doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com Charles Daly Prussian SXS-Appr.year & value

Thanks Edwardian,
The reason for the question is I have a gun whose maker is unknown. It does, however have " OTTO BOCK in BERLIN " inscribed in gold on the rib of the Bernard damascus barrels. As I understand it, Otto Bock was a supplier/outfitter rather than a builder. There is no serial number on the barrels or frame, but there is one on the fore end iron. Can you, or anyone else here, explain the lack of serial numbers? Pictures of this gun have been posted on the PGCA website back in June, 2015.

"Austin," an educated guess for a lack of serial numbers might be explained by the supposition that (1) serial numbers were not required for guns by the lawful governing authority where they were built or assembled; (2) the private label name of the presumed 'maker' was not truly that of the manufacturer but a 'maker' that bought in the gun's constituent parts from another for later assemblage and wanted to mask this by using his own limited proprietary numbering system, which number series was intentionally placed obscurely; (3) complete masking was thought necessary and the actual manufacturer's numbers were removed altogether, as well as any other identifiers; (4) the gun did not use another person's / company's patented mechanism to build the gun, thus the 'maker' owed no custom to the patentee who might otherwise want to be apprised of how many of the 'maker's' products were made to the specifications of his patent, which absence of payment to a patent holder provided no practical or legal reason for the presence of serial-ed numbers; or (5) the 'maker,' for whatever individual or commercial reason, just did not want to have serial numbers stamped on his guns.

Respecting Mr. Bock, below are two links to earlier discussions (and associated photographs) here that are very informative and entertaining at one, and were engaged by some of the leading authorities on the instant subject, who thankfully visit and give their informed comments on this website, to wit:

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=159483&page=1

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=276756

Simply click on either of the above links or, in the alternative, cut-and-paste the links onto your browser line, press enter, and the linked pages should appear before you. Thank you for the interesting questions. Best of luck with your research! Researching the history of a gun and its era and / or its provenance can become a very pleasurable, educational and rewarding pastime or advocation, by the way.


Regards,

Edwardian