"Fr. ERHARD. in NEUDEK. Bei CARLSBAD." inscribed on the top barrel flat ahead of the rear sight. No further information related to this maker has been located at the current time. 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 .30 caliber/7.5 mm with a smooth bore, dovetail mounted German silver blade front sight and notch rear sight, features floral scroll pattern and border engraving on the barrel, upper tang and side plates, trigger guard and buttplate, and is mounted with a hardwood forend and buttstock with a checkered wrist, horn forend cap, German silver 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. Circular brass collection tag marked "R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/848" hanging from the trigger guard. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection

Good, exhibiting a mix of brown and gray patina on the iron, attractive bright surfaces on the German silver, and sharp engraving and barrel markings. The wood is also good with some areas of discoloration, scattered scratches and dents, and a few cracks visible on the right rear of the forend. One modern replacement Phillips head screw on top of the upper tang, and one partially absent screw head on the left forend sideplate. Mechanically untested.