Welcome to Erin Mankie's Cabinet of Curiosity's, a production of I Heart Radio and Grimm

and Mild.

Our world is full of the unexplainable.

And if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display,

just waiting for us to explore.

Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosity's.

No one mistakes a super-soaker for a real fire arm.

The bright colors and unique shape of the water gun clearly illustrate its use as a harmless

weapon of fun, not war.

Except for one part, the pump.

You see, water guns like the super-soaker weren't the first fire arms to have air pumps.

Back in 1779, Italian gunsmith and inventor Bartolomeo Girardoni had devised a new kind

of weapon.

But rather than rely on gunpowder and a spark to propel a bullet, his creation used something

a little less explosive.

Air.

The Girardoni air rifle could hold up to 20 rounds in its tube-shaped magazine, which

was a fix to the side of the barrel.

And loading the chamber was a lot easier than it had been with conventional rifles.

There was no pouring any powder or tamping down any water.

All someone had to do was tip the muzzle forward, then push the spring-loaded slider.

It would scoop up a ball and push it into position.

...