doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Daly Damascus color?

Joe, can you give a date range for the Diamond grade?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Best guess we have is about 1890-1892, just before Germany required proofing.

One example I have is about a dozen prior to yours at serial number #3612 with the initials "W.M.".

Ken:

The initials "L.E." must be in error in some fashion as I can't pair that with anyone. I assume it might be difficult, but can you place the initials in chronological order say in 3 groups of pre-1893, pre-WWI and post WWI?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Can someone tell me the significance of the initials?

My Daly is all the way on the back row of my gun safe. It will take some digging to get it out and look for initials. I'll try to do it in the next several days. Damn these gun boxes! Guess I should weed a few out.

Curl

ellenbr:
You, in my estimation, are a gentleman and a scholar of inordinate perception.
I am pleased to be on the same BBS with a man of your qualities.
Best regards,
John

Joe Wood.

Speechless.

Best,
Mark

The initials on my Daly are K.S.



Now will somebody enlighten my ignorance of whose initials these might be or what other significance there may be to them?

Thanks,
Curl

CptCurl:

I missed your 1st question on the subject but the initials note the person, or entity, who either drew/formed/finished the tubes or fitted or finished the joined tubes to the action. It appears that the pre-1900, or pre-mechanzied period, initials seem to indicate a craftsman who was somehow connected to a forge or metal working facility. But I think many of the set may have been lost in the gun making event. Helmut Schlegelmilch's maternal grandfather, Gebhard Helmuthhauser a Buchsenmachermeister employed by G.C./Carl Gottleib Haenel, was still working in the early to mid 1920s at an advanced age when Helmut was an apprentice to Haenel. Haenel had some sort of contract with Carl Wilhelm Aydt(target arms designer) and Helmuthhauser was doing most of the work with Herrn Aydt in a seperate room inspecting the final product, as well as firing it, and thus giving his stamp of approval. I really haven't seen much info regarding Gebhard Helmuthhauser and I suspect there were many other craftsmen who were in the same position and are sort of anoymonus.

But getting back to "K.S." it looks to have been for K. Schlegelmilch of H. & K. Schlegelmilch, a late 19th century and early 20th century firm. I don't think I know his first name yet. Like Schiwy, Forester, Geyger, Lindner sourced his components from makers in Suhl and possibly put the finishing touches on the longarm. Or once he had the process going, he would oversee that the finsihed product met his standards, much like Herrn Aydt but at his on shop. Some say the initial search is a rabbit chase and it may very well be. Schilling is a slight possiblity but for now I don't know of a Schilling fella with the first initial of "K.". And I expect to see other marks referencing the Schilling forge when a Schilling tube maker was involved.

Nice image of the lower rib.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Raimey,

Thanks for the explanation. Interesting stuff, these antiques.

As an aside, I am no Colt collector, but I have heard conversations among those who are in which they wax eloquent over initials stamped on hidden places, etc.

Also, our own "Crossed Chisels" can get excited about initials that appear in various locations on fine English guns.

And of course, the Parker people go on and on about such details!

I suppose the Prussians should have their day in the sun also.

I took that photo, among others, just this morning in response to an inquiry from "across the pond". It now appears my Lindner Daly will soon travel back east as far as England to endear itself to a new owner.

Best,
Curl

Low resolution pictures, but the only ones I have. I never tried to make out the initials so I'll leave it up to the experts here.