Max Meffert may have been a relative of Paul Meffert. Also in Suhl in the mid 19th Century there was a Georg Meffert who was a master gunsmith. But Immann/Immanuel Meffert founded his business in 1839 and I would guess he was in his mid 20s. He had 2 sons, Friedrich Justin who followed in Immann's gunmaking shoes, & Ernst Richard Meffert who was more of a businessman than gunsmith. Both were partners in the firm Immann Meffert and by the turn of the 20th Century they were at the helm of the company. Typically when a fella is well enought established to hang out his shingle, he takes another plunge in marriage and shortly thereafter begins a family. So I'd guess both of Immann Mefferts sons were born in the 1840s or early 1850s. If Friedrich Justin Meffert was born in the 1840s this would explain why at the start of WWI that Ernst Richard Meffert and Bruno Meffert, son of Friedrich Justin Meffert, are listed as owners. By the end of WWI Bruno is the sole proprietor. Bruno Meffert's son Gerhard joined the firm in 1934. Not much on Max Meffert but he was not from the Immann Meffert line.

Whether you consider yourself somewhat of a photog or not, you make an excellent effort to capture images of the components as well as marks, not to mention the historical documents you lcoate. By the way, the mark of the Pick & Sole in the shield on the E. Schmidt & Habermann I think either to be that of one of the Merkel klan or E. Schmidt & Habermann themselves. It crops up from time to time and it may be that E. Schmidt & Habermann was being sourced or one of the Merkel firms was sourced for the odd longarms on which it appears.

Anyone know if Max Meffert married Georg Knaak's daughter? This acquisition would hold the highest probability for the Knaak - Meffert relationship.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse