Getting back toward a Heinrich Scherping tangent, it appears that Albert Staehle was born in 1828, apprenticed in the Vienna area and I'd guess achieved the rank of master in the 1850s. By 1865 he may have received his k.k.( kaiserlich-königlich ) status and moved or constructed a new facility in 1867. There seems to be just too many longarms with multiple tube sets with his name on them for him not to have been a tube specialist. A Heinrich Scherping pair exits with one of the pair having a tube set stamped with Albert Staehle K.K. and as did Johann Soukup:
http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=9660716 . Staehle's rib, even with the k.k.( kaiserlich-königlich ) title, seems more plain and Johann Soukup's tube's adornment seems to fit well with the overall longarm. If anyone has any info on Johann Soukup, I'd be terribly interested. It may be as Axel E. of GGCA has noted that "Country Gunsmiths" dabbled in longarms with their name roll stamped atop while peddling bicycles and other various and sundry things.
Albert Staehle looks to have expired in 1880 so tubes with his name atop had to be made prior to that time or shortly after. He may have had an heir or assign that continued but it doesn't look likely. Scherping's local sourcing possibly had faded away by the late 1870s and who knows he may have turned to the craftsmen at Vienna before he began heavily sourcing the craftsmen at Suhl & Zella-Mehlis.
Also now GGCA has an electronic version of their publication for subscribers and this issue has an Alexander Henry falling block with Albert Staehle's name atop the tube. He could have sourced the components and made the tube but I think Johann Kalezky to be the source of the Alexander Henry falling block components which more than likely he sourced from Scotland.
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
