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Thread: Yet another one bites the dust

  1. #1
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    Yet another one bites the dust

    ccdjg added this on 23/11/21:

    An obituary has now appeared in the latest edition of the German magazine Visier. I have translated it, and it reads as follows:

    Dr., Robert Beeman (1932-2021)

    Known respectfully in the gun world as “Dr. Airgun ", Dr. Robert Beeman was one of the most important specialist authors on airguns.

    Born in California on March 23, 1932, he began his career as a professor of marine biology. In the early 1970s he founded " Beeman Precision Airguns " and marketed high-quality German air rifles and air pistols in the USA. With the "Airgun Digest" publication he created a multi-volume reference work that later became part of the "Blue Book of Airguns" series.

    Robert and his wife, Toshiko, sold their company in 1993 and have since travelled the world acquiring new air rifles and pistols and expanding their knowledge. Beeman's airgun collection contains over 7000 items - by far the largest in the world.

    When VISIER visited him at his ranch in California in 2012 '(see issue 1/2013), conversations revolved around the legendary Girardoni air rifle, with which the pioneers Lewis and Clark explored the western United States from 1803 to 1806. By chance it turned out to be an Austrian military airgun, which had previously lain undetected in the Beeman collection. Today this gun is guarded and transported as a priceless national treasure. Beeman planned a nearly 400 page illustrated book about Lewis & Clark and their Girardoni airgun.

    The manuscript involved collaboration with collectors from all over the world, but has not been published, as the ailing author could only do the paperwork for a while. The collection has now been transferred to an unknown collector.

    Robert Beeman died on August 25, 2021.
    Citizen K also posted this on the AVA from the Blue Book of Airguns:

    It is with much sadness that we want to share the passing of a friend and airgun legend, Dr. Robert Beeman (1932-2021). Mr. Beeman was a crucial part of each new edition of the Blue Book of Airguns. He was an innovator, enthusiast, and true leader in the airgun community and his contribution to the sport and love of airguns will be truly missed.
    "In many ways the length and breadth of the Airgun section comes as a result of one man's work, Dr. Robert Beeman, the father of the American adult airgun." - Steve Fjestad, 1998.
    Last edited by Garvin; 27-11-2021 at 11:27 PM.
    Vintage Airguns Gallery
    ..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
    In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.

  2. #2
    ccdjg is online now Airgun Alchemist, Collector and Scribe
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    I think it might be a bit presumptive to assume that Dr Robert Beeman the airgun guru is no longer with us. When I trawled the internet for more information, I found nothing that seemed to relate to him, but did find an obituary for a different Robert Beeman, who lived in Connecticut (as opposed to California), who died on August 25th I 2012. ( https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries...?pid=159481346) It seems too much of a coincidence that both would pass away on the same date. Also, I think that if our Robert Beeman had passed away, there would have been much more publicity.

    Robert’s situation has been a mystery for the past 5 years. I was in regular email contact with him up to October 2016, when I had been helping him with some chemical analyses for his monumental Giradoni book. The book was just about to be published, and the last email I had from him said:

    Dear John - Sorry to bother you once again about the green deposits within an ancient Girardoni air flask. ……………………………….. My health continues to fall, but I still get much more done than “they” expect- but a whole lot less than I want!
    Warm regards,Robert


    That was the last I heard from him, despite sending various emails afterwards. In 1919 I asked John Allen, Editor of the Bluebook of Airguns, if he knew of the state of health of Robert, and he confessed that he knew no more than I did. The Bluebook publisher had sent emails to him, but every time the replies came back from Robert’s wife Tosh.

    I fear that Robert may be a very ill man, virtually incommunicado, and it may be premature to assume he has passed away. Unless of course anyone has more definite information. Whatever the situation, I think it is a tragedy that his Girandoni book, which he had worked so hard on, and which I was privileged to see a small part of, may never see the light of day.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by ccdjg View Post
    I think it might be a bit presumptive to assume that Dr Robert Beeman the airgun guru is no longer with us. When I trawled the internet for more information, I found nothing that seemed to relate to him, but did find an obituary for a different Robert Beeman, who lived in Connecticut (as opposed to California), who died on August 25th I 2012. ( https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries...?pid=159481346) It seems too much of a coincidence that both would pass away on the same date. Also, I think that if our Robert Beeman had passed away, there would have been much more publicity.

