"E.BOND, 45, CORN HILL LONDON" marked on the top flat at the breech. Edward James Bond is listed as active under this name at 45 Cornhill between 1816-1825 during the time this air rifle was made, and would be active as "Edward & William Bond" circa 1826-1847. Air guns of this style were used primarily for hunting, with this high quality engraved example being of the type used by an individual with wealth and status. "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 rifle is chambered in approximately .38 caliber/9.5 mmm and features an octagon barrel with shallow fine-groove rifling, German silver bead front sight and fixed notch rear sight, a rotating faucet breech that loads from the top, and a leather wrapped iron stock air reservoir. Features high quality engraving consisting of line and floral borders surrounding game scenes containing dogs and game birds on the top of the action and on both sideplates, floral and border engraving on the hammer, trigger guard and sides of the faucet breech, and border engraving on the breech. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection