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I purchased this gun a short time ago. It is very nice and tight the bores are bright without any rust or pitting. Rib is marked "V. Chr: Schilling Suhl Prussia Fine Damascus Barrels". It is in a splendid condition but for a very few slight dings and scratches.
My questions are, what to make of the absence of any proof marks. And if anyone can give me an estimate on the year it was made or any other history. Also, I was wondering what the approximate value of the gun is.

Many thanks, John

John, can you get a picture of the hook ? That is the barrel lug that the forend snaps on to. Interesting gun.

Hello Daryl,
If this is not the correct view just let me know.

Thanks, John

John;
I am familar with the name, but not the history of the maker. There was no German proof law until 1891, so my guess would be this is an earlier gun, which would explain the absence of proof marks. Probably Raimey will check in on this thread soon, he has a lot of knowledge on things German.

While there were/are many Schillings involved in the German gunmaking trade, I believe this gun to be made by Valentin Christopher Schilling. V. Chr. Schlling was a famous Suhl gunmaking firm originally established in 1816.

V. Chr. Schilling sourced hammer guns to Charles Daly among others. In regard to a date of production, while I don't beliive the Schiling records are available to peg the date of production exactly, for starters, you can bound the date between 1873 (Deeley and Edge latch) and 1892 (lack of proof marks). IMO it looks to be a late 1870s - early 1880s gun.

Can you provide another picture of the barrel flats and just ahead of the barrel flats? I'm curious to see if there is a mark of crossed swords.

Ken

Ken,
Hopefully this is the correct picture.

John E.:

What are the initials on the right tube just ahead of the barrel flats near the rib?

I agree with Ken that it dates to the late 1870s or early 1880s. The percussion fences along with the large strikers date to that period. The frame may have been sourced from Sauer along with other components. If Valentin Christoph made it I would expect to see the stamp "V.C.S." or some variant. About the time of this longarm, Valentin Christoph Schilling and Carl Gottlieb Haenel were either beginning or very deep in production of military arms, such as the Gewehr 88 a few years later. There was a stamp of “S&C Suhl” for the Sauer & Consortium of Valentin Christoph Schilling and Carl Gottlieb Haenel who held a pistol contract for the German Navy in the 1850s. Sauer headed in the sporting arms direction while V.C. Schilling and Haenel either concentrated on military or military and sporting arms. In 1904 Sempert & Krieghoff, or Heinrich Krieghoff, purchased some portion, all, or the military side of V.C. Schilling and in 1905 didn't renew the Bergmann pistol contract which was a very large one with Spain. Theodor Bergmann had more of a think tank facility and depended on Valentin Christoph Schilling to do the manufacturing. Hence Bergmann turned to Pieper to fulfill the contract. But I don't think S&K acquired all of Schilling as Albert and Mortiz Schilling, along with Walter a few years later, are noted as having ownership prior to WWI.

Interesting case colours if the original varnish is still present. If original, that would have been the old world means of capturing water or water vapor on the exterior of the cast material to form a thin, wear skin.

In the 1870s the following were manufactures of firearms and edged weapons in Suhl:

Friedrich Schleicher & Company
Spangenbert & Sauer
J.H. Schilling
Ernst Wilhelm
Fr. Jung & Sohne
J. Funk & Company
Lorenz Bossel
J. Dorsch
Valentin Christoph Schilling
Goebel & Schaller
Christoph Gruber & Company
Carl Gottlieb Haenel


Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

very well put together piece that belongs on wall of rustic country home. it would be sin to try to use it after so many moons of fine keep. beretta is for shooting this one is for admiring. by the way suhl is in thuringen not in prussia.

Raimey
The stamp on the right barrel is "SH". I am glad you told me where to look, or I would never have seen it.

And thanks to all for the information.

??? Well, now I am confused ??? If Suhl is in Thuringer why does it say Prussia?