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Lewis and Clark are believed to have carried a similar air rifle on their expedition to explore the American West
LOT 3252
Scarce and Desirable 18th Century Silver Inlaid Girardoni System Repeating Stock Reservoir Sporting Air Rifle by
Joseph Lowentz of Vienna, Austria - NSN, 12 mm , 36 1/2 inch part octagon bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. The Girardoni (sometimes spelled “Girandoni”) is
easily the most famous early air rifle, or “windbuchse,” largely thanks to the fact that for many years it has been associated with Lewis & Clark and their famous Corps
of Discovery Expedition. It is widely believed that they either had a Girardoni or a very similar design by Isaiah Lukens of Philadelphia. The Girardoni was designed by
Bartolomeo Girardoni around 1779 and is also significant as one of the first widely used repeating martial arms, with a magazine tube on the right side of the barrel
for use with lead balls and a breech block that is able to be pressed sideways against spring pressure for loading/repeating capability. They were notably used by Austrian
sharpshooters from 1787-1815. Because the air tanks took around 30 minutes of pumping by hand to bring to full pressure, the riflemen had assistants that repressurized the reservoirs initially and later also had more efficient wagon mounted pumps. “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. “IOS: LOWENTZ IN WIEN” silver inlaid on top of the barrel at the breech. Joseph Lowentz is recorded as an air gun maker in Vienna circa 1750-1800. This example is chambered in approximately .48 caliber/12 mm and features a part octagon smoothbore barrel, a blade front sight, leather bound metal stock reservoir, and a walnut stock with floral relief carvings. Circular brass collection tag marked “R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/2250” hanging from the trigger guard. More information on Girardoni air rifles can be found in the online article at https://www.beemans.net/Austrian%20airguns.htm, as well as pages 598-601 of the book “Blue Book of Airguns, Thirteenth Edition”.
CONDITION: Very good, with scattered light pitting on the iron surfaces, most of the silver inlay, and bright patina on the brass. The leather on the stock reservoir is good with age related cracking and wear, and some absent sections. The wood is good with scattered cracks, chips and mostly defined carvings. Mechanically fine. Absent magazine tube door catch. In all our years, Rock Island Auction Company has only ever had the privilege to offer less than a handful of Girardoni system rifles of any kind. Make no mistake, this is a rare opportunity to acquire a significant piece of early firearms advancement, widely considered by many to be the most desirable type of early air rifle ever made!
Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection.
Estimate: 6,500 - 11,000
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