doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com Mannlicher-Schoenauer 1903 pair- RH LH

I was looking at it some more, but I still see PL.

With kind regards,
Jani

PL

Well, it is a F�rstenkrone. What you should have in mind is, that the Nobility normally doesn't use their title (i.e. Prince) for their personal monogram. They only use for example W.L. for Wenzel Liechtenstein or Wenzel Lobkowitz. These are two of only three existing Austrian F�rsten families whos name begins with "L". 1. Liechtenstein, 2. Lobkowitz, 3. Lubomirski and 4. Lamberg. So, if the owner of the Mannlicher was an Austrian, he was a member of one of these four families. If he or her(!) was a german, there is another alternative, the Lippe family.

Now we have to find a member of one of these families with it's prename starting with a "P" who lived about the turn of the 19th to 20th century. And this is the point, where the difficulties begin....

I cannot really find a male who fits. But looking at the post, I see that Grouse Guy speaks about a shortened LOP, so we have to think about a woman as well. Of course in those times it was unusual, but in nobel families it was not impossible.

Let's go on with our search!

Cheers,
Gunwolf

Gunwolf:

This is a very helpful narrowing of the search for the original owners of this rifle pair.

We are thinking alike that this may be a gun built for use by a woman. But it doesn't explain why the man-sized gun of the pair lacks a Furstenkrone (it has no initial badge at all, just an adjacent serial number). Is it possible the woman was nobility and the man was not?

The smaller gun also has a left-hand cheek piece and a clip-on ambidextrous comb for use with the scope. A very unusual piece in many ways.

Thanks for your searching and information.

Sincerely,
GrouseGuy

GrouseGuy, I have a very vague idea as follows:

Paula von Lamberg (21. September 1887 - 4.September 1927) was an Austrian Reichsgr�fin, what means she had the same crown as a F�rst. Paula was an unusal woman and one of the first female ski jumpers of her time. She hold a world record in jumping (22m). Beside this, she loved Car Racing and so we can imagine, she was also able to shoot(only a guess). She married Franz Valentin Graf Schlik, but died only some months after her marriage during a Moto-sidecar racing. Unfortunately I don't know, if she was a lefthander.
To your question: If a Princess marries a Graf or a common man, she nevertheless always stays a princess!

Found more about Paula on wikipedia:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_von_Lamberg

and here in english:

https://www.kitzbuehel.com/en/legends/legends-from-kitz/paula-lamberg

As I said, it's only a wild guess, but I think I would like it, if she was the owner of your gun.

Cheers,
Gunwolf

GrouseGuy, are you sure the two rifles always belonged together? Why?

Cheers,
Gunwolf

Serial numbers xxxx and xxxX.

OK, I understand.

Thanks,
Gunwolf

Gunwolf:

I continue to believe the strongest likelihood is that these did belong to Countess Paula von Lamberg. Did you know that Lamberg Castle is located at Steyr? I've made an inquiry with the archivist there for more information about her activities, photographs, etc.

Grouse Guy, that sounds interesting! Please keep us informed!
Cheers,Gunwolf