F. Jung und Sohne double gun

[David Lapell]

My local gun shop has a very old double that I have been trying to help them research. It is a smoothbore, the barrels are about .598" so it's too small to be a 20 gauge. It's by far one of the nicest guns I've seen from the time period. It was made by F. Jung und Sohne, Suhl. The stock is very well carved and checkered, with what looks like tiny brass pins inlaid into the checkering as well as the eye of the dog on the left side cheekpiece. On the underside is a wolf's head where the ramrod, now gone, used to go, which has eyes made of Mother of pearl. There is badge on the top of the stock, I can't read all the writing, but I can make out the name "von Sperl". Not sure much about these, I've never seen anything like this one before.

[mike ford]

David,
I suggest you go to : www.germanhuntingguns.com. and click on ARCHIVES. There will be a listing different names, scroll down to "Jung Family- Suhl". After reading through a lot of information, you will come to Friedrich Jung, who went into business in 1832 . The business changed it's name to F. Jung u. Sohne in 1840. Based on the fact that the name fits and the time fits for a percussion gun, and Friedrich is the only "F" Jung listed ; it is likely that this is the maker of the gun in question. We often depend on proof marks to provide information, but this gun likely predates the implementation of Germany's first proof law( dated 1891, implemented 1893). Due to the makers name, the gun would have been made after 1840, but not too much later as cartridge guns were becoming popular. The owner may have been lower level royalty, as indicated by the title "von Sperl". He may have been a "Graf" ( Baron), but I am not as "up" on this as Axel would be. If he presents different information, you should accept it as being correct.
Mike