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Measuring 38 inches fully assembled, this weapon is designed to give the appearance of a simple walking stick, with a brass tip, wood grain veneer and a turned handle. The tip screws off to reveal the muzzle, with a 44 caliber smooth bore and a 32 caliber rifled sleeve, a pair of low profile fixed sights along the top, and a firing stud and cocking
key on the left and bottom. The most prominent feature is the breech, which has a ball tipped lever to open it for loading. Unscrewing into two pieces at the center, the stock/gas assembly is marked “W. WATSON & SON/LONDON” on the face; originally a producer of lanterns, William Watson (operating as William Watson & Son circa 1868-1883) grew to be a supplier of photographic equipment, precision optics, and a small quantity of firearms. With a brown leather case, which contains the rifle, an air pump marked with Watson’s London address, a single cavity steel bullet mold, a cast steel patch cutter, and a cocking key.
CONDITION: Fine. The weapon retains 75% of the original veneer, with some brown paint touch-ups of the flaking and scuffs. A small crack is forming on the front collar of the rifled sleeve. The case is very good, with some separation of the corners, separation of the straps and mild scuffing. The retailer label is very fine. Mechanically untested. A very interesting and unique London made air cane.
LOT 1309
Desirable Unique W. Watson & Son Air Cane with Case and Accessories - NSN, 44 cal., 19 inch round bbl., brown finish, metal stock. Designed to give the carrier a potent yet subtle weapon, cane guns like this were a boon to anyone with good reason to keep a weapon in hand, such as the entire population of London after sundown, but the clandestine nature of the weapon, combined with the significantly reduced report compared to a conventional firearm, also made them popular with poachers of birds and small game.
Estimate: 6,000 - 8,000
LOT 1310
Exceptional Cased English Pneumatic Breech Loading Air Cane with Case and Stirrup Pump - NSN, 36 , 20 inch round
bbl., Japanned/casehardened/brown finish. Dating to the mid-19th century. The air cane comprising japanned tapering barrel with rotating breech drum,
concealed trigger cocked with a key, rear notch sight and small blade front sight, and brass barrel with multi-groove rifling, the detachable steel reservoir formed as a butt stock and wrapped
in shagreen. Stirrup pump stem formed of browned Damascus and signed “JOHN RIGBY & CO. 72. ST. JAMES’S
STREET. LONDON” and with casehardened turned fittings and detachable casehardened steel foot rest with checkered upper flats. In original fitted wooden case lined in green baize, the lid with Thomas Boss printed trade label with his 73 St. James’s Street address and noting “Many Years with the late JOSEPH MANTON”. Includes the barrel cocking key and brass “WD” gang bullet mold for six balls.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine. The barrel retains 98% of its black japanned finish and traces of casehardened finish at the screw
thread joint and some age related handling marks and blemishes to the finish. The shagreen cover to stock is discolored and
has some storage and handling marks, but it has good seams which is rare as these often split as the shagreen shrinks over
time against the metal beneath. Stirrup pump retains 95% plus browned finish, and the fittings have faded traces of original
casehardened finish. Case is in very good condition with some storage rubbing to lining from the buttstock reservoir and stained trade label. Functionality not tested. Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
independently, and was “overdone with orders” after exhibiting at the Great Exhibition in 1851 and publishing “A Treatise on Air Guns, and Other Air Weapons” around 1850. The collar on the upper/rear section which contains the reservoir and the side of the browned Damascus air pump are marked “REILLY 502 OXFORD STREET LONDON IMPROVED” which was the firm’s address starting in 1848. The trade label inside the case has “REILLY Gun Maker/NEW OXFORD STREET/LONDON.” and lists “MANUFACTURER OF IMPROVED AIR GUNS AND AIR CANES.” among the wares. The body of the reservoir and barrel sections are painted orange with brown at the joints in imitation of bamboo cane and house the concealed button trigger. The handle is dark horn. The ramrod has a brass cap that threads onto the end of the barrel which is multi-groove rifled and has a small blade sight. The overall length is 36 1/2 inches. The case contains the cane, bullet mold, and fine browned and casehardened stirrup pump.
CONDITION: Fine overall with some scattered age related handling and storage chips and wear, some age related damage to the horn handle, strong brown finish and Damascus patterns on the pump, mild storage wear on the case (including some loose joints), and some repairs on the interior dividers. The mechanisms have not been tested since only a portion of the incomplete cocking key is included. A very rare and hard to find cased antique air can in fine original condition. Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
LOT 1311
Rare and Desirable Cased Reilly Pneumatic Air Cane - NSN, 32 cal., 18 1/2 inch round bbl., orange/casehardened finish. Edward Michael Reilly produced air guns and air canes in the mid-19th century, first with his father and then
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