OG - POOR- major or minor parts replaced; major replacement parts required and extensive restoration needed; metal deeply pitted; principal lettering, numerals and design obliterated, wood badly scratched, bruised, cracked or broken; mechanically inoperative; generally undesirable as a collectors firearm in its present state.

"Au Rt. de Berwick" inscribed on top of the barrel at the breech, and maker marking "fait par Boillot, le Coutois/a la Rochelle" (translation: made by Boillot, the courteous/of la Rochelle) in two lines in French inscribed on the left of the action. No information found on Boillot at the current time. 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. This air gun features an exposed lock, chambered in approximately .45 caliber/11.5 mm with a smooth bore, full length walnut forend, and a metal buttstock air reservoir. Circular brass collection tag marked "R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/486" attached. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection