Nice pics John,
Gutted I couldn’t make it.
Just out of interest how much was that first pistol going for?
Was that the first M&G target pistol?
Cheers,
Matt.
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.
Last edited by ccdjg; 10-12-2018 at 08:43 PM.
A big thank you to Pete and Liz and everyone involved, simply the best.
Great to meet up with some of the regulars and to meet up with some new ones, hello again to Andrew M.
I spent the time on the opposite side of the table selling off a few bits to fund yet another 'item of interest'. I did indeed find my next dream purchase,not airgun related and many others have drooled over it. That Japanese carbine (see John's pictures ) was superb and I was invited to pick it up for closer inspection. Now that thing was heavy! What superb craftsmanship, not just that amazing barrel, but all over. That thing is museum quality. I wonder if it had been fired at all?
Interestingly there was no price on it and I didn't dare ask. I'd have never got away with trying to explain why I'd sold the house!
Carl
Thanks John’s.
I remember reading about it in John G’s excellent book, so it rang a bell,
thanks to John M. for photographing it, you never know, another one might pop up one day 🤞
There’s treasure out there.....
Matt.
Such a shame that I wasn't able to attend last minute! saw you guys had a blast, another great event, cheers Pete! next time present for sure.
It was a great day! still buzzing, and playing with new toys, got Webley pistols covering my conservatory floor, love it.
When your world is full of strange arrangements
And gravity won't pull you through
There's always one with a Hi-Viz waistcoat and a carrier bag...
It's funny, Richard, some years ago I would have wholeheartedly agreed with you but now I can hardly imagine anything more elegant! Maybe I'm just fickle, or knowing it's old and very rare = beauty to me!
I used to think prewar BSAs were the most ungainly air rifles made but now I can't look at one without admiring its lovely lines and genius design. Equally, I used to absolutely love the Tyrolean match stocks from Walther etc on their match rifles, but now just rather like them, so it does sort of work both ways.
Somehow I doubt I'll ever feel passionate about modern production guns, so there must be more to it than just fickleness....
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.
I know what you mean.
I only started collecting 2 years ago, and back then I didn't give the 'Vintage pre-1939 air rifles' page of Proteks website a second glance, I went straight to the vintage pistols. I couldn't understand why anyone would like an air rifle where the stock didn't extend all the way up to the barrel? now I have a couple of golden oldies I know it's because they shoot beautifully and are full of history.
Same with that Diana 8 pistol, would have thought 'not very nice' back then but now that I have a Diana Model 1 up to to a Model 10, these early M&G pistols would make a lovely addition to the series. You never know!
I'll keep an eye out.
It's all thanks to Johns book.
Matt.
It’s funny how your tastes evolve, over the years I have gone back in time to the point if it’s not proper milled steel and walnut it aint proper these days.
I used to have a real thing for the old Crosmans, 600,500, 451 and so on then I had a BSA thing and I seem to have a new thing for the Mk1/2/3 Webleys now
I just don’t seem to sell the last craze before starting the next one, must be why I am always skint.
A man can always use more alcohol, tobacco and firearms.