Product Details
* JOSEPH SCHEMBOR, VIENNA
A RARE 10mm STOCK-RESERVOIR BREECH-LOADING PNEUMATIC SPORTING AIRGUN ON THE GIRANDONI SYSTEM, serial no. HM39430,
almost certainly a collection inventory number, the rifle circa 1820 with blued smoothbore tip-up 32 1/2in. octagonal barrel, bead foresight mounted midway along an engraved arrow device, no provision for rear-sight, the top-flat signed in script 'JOSEPH SCHEMBOR' near breech, engraved band and scroll engraved details at breech, moulded and engraved brass receiver with raised sighting platform, border and scroll engraved complex-shaped lock marked 'IN WIEN' on the bar and with external cocking-piece sculpted and engraved as a mythical serpent, plain iron butt reservoir of typical Girandoni type with fixed swivel for sling, engraved brass trigger guard bow, exposed barrel release lever mounted to underside of the moulded and chequered full-length walnut fore-end, engraved brass ramrod thimbles, replacement ramrod and further stirrup swivel
Provenance: Joseph Schembor (1777-1851) of Vienna, Austria is listed as an active "wind" gun maker circa 1808-1848 and was known for making examples of Girandoni air guns, both repeating and single shot, most notably used by Austrian military sharpshooters from 1787-1815. "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 use the highly corrosive black powder
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Estimate £2,000-3,000
Pre-1939