BARREL RESERVOIR AIRGUNS

The compression air pump was the basis of all pump-up airguns, better known today as Pump Pneumatics. As early as the third century B.C., the mechanical genius Ktresibios of Alexandria had constructed such a pump. His pupil, Philon of Byzanz described an air-pressure catapult, but there seem to be no known records of pneumatic arms in the centuries of Antiquity. Archimedes presented a "steam-gun" but it lacked any sort of valve that could allow the storage of pressure for hurling missives.
Marin Bourgeoisie of Lisieux, of Normandy, also known as the inventor of the flintlock firearm about 1605, apparently made the first airgun with an air reservoir concentric around the barrel and a pump secured in the buttstock, about 1608. Specimens of barrel reservoir airguns are extremely few, but the airgun aficionados of the 1600s evidently were much intrigued by them.
Barrel reservoir airguns were much favored by early wealthy travellers. They are among the very highest prizes among airgun collectors today. Their values, equal to five-figure dollar sales today, resulted in them generally being present in only the finer museums. Lack of availability has controlled their transfer more than price. Pistol specimens are especially rare; their appearance as "buccaneer" firearms may be a contrivance to conceal their low sound, lack of visibility when fired, and complete resistance to rain and ocean spray.
As Dr. Robert Beeman writes, "[1] The truly affable Dr. Arne Hoff (1972), clearly the leading authority on pre-1900 airguns, was for decades, the director of the great Tøjhusmuseum in Copenhagen. He delighted in demonstrating their astonishing variety to us when Mrs. Beeman and I made a research visit to that facility in 1956. He gave us the run of the miles of exhibits, and bade us to meet him at the airgun section at closing time. Then he laid out key early airgun specimens, stressing barrel reservoir airguns, ranging from sidelock to underlock versions and even mock wheel-lock and exceptionally elegant buccaneer-style "flintlock" air pistols on tables and the museum floor (!) for Mrs. Beeman and I to white-glove examine and photograph. (Then it was off to his home to talk airguns and indulge in his wife's delightful Danish pastries). At the time of the 12th Edition, Dr. Hoff's two books on antique airguns simply tower over any others and correct more incorrect information than any other references. He topped the conviviality of that evening with a personally dedicated volume".