Thanks for the effort and for now I still hold that Wilhelm Collath finished it possibly for the trade? I'd devoted a little time to search for a craftsman with the initials "CFW"(possible "CEW"?) and I would guess that he was the craftsman that finished the tube set and mated them to the action. My next guess on his location would be time dependent in the fact that it is possible that he was located in Herzberg am Harz prior to say 1876 and he would more than likely have been Fr. Welcher/Welkner. The engraving sort of makes me think of Herzberg am Harz as they seemed to have a little more artistic flare and many times didn't hold to tradition. If it was made post say 1885, and the serial number 86XX might give some indication if a Teschner/Collath example as at one point, let's just use 1900 for example, they were noted as churning out 1000 examples per year. I think that in order to do this they were heavily sourcing the Suhl-Zella-Mehlis area. Christian Wackeß was active in the mid to late 19th Century in Suhl and may have contributed some effort but I can't say at all what is middle names were or if he had a lot of experience in tube making/finishing. The Werners of Suhl on the other hand had a history of being master craftsmen and in the mid to late 19th century had at least 1/2 dozen relatives involved in gunmaking covering all facets. Christian Werner was listed as a polisher/finisher but then again I don't know his middle names. I don't think the "W" of "CFW"(possible "CEW") is the town of the craftsman but rather his last name and when there are several craftsmen in the same family they sometimes tend to use 3 initials.
I sure hope Jeminson Beshears can solve the puzzle and if so my hat's off to him.
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
