ChiefShotguns:
Thanks for the effort and reference. It's the same as I'd posted above thru a forced translations. I can do the same for the rest if anyone is interested.
I've been on a clamshell kick. Heinrich Barella, Otto Seelig, Otto Bock(Hoflieferante-purveyor to the Royal court/household), Greifelt, Carl Stiegele(Bayer Hofgewehr-fabrfik Munchen? W. Foerster Konigl Hofbuchsenmacher, Oscar Geyger, Erdmann Schmidt & Habermann, Robert Schuler(
http://www.montywhitley.com/antique_arms_fine_sporting_guns/double_rifles/1765 ) and I'm sure there are others peddled clamshell actions. One such action had both BeMeSu and Carl Stiegele on the weapon. Some have guessed that Stiegele was BeMeSu and was the source of the calmshells just like Otto Selisch has been credited as being a source. But now it seems all info points to Merkel of Suhl.
This just might be the thread to make the transition to regarding the boys Merkel. The following is some info on Carl Stiegele and I can't remember the source(
http://www.stiegele-jagd.de/home/history_e.html ?? - but it doesn't seem to work) but think it to be a translated version:
"The company Stiegele Jagd has been founded in 1837 by Carl Stiegele in Munich. During the 19th century, Stiegele manufactured high-quality hunting weapons for the Bavarian royal house and the higher ranks of the German nobility. In Munich, Stiegele ran a shop in Maximilianstrasse as well as a production of hunting weapons and ammunition. The company became rifle manufacturer for the Bavarian royal court. As noted personalities as Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria and the author Ludwig Thoma counted among it's clients. The company reached worldwide importance far beyond the gates of Munich with it's Feuerstutzenrifles and it's 4mm-Sport-Rifles-Stiegele-Patent.
The production of high-quality hunting weapons in Munich was maintained in third generation until 1927 by Carl Stiegele (Jnr.). His excessive lifestyle lead to the sale of the company in 1927. Stiegele Jagd became the property of RWS. Stiegele had an outstandingly good projectile production and was therefore of very high importance for the ammunition manufacturer RWS. When, after the end of World War II, the production and the sale of weapons were allowed again, Stiegele was taken over by Victor Brandl senior. In the middle of the 60s, Victor Brandl senior became famous far beyond the limits of Munich with the production of an over-and-under double rifle for deer with freefloating barrels. The further development of this rifle is still produced as model K 80 by the company Krieghoff.
The weapon business Stiegele Jagd had finally been taken over at the beginning of the 80s by Victor Brandl (Jnr.). At the end of the 80s, the company moved from Maximilianstrasse to the actual location in Pfarrstrasse 8. In the middle of the 80s already, Victor Brandl (Jnr.) started with auctions of luxury hunting weapons in addition to the sale of weapons. Today - nearly 20 years later - the Munich auctions on hunting weapons became a recognized institution in Europe and the world. Since 2003, Dr. Thomas Aschenbrenner is responsible together with Victor Brandl (Jnr.) for the success of the company. This ensures the future preservation of the good name and the tradition of Stiegele for the coming decades."
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
