Axel E. on Kleszczewski of Berlin:
"In the "Deutsche Waffenzeitung 1900 Kleszewski announced his revolutionary new see-through shotgun shells. I searched the following years up to 1909, no ad or mention at all of those celluloid cased shells. Likely production never materialized. Understandable, because it was a bum idea from the start IMHO. Celluloid is merely a variant of nitrocellulose, essentially highly flammable. You may even shoot with fine strips cut from old movie films used as part of the powder.
But I found some other things about Kleszewski: Until 1907 he constantly had ads offering jobs, often the same job as actioner, stocker or general repair man reappearing after half a year or so. From 1906 on for a Berlin location too. So his workers apparently did not stay with the company for some time.
And, in 1904 the "gun dealer Kleszewski" was sued by the German Gunmakers Association for unfair business practices or fraud. He had advertized with pictures showing a big factory with spacious shops swarming with workers, when his real company consisted of six persons and a small workshop in the attic of his house. "Der Waffenhändler, Ludwigshafen", notes in 1905: Bankruptcy of the gun dealer Paul Kleszewski, Metz."
I seem to recall a thread around here w/ a Kleszczeski(Berliner Waffen- und Munitionsindustrie) cartridge advert/image?
Cheers,
Raimey
rse
