Edward Bate (1743-1810) was one of the most talented late 18th century air gun makers and was active in London. He was also among the few who produced high quality air pistols. Though this example offered looks like a flintlock long arm, it is actually a muzzleloading air gun with a copper ball reservoir, and the "flint" is a piece of walnut. Ball reservoirs were in use since the late 17th century and had the added advantage of being easily swapped out. The smoothbore part octagon barrel measures at approximately .50 caliber/13 mm with a swamped muzzle. 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 like the flintlocks that this example is modeled after. The barrel has a blade front sight, notch rear sight, "BATE BROWNLOW STREET/LONG ACRE LONDON" marked in a box on top of the barrel, and floral and border engraving on the breech and fittings. The flat beveled step tailed lock is marked "BATE" at the center, with a ring neck cock. The well-figured walnut full stock is carved in relief with a shell at the barrel tang and at the tail of each flat. Floral engraving on the octagon end of the barrel, barrel tang, trigger guard, sideplate and buttplate tang. Includes a brass tipped wooden ramrod. Circular brass collection tag marked "R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/444" hanging from the trigger guard. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection

Very good, with scattered light pitting and freckling, and clear markings and engraving. Stock is also very good with some scattered light scratches, a few small chips, discreet filled in repairs around some of the edges, slightly undersized above the lock and around the buttplate tang, a few cracks around the ball reservoir insert, and defined carving with overall fine figure. Mechanically fine.