"P. VOLKMANN IN WIEN" silver inlaid on top of the barrel at the breech. These bellows air guns were generally made in the late 1700s to mid-1800s, and were used primarily for indoor target shooting. Information related to these can be found on pages 212-213 of "Blue Book of Airguns, Thirteenth Edition". These air guns have a conical bellows hidden in the hollowed-out wooden buttstock and use darts that typically have a hair tail. This bellows air gun has a tip-up octagon barrel measuring at approximately .30 caliber/7.5 mm (possibly for use with 7 mm darts with a hair tail) with a smooth bore that loads from the breech and releases with a lever that protrudes through the bottom of the stock ahead of the trigger guard, dovetail mounted blade front and notch rear sights on the barrel, tang mounting point for a peep sight (absent), and is mounted with a walnut stock with a checkered forend and deeply cut floral relief carvings. Floral and scroll pattern engraving on the barrel tang and various brass fittings. Includes crank handle. Provenance: The Dr. Robert D. Beeman Collection