What is a Guild gun? - 03/31/22 01:29 PM
Here is Hollowell's definition
http://www.hallowellco.com/guild%20gun.htm
And some thoughts from others back in 2007
https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=27822
https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=54980
More thoughts
https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads/definition-of-a-guild-gun.273263/
As Hollowell explains, at least for German guns, the guild gun was of the highest quality to satisfy admission into the gunmaker's guild.
Somehow the name was applied to no-name lower quality Belgian tradename guns, which were produced in the 10s of thousands.
Some un-named guns were partially finished to be completed in the U.S. or France or England or Eastern Europe to very high standards of quality.
Helpful
“The Manufacture Of Firearms At Liege”, Board of Trade Journal, Volume 10, 1891
http://books.google.com/books?id=-X3NAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA556&dq
There are over 180 gun-makers in the town alone, and in the district the industry gives employment to more than 40,000 workmen. The peculiarity of the Liege gun-making is that there are hardly any manufactories, as we understand the term, the various component parts of the firearms being made by the workmen at their own homes, and brought in ready made to the gunmaker, who thus merely requires premises for finishing and storing the arms.
By 1891 however large factories were being built with consolidation of gun makers
Fabrique Nationale Herstal was established Oct 15, 1888 by Albert Simmonis, Jules Ancion, Dresse-Laloux, M.A.L., Dumoulin Freres, Joseph Janssen, Henri Pieper, Pirlot et Fresart, Credit General Liegeois, Nicolas Vivario, Auguste Francotte, and Emil et Leon Nagant.
Syndicat des Pieces Interchangables was formed by François Dumoulin, Neumann Brothers and Janssen Bros. in 1898.
There was NOT however a "Guild factory" - guns were manufactured by gun makers. L'école d'Armurerie de Liège (School of Liege Gun makers) was founded in 1897 to train workers for those factories, not to act as a gun maker in competition with the established makers.
No doubt "guild gun" is well established as a descriptive term for utility grade no-name guns, but I believe a more accurate term is "tradename gun" (some of which were marked with the store's tradename) ie. "sold to the trade".
http:/
And some thoughts from others back in 2007
https:/
https:/
More thoughts
https:/
As Hollowell explains, at least for German guns, the guild gun was of the highest quality to satisfy admission into the gunmaker's guild.
Somehow the name was applied to no-name lower quality Belgian tradename guns, which were produced in the 10s of thousands.
Some un-named guns were partially finished to be completed in the U.S. or France or England or Eastern Europe to very high standards of quality.
Helpful
“The Manufacture Of Firearms At Liege”, Board of Trade Journal, Volume 10, 1891
http:/
There are over 180 gun-makers in the town alone, and in the district the industry gives employment to more than 40,000 workmen. The peculiarity of the Liege gun-making is that there are hardly any manufactories, as we understand the term, the various component parts of the firearms being made by the workmen at their own homes, and brought in ready made to the gunmaker, who thus merely requires premises for finishing and storing the arms.
By 1891 however large factories were being built with consolidation of gun makers
Fabrique Nationale Herstal was established Oct 15, 1888 by Albert Simmonis, Jules Ancion, Dresse-Laloux, M.A.L., Dumoulin Freres, Joseph Janssen, Henri Pieper, Pirlot et Fresart, Credit General Liegeois, Nicolas Vivario, Auguste Francotte, and Emil et Leon Nagant.
Syndicat des Pieces Interchangables was formed by François Dumoulin, Neumann Brothers and Janssen Bros. in 1898.
There was NOT however a "Guild factory" - guns were manufactured by gun makers. L'école d'Armurerie de Liège (School of Liege Gun makers) was founded in 1897 to train workers for those factories, not to act as a gun maker in competition with the established makers.
No doubt "guild gun" is well established as a descriptive term for utility grade no-name guns, but I believe a more accurate term is "tradename gun" (some of which were marked with the store's tradename) ie. "sold to the trade".