"Conway" and "Manchester" in ribbons engraved on top of the frame. Thomas Conway was an active gunmaker alive between 1803-1869. He manufactured firearms for the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York. 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. It is chambered in approximately .48 caliber/12 mm with a rifled part octagon barrel, a rotating faucet breech that loads from the top, an external cocking lever and mainspring, and a leather wrapped iron stock air reservoir. Features floral scroll engraving on the action, lock, sideplate and trigger guard. Circular brass collection tag "R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/2076" hanging from the trigger guard. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection