A friend has ask me to appraise a German 16 gauge built by Carl Gunterman of Dusseldorf in June of 1914. I can't find much information on the Guntermann shop. I have found drillings and cape guns but no comparable S X S. There were three Guntermanns involved. Carl Guntermann Sr. 1850 to 1880 F. Gunterman from 1865 to 1915 and Carl Guntermann Jr. 1906 to 1931. In 1931 the firm went bankrupt. This gun was made when C. Guntermann Jr. was running the firm. The gun is proofed as a shotgun, with choked barrels. It is nitro proofed for semi-smokeless powder which the predecessor of our modern powder. The gun is 45 & 3/4" long with 29 & 3/4" barrels. The LOP is 14" from the front trigger and 12 &3/4" from the rear trigger. The walnut and brass case is 32" x 9 & 1/2" x 3". The barrels are Wittener Steel. The chambers are 2 9/16" which is original to the gun.

Any information that will help me appraise the gun will be appreciate. As you will see in the pictures there are two marks I have be unable to identify. Best guesses on value are welcome.

https://imgur.com/gallery/68tCrz7

Z over M Zella-Mehlis?

The ZM and the register number show it was proofed in Zella-Mehlis, and was likely made in or near Zella-Mehlis for Guntermann to sell. It could very well have been finished in their shop. The 16 next to the 16 in a circle is the bore diameter ahead of the chamber, expressed in gauge measurement. This works out to 16.81mm. The lower case z is likely the "touch mark" of someone that worked on the gun ( to fix responsibility and insure payment for the work). There is no legend or listing of these marks, so the meaning is lost. This is a nice outfit.
Mike

Rough bored tubes were sourced from Syndicat Liégeois d'Armes de Guerre(or similar) in Liége.

The action filer / mechanic that applied the script lowercase Z can be narrowed to say 3 surnames:

Carl Zimmerman(or relative)

Carl Zink(or relative)

Gebrüder Zoller

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Great depiction of an Auerhahn.


Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Thanks for the good info. The marks that eluded me have been identified. Had to look up an Auerhahn.Thank Raimey your observation made me smile. Still would like some ideas on value. My friend is partners with his son in the gun and wants to buy him out at a price fair to both of them and I don't have a clue.

Odd or unique that it wears >>FREI<< or free on the top strap safety. Typicaly Z-M Wetzlaub / Altdeutscher Laubgravur / Deutscher laub engraving coupled with game-scene engraving.

Too, interesting adornment around the cocking pin indicators.

What is on or what type buttplate?

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Raimey,

Again thanks for your comments. There is a pretty clear pic of the butt plate. I don't know what to call it but the picture pretty much shows the pattern. My guess it is made out of bakelite.

Tom

Ah, I missed it.




Cheers,

Raimey
rse

It's called "Flechtmuster" (braiding pattern)

Cheers,
Wolfgang

"Basketweave"?

Cheers,
Jani