Brothers David and Joseph Lurch were listed as gallery gun makers in New York as early as 1863. "JOS. LURCH, N.Y." (the "S" is backwards) marked on the top barrel flat at the breech. Air guns of this style were used primarily for indoor gallery target shooting as produced during the Civil War era. This gallery air gun has a swivel breech, octagon barrel chambered in approximately .28 caliber/7 mm with a smooth bore, dovetail mounted blade front sight and notch rear sight, and is mounted with a walnut forend and buttstock with a checkered wrist. It functions through the use of hand crank (not included) that is inserted in the right side for cocking in order to fill the cylinder reservoir, and upon pulling the trigger the spring loaded piston releases. Circular brass collection marked "R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/2074" hanging from the trigger guard. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection

Good, with brown patina and some scattered patches of light pitting on the iron surfaces and 30% original nickel finish on the brass surfaces. The wood is also good, with numerous scattered nicks and scratches, and a few cracks visible at some of the edges. Mechanically untested.