    Robert’s situation has been a mystery for the past 5 years. I was in regular email contact with him up to October 2016, when I had been helping him with some chemical analyses for his monumental Giradoni book. The book was just about to be published, and the last email I had from him said:

    Dear John - Sorry to bother you once again about the green deposits within an ancient Girardoni air flask. ……………………………….. My health continues to fall, but I still get much more done than “they” expect- but a whole lot less than I want!
    Warm regards,Robert


    That was the last I heard from him, despite sending various emails afterwards. In 1919 I asked John Allen, Editor of the Bluebook of Airguns, if he knew of the state of health of Robert, and he confessed that he knew no more than I did. The Bluebook publisher had sent emails to him, but every time the replies came back from Robert’s wife Tosh.

    I fear that Robert may be a very ill man, virtually incommunicado, and it may be premature to assume he has passed away. Unless of course anyone has more definite information. Whatever the situation, I think it is a tragedy that his Girandoni book, which he had worked so hard on, and which I was privileged to see a small part of, may never see the light of day.
    You are probably right, John. I also Googled for more information and found none, which is why I just linked to Tony's thread. I used to correspond with Robert Beeman back in the day soon after he had retired - he wanted me to go into central London and see if I could dig up any info on certain 18th century gunmakers IIRC! I respectfully declined.
    Vintage Airguns Gallery
    ..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
    In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.

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    THE BOINGER BASH AT QUIGLEY HOLLOW. MAKING GREAT MEMORIES SINCE 15th JUNE, 2013.
    NEXT EVENT :- May 4/5, 2024.........BOING!!

  5. #5
    ccdjg is online now Airgun Alchemist, Collector and Scribe
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    Quote Originally Posted by TonyL View Post
    Thanks for that TonyL. I think we can accept the reliability of that particular source and accept that Robert Beeman, airgun expert, collector and promoter supreme, has sadly passed away. It would be nice to know if there is a formal obituary somewhere.

  6. #6
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    Agreed, sir.
    THE BOINGER BASH AT QUIGLEY HOLLOW. MAKING GREAT MEMORIES SINCE 15th JUNE, 2013.
    NEXT EVENT :- May 4/5, 2024.........BOING!!

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    micky2 is offline The collector formerly known as micky
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    Quote Originally Posted by ccdjg View Post
    Thanks for that TonyL. I think we can accept the reliability of that particular source and accept that Robert Beeman, airgun expert, collector and promoter supreme, has sadly passed away. It would be nice to know if there is a formal obituary somewhere.
    You would think that there would be something about his death in his local newspaper. just a thought.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by micky2 View Post
    You would think that there would be something about his death in his local newspaper. just a thought.
    Pretty odd there is nothing over here I can find?
    Last edited by 45flint; 05-10-2021 at 10:53 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 45flint View Post
    Pretty odd there is nothing over here I can find?
    That's what I thought! As soon as Tony posted it up, I searched and could find nothing. Still can't. So to me, It's fake news until confirmed

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    Vintage Airguns Gallery
    ..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
    In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.

  11. #11
    ccdjg is online now Airgun Alchemist, Collector and Scribe
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    Hopefully he may yet emulate Mark Twain and be able to say "Reports of my death are grossly exaggerated".

  12. #12
    micky2 is offline The collector formerly known as micky
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    Quote Originally Posted by ccdjg View Post
    Hopefully he may yet emulate Mark Twain and be able to say "Reports of my death are grossly exaggerated".
    Lets hope so. as he did so much to promote airguns over the pond.

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    Very sad to hear of the passing away of Doctor Robert Beeman. He did a lot to advance development and to promote a demand for higher quality.
    I trust Tom Gaylord to report accurately. Sadly, I suspect that as in England, newspapers and especially local newspapers are much dminished in quantity of supply and in quality of reporting.

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    German Santa Rosa store

    I had the welcome experience of visiting his retail store in Santa Rosa.

    I traded some guns in fact….sadly, a few years later when I had moved to Santa Rosa, the store was no more.

  15. #15
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    Gosh, end of an era. He id finish the magnum opus book on the Giardoni?

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