LOT 227 Documented Relief Carved 18th Century Unmarked German Top Ball Reservoir Muzzleloading Air Gun - NSN,
9.5 mm , 37 1/8 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. This unmarked muzzleloading air gun dates to circa 1760 and
is attributed as German origin. This exact air gun is pictured and described on page 170 of “Blue Book of Airguns, Thirteenth
Edition”. It features a smoothbore round barrel chambered in approximately .38 caliber/9.5 mm, a large brass ball reservoir located on the lockplate placed off center of the line of sight (this is a lesser
seen configuration as opposed to others typically having the ball reservoir located on the bottom of the stock), and a half length hardwood stock
with brass forend cap, floral relief carvings and a sliding patchbox. “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. Circular brass collection tag marked “R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/2914” hanging from the trigger guard. Absent sights. Includes a wooden ramrod with horn tip. CONDITION: Good with polished bright iron and brass surfaces, and some scattered patches of light pitting on the iron. Stock is also good as sanded and re-oiled, with numerous scattered insect holes that have been filled in, scattered small chips and filled in repairs around
the edges, with overall fine figure. The trigger and hammer function properly, but is non-functional in its current state, as the hammer appears to be missing a section on the inner edge that would interact with the air release valve, and the ball reservoir is plugged. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection. Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 228 18th Century Austrian Stock Reservoir Muzzleloading Air Gun - NSN, 10.5 mm , 32 inch round
bbl., bright finish, metal/hardwood stock. This Austrian air gun dates to around the late 1700s and is marked with a maker name on top of the barrel that appears to read either “STIRTIA IN WIEN” (Vienna)
or “TIRTIA IN WIEN” due to slight age related fading of the marking, with no related information found on either of the possible maker names. “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 .42 caliber/10.5 mm
and features a leather wrapped round barrel with a smooth bore, a notch
rear sight mounted on the brass frame, an iron stock reservoir, and a
walnut stock. Circular brass collection tag marked “R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/ COLLECTION/2079” hanging from the trigger guard.
CONDITION: Very good with some light age related wear on the leather wrapping on the barrel, age darkened gray and brown patinas on the iron
barrel and lock, attractive golden aged patina on the brass fittings, and 70% of an old darkened finish remaining on the stock reservoir with brown patina on the balance. The walnut stock is good with some cracks and repairs, and
scattered scratches and dents. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection.
AS PICTURED & DESCRIBED IN THE BLUE BOOK OF AIRGUNS, 13TH EDITION BY BEUNING, ADLER, GAYLORD, & BEEMAN
Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500 223