This Austrian air gun is signed with the maker name "JOSEPH LOWENZ" on the top barrel flat at the breech. Joseph Lowenz is listed as an active air gun maker out of Vienna, Austria, circa 1750-1800. "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 example is chambered in approximately .52 caliber/13 mm and features an octagon barrel that loads from the muzzle end with a smooth bore, a blade front sight, a metal buttstock reservoir, and a walnut stock with fancy floral relief carvings and a horn end cap, and a wooden ram rod with horn tip. Circular brass collection tag marked "R.D. BEEMAN/PRIVATE/COLLECTION/2075" hanging from the trigger guard. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection