Parallel thread on Shogunworld; thought I'd add here:
Yeah, I have the same issue but with ammo, young jägers really don't care as long as it goes boom. Saying that the pinfire sporting weapons platform was short lived & was somewhat of a stop-gap measure would be a fair statement. Stronger powders & ignition systems made the pinfire platform obsolete in short order. With all that said, yes it is worth something but considering the very narrow time frame when the pinfire was accepted and that there are just a few pinfire collectors, the market is very, very narrow.
A tid bit more of info on E. Blancke of Naumburg an der Saale(Saxony) was that he must have been quite the artisan. Sources give that he was compared to Johann Mahr, a Hungarian immigrant to Naumburg on the River Saale. Johann Mahr arrived on the scene in circa 1820 with a hammer & file along with a desire to be the best. His occupation was that of a Kammfabrikant exporting his wares to the U.S. of A.(Amerika). He began with a small workshop and by the 1860s he had 2 steam engines and 200 mechanics. I don't think E. Blancke had the same support staff, but he is noted as beginning with meager means and then being sought out by Princes for his wares and winning awards at expos in München, Paris & London. The German adage of " Wo Tauben sind, da fliegen Tauben zu" is given to connect the two as well as other intellectuals that were drawn to Numburg an der Saale. Johann Mahr set the bar high and others followed.
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
