Never seen one of these before

[DT Fletcher]

The Quackenbush version may be highly collectable in the UK but this type of gun generates about zero interest in the US.

Is it possible that the Briton and similar were all produced by the same third party? That is, manufacturer and retailer were different companies. That would go to explain the lack of markings on the boxes. If so, then the guns should all be exactly the same dimensions within tolerances.

It's hard to nearly impossible to produce two sets of production tools that turn out exactly the same press metal item. There is always some small indifferent variations between two sets of tools.

This would also go to explain why the manufacturer has been hard to determine; the "XYZ pressed steel manufacturer" would be a needle in a haystack. It could be a single guy in his basement churning out pressed steel guns and sending them off to his big customers.

[ccdjg]

I think all the evidence does point in the direction you suggest, and all these “British made” guns were probably made by the same third party within the UK. To explain the Diana Model 2 connection it would then have to be assumed that this third party was also commercially involved in some way with Dianawerk, but it is difficult to surmise what sort of involvement this might be.


It is interesting what you say about this type of pistol generating little enthusiasm in the US, and to some extent the same applies in the UK (see the thread http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....s-collectables ). Not surprisingly very little has been written about their history and consequently few collectors are aware about the original Quackenbush pistol, its significance and its rarity. I am sure though that if one of these came onto the market it would excite a lot of specialist collectors, especially in the US, and I could easily see one selling for more than a Girandoni. I know of only two examples - one in the Milwaukee Museum (pictured in Wolff's book), and one in an American private collection. In fact there are only two photographs that have ever been published. Even the Beeman collection has not been able to acquire one of these guns. When you think that he paid $6900 for a Haviland and Gunn pistol in auction, which in comparison is relatively commonplace, this puts its collectability value in context. However, one man’s meat etc.. I know how many airgun enthusiasts would much rather find a Griandoni in their Christmas stocking on Thursday morning!

[DT Fletcher]

It would think that it would take nothing more than the Diana coming on to the market. Some industrious sole in the UK liked it and saw the possibility of using it as a model to make a copy. Pressed steel was such a common manufacturing technique back then it wouldn't be difficult to commission or make a production set of tools. Which is exactly what the original inventor of the Sharpshooter did: all DIY tooling.

I remember that Haviland and Gunn sale, too. I had one in better condition that I sold for $1500 and the guy who bought it from me thought I had ripped him off. Wanted to call him and point out the silly price but he's still wouldn't talk to me.

NB: I am of the opinion that the "original" Girandoni's floating around these days are not original at all. They are instead the English copy of the Girandoni. The best evidence we have indicates that the military model was 13 mm. All of the ones seen today are 11mm and, IMO, very English. The simple fact is that there are Staudenmayer and Mortimer examples of this same 11mm gun that has the (bogus) G and serial numbers on them. Of course, that doesn't make the owner's of these guns very happy with me, but, there just isn't much I can do about that.