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First, on German guns the men whose addresses are inscribed on the barrels or ribs are usually not the makers, but the retailers. Nearly all "gunmakers" outside Suhl or Zella-Mehlis had "Their" guns made to their specifications by the specialized guntrade in those two towns. Often such guns were actually made there by quite renowned gunmakers. FI many fine double rifles show the small stamp "Bemesu" on the inside, these were made by Bernhard Merkel. Most "Wilhelm Brenneke, Leipzig" rifles bear an "ESHA" stamp in hidden places, as Brenneke had these rifles made by Schmidt & Habermann, Suhl. Close inspection of the proofmarks and other small stamps (photos please!) sometimes lead to the real maker. This applies to Walther Uhlig, Leipziger Str. 27, Halle on Saale, too. The company was registered as "dealers and makers in ammunition, firearms and hunting equipment". Walther and Max Uhlig took over the shop from Richard Schroeder about 1900. At first they called themselves "Richard Schroeder Nachf." = successors to R.S. By 1913 Uhlig traded traded under his own name. He had large amounts of shotgun cartridges, headstamped "12 W.UHLG 12 HALLE" made by the Sellier&Bellot, Bomlitz factory and sold them under his own trademark "HALLORIA". By 1923 the company was in severe difficulties, as a Hermann Hans Hunold, gunsmith, was installed by court as Sequester. By 1925 the company was owned by a R. Steinmetz and traded as "W. Uhlig Nachfolger, dealers and makers of ammunition". Apparently the company lasted until WW2. |