Dotter, Johann Leonhard- Würzburg

Compiled by Larry B. Schuknecht

(the following is from the personal archive of Pape & Kellner)

Johann Leonhard Dotter was a Master Gunsmith and Gun Maker located on Domstrasse in Würzburg. He was born in Fulda on Nov. 3, 1805 and passed away on May 28, 1884 in Würzburg. He apprenticed with the Master Gun Maker Stephen Mueller in Würzburg in 1820. He received his license as a Master Gun Maker on Dec. 18, 1840. He is known to have made Percussion side by side shotguns and rifles. His career spanned the transition from muzzle loader to the successful center fire breech loader.

The following images are of a very impressive side by side Pin Fire shotgun. But this is no ordinary shotgun. It is a Sinistral shotgun, made for a right handed person who had probably lost a right eye and was forced to shoot using his left eye. The skill to make the locks to allow the stock to do this shows talent and skill of the highest order.