Veit Anschutz

[Gene L]

Been a while since I posted, but here goes. On another forum, a guy posted pictures of a caplock shotgun. It is prominently marked in gold filled letters "Veit Anschutz in Mehlis." The gun has a lot of features, carved fore end in the face of a fox, checkering kinda skip-lined with numerous silver pins in the skips, horn trigger guard. I realize this description isn't good, but there it is. Anyway, it is NOT proof marked at all, underneath the wood. I guess this makes it technically not a gun. I wondered if it was made as a display piece rather than a shooter, but I have no idea. The gun was searched for proofs, but none found. What say you guys? I don't have permission to repost his pictures. The gun to me looks a little over the top as for decoration, but I'm unfamiliar with German guns.

[mike ford]

Gene,
The lack of proof marks on a caplock likely just means it was made before the 1891 proof law came into effect in Mar. of 1893. If it had been made a little before that date and not sold to the "end user", it wouldn't have proof marks "per se", rather, it would have a crown over a V ( meaning it was made before the law). Since it doesn't have any of the marks, and considering it is an older system, it was likely made a good while before the proof law. There were several Anschutz in Mehlis.
Mike

[sharps4590]

As far as lack of proofs, what Mike said, especially as it's a muzzleloader. I would expect by the time the first proof law was passed in Germany in 1891 not many muzzleloaders were being made. As far as decoration, keep looking at earlier German firearms and it probably isn't "over the top". Many of them are quite elaborate.