Clair Freres multi-pump pneumatic rifle - David Swan Collection

Clair Freres multi-pump pneumatic rifle - David Swan Collection.

With thanks to Rod Meek of Anderson & Garland Auctioneers (www.andersonandgarland.com) for permission to post these pics of a gun auctioned in 2015. At the time of posting, this rifle was scheduled for auction at Holts Auctioneers.

Auction blurb:

"A Clair Frere pump in butt pneumatic gallery gun, with 23in. plated barrel and small bolt action with breech, trigger guard and butt plate ornately embossed in acanthus scrolls, the ebonised fore-end."

Hammer price: £600

Holts blurb:

"CLAIR BROTHERS, FRANCE
A RARE 6.5mm IN-LINE MULTI-PUMP PNEUMATIC BOLT-ACTION AIR-RIFLE WITH DELUXE FINISH, no visible serial number,
circa 1870, with round, nickel-plated 24 1/2in. smoothbore barrel, the nickel-plated bolt-action breech of cylindrical form with relief engraved scrollwork on a gilt-washed stippled background to the body and gilt wash to the bolt and signed 'CLAIR FRERES RES SGDG', the rear of receiver with rope-twist engraved border, ebonised wood three-quarter stock with chequered and fluted butt, the centre flutes of each side inlaid with white-metal wire scrolls, fully plated and relief scroll engraved with gilt wash heel-plate, the central section with rope-twist border engraved in-line pump-handle, en-suite complex trigger-guard bow, double triggers, the front cocking the valve and the rear for firing, further white metal wire scrolls to the fore-end tip (underside fore-end screw missing escutcheon and two barrel keys with white-metal escutcheons and wire borders.

Provenance: This lot, and the following six lots were formerly part of the David Swan collection of Antique Air-Rifles. Previously sold by Anderson & Garland Auctioneers, 16 Sept 2015"

Collector Don R has said about these rifles: "I have a similar one with normal 'brown' wood sans inlays, complete but non-functioning... it's a beautifully made gun... when I took the action out from the stock, there appeared to be a 1-shot reservoir which made sense considering the second 'trigger' that sets the valve for pumping."

These pics copyright Holt & Co:

These pics of the same rifle were posted when it was previously put up for sale on Gunstar: