Unique - Single piece

Historical Wind Gun – "Sanss No. 3" – Berlin Court Gunsmith Christoph Samuel Leib (1728–ca. 1787)

For sale is a rare, historical air rifle in:  

Caliber approx. 7 mm octagonal, hexagonal barrel

Gesamtlänge ca. 123,5 cm

Lauflänge ca. 85,5 cm

Walnut stock with cheek and brass fittings.

Original loading rod available, as well as the air pump.

Engravings:
– on both sides on the lock plate "FWR" under the crown
– both wind bells engraved with "3"
– Inventory engraving "Sanss No. 3" (see photos)

Accessories:
Original pump made of iron with brass fittings and walnut handles (functional, leather flange in need of renewal).

Büchsenmacher-Nachweis:
The signature "S. Leib Berlin" refers to Christoph Samuel Leib (1728–ca. 1787), a Berlin court gunsmith. He is listed as active in Berlin in the standard work "Der Neue Stöckel – Verzeichnis der Büchsenmacher".

Historical Classification:
According to the assessment of the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Potsdam, the present wind-gun is a piece made for the Prussian royal house, most likely for King Frederick William I. In a written statement from the year 2013, it is stated that the weapon probably belonged to the inventory of the armories of Sanssouci Palace or the New Palace.

The foundation points out that a typologically comparable piece is already in its own collection, which further supports the classification within the courtly-Prussian context. To further secure the provenance, internal research was initiated, although acquisition by the foundation itself was not considered at the time.

The engravings present on the weapon – particularly the monogram "FRW" under the crown – the verifiable Berlin court gunsmith Samuel Leib, as well as the documented expert opinions and statements from several independent experts, all agree on a creation period between approximately 1740 and 1787 and a clear attribution to the Prussian royal house.

External experts, including the Landshut Armory among others, rated the piece as historically "very interesting."

Appraisals and statements:
– Graveur-Studio "Sauerwald-Gravuren", Einbeck (contemporary engravings confirmed)
– Jan K. Kube, Art Trade Munich
– Dr. Johannes Willers, Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nuremberg
– Landshuter Waffenkammer (expert classification; piece rated as historically "very interesting")
– The Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Potsdam (written statement from July 19, 2013 is available)

Provenance:

The wind gun has been in the possession of my then-father-in-law since the 1970s/1980s and came into my possession in 2004. Thus, its private ownership history has been fully documented and traceable for several decades. There are no indications of a change of ownership through sale or loan.

According to information from the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Potsdam, it was examined whether the weapon could be an object that was stolen from public ownership in earlier periods – for example, in connection with wartime events, looting, or unlawful removal. This was explicitly denied. According to the experts' assessment, such a weapon would never have left the armory unlawfully to later enter private ownership.

Rather, it was pointed out that the transfer of the wind gun must very likely have been at the behest of the Prussian royal house itself. From this, it can be concluded that the person to whom this weapon was originally entrusted stood in special confidence of the royal house, as neither a sale nor a regular loan was intended.

Also in the politically and historically turbulent periods of the 1930s and 1940s – including the war years as well as the later takeover of Potsdam by the Soviet occupation forces and its affiliation with the GDR – there are no indications of theft or unlawful relocation of the object.

On the part of the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Potsdam, the wish was also expressed that the wind gun be eventually returned to a museum facility.

Condition:
Very well preserved original condition corresponding to its age. Mechanism not tested – out of respect for the historical piece. No functional guarantee.

Important Note / Disclaimer:
It is a private sale from my collection. I do not assume any guarantee for the historical classification or the origin; all information is based on the best available knowledge and the mentioned statements. The sale is as a decorative or collector's item excluding any liability for material defects.

Shipping & Handover:
More photos available upon request. The weapon will be carefully packed and shipped insured. Possibly also pickup possible, but must be discussed. No international shipping, only within Germany.

Short explanation regarding the shipping cost:

The shipment is exclusively insured and carefully packed. The costs mentioned above are preliminary estimates and will be calculated based on actual expenses and agreed upon in advance with you. This ensures that the transport of this unique piece is reliable and secure, and you only pay the actual transportation costs.