124

Unidentified European Air Rifle with Highly Carved Stock

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:1,400.00 USD Estimated At:3,500.00 - 6,500.00 USD
Unidentified European Air Rifle with Highly Carved Stock
Buyer's Premium is 20.5% by credit card, reduced to 18% if payment is made by cash, check or wire transfer. Contact Rock Island Auction Company to complete your registration with the auction house.

Estimate: $3500 - 6500
In many ways ahead of their time, the black powder era saw the development of several weapons that used compressed air in place of combustible powder to drive the ball, the most famous being the Austrian Girandoni repeater taken on the Lewis & Clark expedition. This example has no maker markings but writer believes it to be European in origin from the 1800s. The form of the stock and shape of the furniture lead up to that conclusion. It has a pin front sight with side protectors, and adjustable notch rear sight and a peep sight with a large disk mounted on the buttstock behind the barrel. The rifle used a detachable crank handle (not included) to cock the mainspring and the barrel tips up for loading with the barrel release located ahead of the trigger guard. Double set triggers and finger groove brass trigger guard. The full length stock has floral scroll carved patterns on the buttstock, an area of checkering on the forearm, a cheekpiece with a brass accent, horn forend cap and Swiss type buttplate.
BBL: 27 1/4 inch octagon
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 32
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: NSN
Condition: Refinished overall. The barrel retains most of the period applied dull blue finish. The relief carved stock is very good with repairs, a few minor cracks and some minor handling marks. The barrel does not fit properly to the stock and the buttplate is loose. The stock raised relief carvings are crisp.