German double 16ga engraver

[Bill D]

It's been a number of years since I checked in here. Nice to see the site growing. In years past I received some very good help in id'ing a German double my fater had custom made in post war '50 Berlin. I still have not been able to id the engraver and thought I might repost a couple of pictures and a link to a few more to let some new "eyes" look at it and hopefully ID the engraver. Thanks

http://s209.photobucket.com/user/bed...09148344452716

[Bill D]

link to online album pictures of the gun

http://s209.photobucket.com/user/bed...61027181187273

[Bill D]

This email has given me the most information to the identity of the engraver. Sadly, it might be as close as I ever get unless someone else knows his work. Thanks to all who have looked at this.
" Hello William,



thanks for your message. This is a<really nice shotgun.

The engraving an d the stock carving its really good.

The stock carving is one of the best , what I ever see.

Sorry I don’t the name of the engravers, but I know hes work.

I think its not a engraver from Suhl, hes was from Zella -Mehlis- a another city with gun historyin the near from Suhl.

The Zella-Mehlis engravers has own style.

But we cant find information about this .

In the time from the communists we lost a lot of informations….



Sorry that I cant help you.



Greetings from Germany

hendrikFrühauf "

[ellenbr]

Interesting listing here:

http://www.rockislandauction.com/vie...id/61/lid/1416

& it would seem from the preliminary info that it is a H&H LTD gun when it is just a H&H sidelock variant. Pretty optimistic on the realized value too I believe. If the info on the engravers is correct, I wonder if someone has narrowed the field to two:

"Edgar Strempel was capable of extremely high quality workmanship as he was contracted to make a rifle for Hermann Goering (pictured in the book "Suhl, Heimat Der Buechsenmacher" by Hans Juergen Fritze) and later when the Soviets were in control of that part of Germany, he made guns for the Soviet leaders. The consignor's notes state that Edgar Strempel employed and/or worked closely with 2 of the most famous European engravers- Karl Kolb and Richard Schilling, the well known and sought after locksmith Guido Kessel and the best actioner August Wuelfing. The stock was made by Ernst and Karl Roell. Walter Schilling was the metal finisher/bluer. The consignor's notes also state that this shotgun was probably made for Nikolai Bulganin who became Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian SFSR in 1955."





Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

[ellenbr]

Bill's 1950 A&D Action Body with upper & lower scears


1955 Edgar Strempel H&H sidelock variant.

Were the following mechanics active in the 1950s:

Karl Kolb
Richard Schilling
Guido Kessel(Guido - Latin variant from High German?)
August Wuelfing
Ernst and Karl Roell
Walter Schilling

Curious too if Karl Kolb is the son or grandson of Hugo Kolb


Medal designed by Otto Hupp & engraved by Hugo Kolb



Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

[ellenbr]

Bill's 1950 A&D Action Body


1955 Edgar Strempel H&H sidelock variant


Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

[Steve Whitley]

Beautiful, beautiful work on these, and thanks to you both for sharing! Bill, have you contacted Lutz von Nordheim at Zella-Mehlis? The amount of knowledge he commands from memory about the artisans of Zella-Mehlis amazes me, and he may have at least some leads or clues for you.

Best regards,

Steve

[Bill D]

No Steve, I have not. I am a rank amateur at this. I will try and locate contact info and see what he might have to say. I will have to check back through my contact notes to see if anyone else who has tried to help might have already been in contact with him. Thanks.

Little extra history FWIW. My father was a fighter pilot during the war and then we were stationed in Berlin where he flew in the airlift and also worked air traffic control. I was born in Berlin. This gun was the only extravagant thing he ever owned. The maker/engraver delivered the gun by sneaking it across from the Russian sector and was to return later with a second set of barrels. My father never heard from him again. I hope to complete the history on the gun before the day comes when I must pass it on. I believe if I can not it will never be done.