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Thread: Kempton 9 Dec 2018

  1. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by ccdjg View Post
    I am not surprised that the Diana 8 pistol, as it was known in MGR catalogues, was for display only as they are amazingly rare, especially outside Germany. In more than 30 years of collecting air pistols I have only ever come across four examples, two of which were not in the UK .

    Considering that they were on the market for a period of 4-5 years (about 1910 – 1914) and were even retailed in the UK by Gamages (rebranded as the Holborn) it is difficult to understand why almost none have survived.

    Lawrie’s fine example photographed by John at Kempton (and also pictured in the Vintage Airgun Gallery) is marked “Diana”, whereas my own lucky find shown below is simply marked “Patent”, which makes me think that it may have been one of the Gamages guns.

    As these pistols are so rare, I would be very interested to know of any other examples that members may have come across, and if possible what markings they had.



    Also known by the catchy name "Batho" (pic courtesy of Trev's Airgun scrapbook):

    Last edited by Garvin; 14-12-2018 at 01:04 PM.
    Vintage Airguns Gallery
    ..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
    In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.

  2. #32
    micky2 is offline The collector formerly known as micky
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    Quote Originally Posted by ccdjg View Post
    Well I guess you either love 'em or hate 'em, but they ring my bell


    What a superb and very rare collection you have there.

  3. #33
    ccdjg is offline Airgun Alchemist, Collector and Scribe
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    Thanks Micky. It did take 35 years to put together though, and in fact the last gun to be added to the collection was the 7th pistol down, only acquired 3 weeks ago. So patience (and a lot of luck) is the name of the game rather than deep pockets (although that does help). Each one has a story to tell, and the most cash I ever parted with for a single item was £600, at an auction. The bellows pistol (number 1) is a bit of a fraud as I made it myself ( http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....Bellows+pistol). If an original ever came on the market it probably fetch near £10k, hence the incentive for DIY !

  4. #34
    micky2 is offline The collector formerly known as micky
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    Quote Originally Posted by ccdjg View Post
    Thanks Micky. It did take 35 years to put together though, and in fact the last gun to be added to the collection was the 7th pistol down, only acquired 3 weeks ago. So patience (and a lot of luck) is the name of the game rather than deep pockets (although that does help). Each one has a story to tell, and the most cash I ever parted with for a single item was £600, at an auction. The bellows pistol (number 1) is a bit of a fraud as I made it myself ( http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....Bellows+pistol). If an original ever came on the market it probably fetch near £10k, hence the incentive for DIY !
    Hi yes l remember you doing the bellows pistol. what a excellent job in doing it, l wish l had the skill to do something like that. to get all of those pistols for under £600 each is very good going. but like you say in the right place at the right time. which has happend to me at times but not to often.

  5. #35
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    In John's pics of his Frank Clark catalogue I see that the listing for a Britannia pop-out pistol claims it's suitable for 'bird shooting'. I shudder to think how many birds were maimed by being shot at with such an inherently inaccurate pistol. Not to mention that the Warrior pistol was recommended for shooting rabbits... Shows that political correctness has not all been bad!
    Vintage Airguns Gallery
    ..Above link posted with permission from Gareth W-B
    In British slang an anorak is a person who has a very strong interest in niche subjects.

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