doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Ludwig Wundhammer (Michael Petrov?)

I wonder if custom gunmaker Ludwig Wundhammer (Wundhamer) who immigrated to Los Angeles from Europe in the 1880s I believe, was related to Austrian gunsmith Eduard Wundhammer (Wundhamer) of Ried in Upper Austria, active circa 1900. So if it is known where Ludwig was born, I would much appreciate this information.
Considering the outstanding work of both Wundham(m)ers I wouldn't be surprised if they were brothers...
Thank you.
With kind regards,
Jani

Ludwig Wundhammer used two "M's" in everything firearm related and one "M" one SOME documents such as naturalization, passport and such. Some records carry him with one "M" others two.

To answer your question he was born on August 23th 1853 in Ried, Austria.

Of interest also is that he arrived in April, 1883 aboard the ship SS Elbe and was listed as Ludro Wundhammer a locksmith.

Looking at my notes I see there was a gunsmith in Passu, Germany named Otto Wundhammer. Unknown if related.

Michael Petrov,
Thank you most kindly for your important informatiom.
Now it seems quite clear to me that Ludwig and Eduard were brothers.
For more information on Eduard Wundham(m)er please see "Info E. Wundhamer Austrian rifle (pics) RARE??" on this forum.
Eduard used different versions of his name as well. His earlier guns were marked Wundhamer while on later ones he put his name as Wundhammer.
- Jani

Jani and Michael, I want to thank you for sharing such important information! I am marveled at how you come up with such hard to find info.
As the owner of an E wundhamer, In Ried 16 guage sxs, I would love to know where I can find out more information about both Wundhamers'.
I would appreciate anything you can tell me!

Sincerely,

Perry G.

I like the way threads can take interesting turns, could we see some pictures of your Wundhammer?

You can see them here:
http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...ge=1#Post141708

Pete

Your welcome, I had not visited this forum for several days and had not seen the Wundhamer thread. As a matter of fact I was busy putting together a Wundhammer that had been restored.

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9411043/m/971104608

Thanks Pete, You beat me to it!! My computer crashed and i was reloading it.

Appreciative as Always,

Perry G.

Michael Petrov, Thank you very much for the information! I went to your thread at accuratereloading.com and read the entire listing. First of all, I thoroughly enjoyed following the restoration of your Wundhammer!!! What a beautiful masterpiece!
Second of all, your knowledge and history of the "Wundhammer"
is astounding! Just reading your thread about it, has given me a geater appreciation of the "art" in Wundhammer and his works.

I noticed a similarity in the checkering of my Wundhamer compared to the checkering in your Wundhammer.

Is there any history on Eduard Wundhamer and the 16 guage SXS you can give me. I would bet that if there was ANYBODY alive that could provide me with a background on Eduard Wundhamer, it would be you!

Once again, I want to thank you for sheading some light on this matter.

Sincerely,

Perry G.

Folowing Michael Petrov's note that there was a gunsmith named Otto Wundhammer in Passau, Germany, "Unknown if related", I found some interesting information, as follows.

In 1925 gunsmith Wundhammer of Passau is known to present two target rifles for consideration to a shooting club. This was probably Otto Wundhammer (or maybe his son?).

At this point it should be mentioned that German Passau and Austrian Ried are quite near, by the German (Bavarian) - Austrian border.

Decades earlier we find Otto Wundha(m)mer in - you guessed it - Ried im Innkreis, Austria:

1892 - Otto Wundhamer inherited a house at Froschaugasse 8, from Agatha Knechteldorfer, born Wundhamer (his mother?).
But in the same year the house was sold to one Anton Frölich, which might indicate that Otto was (already) living somewhere else (Passau?) at that time.

Another house in Ried tells us quite something about Wundham(m)ers, and a number of other gunsmiths to boot: Schärdinger Strasse 9. Let us see some of its owners:

1763 Franz Cerregetti, gunsmith
1797 Franz Cerregetti, son
1797 Josef Hofer, gunsmith from Friedburg
1802 Josef Tschurtschentaler, gunsmith from Braunau
1857 Josef Tschurtschentaler, son, and Elizabeth, born Wundhammer
1866 Elizabeth Tschurtschentaler, widow
1873 Eduard Wundhammer and Karoline, born Ketti
1921 Karoline Wundhammer, widow
1927 Berta Wundhammer, married Domes, daughter.

As is often the case, more information can mean more confusion, so we would need additional historical research to get a useful Wundham(m)er family tree. I am in contact with the Town Office of Ried im Innkreis, and I'm looking forward to get pertinent information.

In the meantime we have now three gunsmiths by the name of Wundham(m)er, from the same time frame, from same Austrian town, probably not all brothers but likely related:

Eduard (worked circa 1870-1920)
Ludwig (born 1853, died 1919)
Otto (mentioned 1892, 1925).

- With kind regards,
Jani