Does this mystery pistol ring a bell with anyone?

[ccdjg]

[micky2]

Hi John, never seen anything like it before, but do like it very much indeed. but it must be a very small bore looking at the size of the barrel in the photos. is it one you have just bought.

[Epicyclic]

Hmm... yes, the Simonon pistol John. Turn to page 319 fellow collectors- those who can't should call Protek asap with their bank details.

[trajectory]

It's very reminiscent of the continental style salon or parlour pistols like the Flobert types. It certainly looks to be a interesting addition. Could you explain a little about its mechanism & how it opperates please?

[rapidresponse1]

first one ive seen

[ccdjg]

Unfortunately it is not mine, and it belongs to a Polish collector. It is obviously cocked by direct pull, like a few other pistols of the period, but the barrel loading principal sets it apart from these. For example, the Simonon has a sliding barrel for loading:




The Eisenwerke Gaggenau TB pistol has a tip-up barrel,operated by a side button release:





and the extremely rare Langenhan (which admittedly does have a similar ring pull rather than T-bar pull) loads by rotating the barrel 90 degrees clockwise.




So it is certainly a puzzler.

[magicesperanto]

first one ive seen

For me also, I think the word is “Elegant”!

[ptdunk]

Could it be a previously unknown Eisenwerk Gaggenau or Oscar Will model?
Too much to hope the owner has discovered any markings?

Looks lovely,
Matt

[draitzer]

John, do we know your last example is from Langenhan? I assume the photo is from Beeman's auction with mention of a "faint/partial maker name". One of our colleagues at the viewing couldn't decipher the inscription.

Regardless, that Polish collector has acquired a superb piece of artistry!

Don R.

[ccdjg]

John, do we know your last example is from Langenhan? I assume the photo is from Beeman's auction with mention of a "faint/partial maker name". One of our colleagues at the viewing couldn't decipher the inscription.

Regardless, that Polish collector has acquired a superb piece of artistry!

Don R.

Don,
I know of only one other Langenhan like the one on the Beeman collection, and fortunately on this one the Langenhan name was clearly visible, so it was possible to make a positive ID.










Another version is known, also marked Langenhan, which has a cast steel rather than wooden frame, with a shape very reminiscent of the Quackenbush/ Bedford & Walker/Champion pistols of the late 1800’s. It presumably dates from similar period.





Unfortunately the Langenhan origin of the wood grip Beeman pistol was not known when the second edition of the Encyclopedia of Spring Air Pistols was published, and in there it was only briefly mentioned, wrongly assuming it to be a modified EG TB pistol.

[Powderfinger]

Wraparound frontsight, thin barrel, sharp woodwork, clean brass and pronounced Schnaebel tip makes me think it might be of relatively recent manufacture.

[Garvin]

FLZ pistol
John:
I really appreciate you identifying that ring pull pistol from the Beeman collection (in a
personal sort of way). Towards the end of the Beeman airguns sold off last weekend, it
came down to the 2 nice pistol offerings to close out the airguns. My resources had been
sorely stretched, and I had to chose only one to chase. I was enticed by the EG T-pull
pistol because it had the T & L N.Y. (Tower & Lyons) Peerless markings, proving USA
importation. But the other unmarked pistol appeared to date earlier and be significantly
more solid in its construction. And this unknown pistol had a similar breech loading
mechanism as found on some of the higher quality American gallery guns of which I have
quite a fondness for acquiring and study. And so I opted to chase this pistol. (You are
welcome, Toshiko).
The only partial markings on the Beeman pistol (at the back of the receiver behind the
rear sight) was not too difficult to decipher, but gave little help in identifying the maker.
The photo of your friend's other similar specimen was such a gift in solving this for me.
His example appears to have a shorter wooden forearm, revealing the patent marking
and Langenhan semicircle stamping at the breech. This area is concealed by the longer
wood forearm on the Beeman. Disassembly of the Beeman pistol revealed another
previously hidden marking on the metal breech area. The "Zella St. Bl." was certainly a
valuable clue, but in my mind would have only realistically suggested a couple of
candidates: Langenhan or Oscar Will. Your help with the positive identifying photo of your
contact's other pistol was really appreciated.
Incidentally, I thought perhaps the full (and tall) Langehan semicircle logo might have
been stamped under the Beeman specimen's rear sight...removing its rear sight showed
nothing stamped underneath it.
Thanks again, John, for helping a fellow airgun nut!
LarryH

[ccdjg]

I am only too pleased to be of help Larry, and I am delighted that the pistol ended up with you. I imagined that it might have disappeared into oblivion, with one of those collectors who do not like to share, so thanks for the great extra pics.

It is interesting that the pistols are stamped ‘patentirt’ as this raises the question what was there to patent? I can only assume it is referring to the design of the barrel lock-up where the barrel is rotated back into position. This is different to the system used in American gallery airguns, at least as far as I know.

The Zella St. Blasii mark, as opposed to Zella Mehlis, confirms these pistols were made before 1919, although we could have been sure about that anyway.

Cheers,
John

[airarmstx200]

eisenwerke gaggenau german air pistol

[Farsight]

Nice to see some good close- ups of some good old pistols. The OPs Polish gun looks to me like someone's pastiche (one from the Philippines rather than Cornwall..)
Atb Mark