Lever-cocking gallery gun attr. Selmar Eggers

Lever-cocking gallery gun attr. Selmar Eggers.

With thanks to Sean Campbell, imaging manager of the Buffalo Bill Centre of the West in Cody, Wyoming, for permission to post these pics of a gun held in the Cody Firearms Museum. The blurb accompanying this gun follows.

Accession Number: 1993.8.16

Date : 1865-1888

Dimensions: L: 38 in, Barrel length: 16 in, H: 7.5 in

Credit Line: Gift of Thomas K. Hutchinson

Remarks: spring piston; manufacturer unknown, but possibly Selmar Eggers of New Bedford, MA

Inscription: none

Synopsis: firearm- airgun- Selmar Eggers- wood- steel- none- New England air gun- .26- spring piston; manufacturer unknown, but possibly Selmar Eggers of New Bedford, MA

This Eggers gun was sold in 2005 by auctioneer James Julia. The blurb read:

EGGERS AIR GUN. NSN. Cal. .25. 18-1/4” part oct bbl marked “S. EGGERS. / N. BEDFORD MASS” on the upper left flat of the bbl. The lever on the right side is pulled upwards and to the rear to cock the mechanism. CONDITION: Rust brown patina overall with slight traces of orig finish. Stock is cracked through the wrist & at the buttplate and has numerous dents and scratches. Mechanically needs adjustment. 4-54295 FS60 (500-1,000)

This information about Eggers came from a New Bedford, Mass, website:

Eggers Building History On July 16, 1872 Selmar Eggers bought four square rods of land on William Street from Theodore W. Cole for $900. Eggers was a merchant first mentioned in Tax Records for 1862 when he owned a house and barn on Tremont Street along with a stock of guns. The 1871 City Directory lists him as a gun and locksmith operating at 36 North Water Street. After buying his William Street land Eggers had a shop built and the first public notice of it came on August 28, 1872 in the Evening Standard under Home Matters. "Mr. S. Eggers gunsmith, has moved into the new building on William Street near Water built for him by Foster and Brown and his tock of guns, ammunition, fishing tackle & c is dually displayed in the front shop while the rear is a commodious workroom. The second story will be let for offices. The building recently occupied by Mr. Eggers, corner of Water and Centre Street is to be fitted up in nice style by Charles De Wolf and will be occupied by Mr. J.A. Beauvais, banker and broker." The Eggers family was to remain in business on William Street for the next forty years. Selmar Eggers was born in Germany in 1834, the son of Henry Eggers. By June 26, 1856 the day of his marriage to Emilline W. Long, daughter of Captain George R. Long of Nantucket, Eggers was living in New Bedford. Emelline and Selmar had at least two children that we know of, George and Selmar Jr. in 1895 Selmar retired turning the gun shop over to son, George. Eggers died at his home, 69 Tremont Street on September 26, 1898. he was 64 years, 4 months 6 days old. The listed cause of death was apoplexy. Emelline lived on until February 18, 1910. in 1895 George ran an elegantly illustrated ad in the City Directory. He billed himself then as a dealer in guns, revolvers, rifles, fishing tackle, bicycles, dynamite, blacking and sporting powder. He also offered to do light machine work and all kinds of jobbing repairs. George A. Eggers was born 1861. on February 12, 1890 he married Laura E. Davis, daughter of James and Lydia. He died September 8, 1925 and his New Bedford times obituary opens by mentioning that he was "long a gunsmith" and a member of the old New Bedford and Paskamansett Gun Clubs. It goes on to say that "following his father he became an authority in hunting game. He was a trap shooter of ability and participated in a number of shoots held on Slocum Road about 1907." Eggers was also active in the Odd Fellows Vest Lodge. His wife, Laura survived him.