Mystery Guns

By Larry B. Schuknecht

Often I get interesting emails from viewers who have a gun that creates questions such as- Who made it? When was it made? Or there is some feature to the gun which puzzles them. Often I find that I have no concrete answer for them. This page will feature images of those guns with the information that we do have with the hope that other collectors and authorities will come forward with what they know or with theories that they have. At that time we can move the images to the corresponding Archives page.

The following is what the owner knows presently and would like to know who manufactured the gun and when.

“Based on the results of my research, I have come to the conclusion that the gun was manufactured in the period from 1871 to 1891 in Germany. Its first owner was Baron Friedrich August von Holstein (German: Friedrich August von Holstein) (1837 – 1909) – a German diplomat who in many respects determined the foreign policy of the German Empire during the time of Bismarck, and later Wilhelm II, and held the unofficial title of “grey cardinal” of the German Foreign Office. The Baron’s name (“FR. HOLLSTEIN”) is present on the Top Rib, and his monogram decorates the gun on the bottom of the receiver. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/1871, Baron von Holstein, who was very close to Otto von Bismarck, took a direct part in the diplomatic settlement of the conflict on the Prussian side. The result of these actions was the signing of the Treaty of Frankfurt and the recognition of the German Empire by the French Third Republic.

I believe that the gun could have been presented to Baron von Holstein as a mark of his significant contribution to the process of the formation of the German Empire. The name of the town of Diedenhofen appeared on the sight rib precisely because the transfer, as a result of the Treaty of Frankfurt, of the French town of Thionville to Germany, to which the name Diedenhofen was returned, put an end to this process.

It is known that Baron von Holstein was the son of a Prussian aristocrat whose estate was located near the estate of Otto von Bismarck, and the latter played a very significant role in the development of the Baron’s diplomatic career. Also, during the Franco-Prussian War, Baron von Holstein acted on the side of Otto von Bismarck in the confrontation with Harry von Arnim, the then envoy in Paris, seeking the latter’s resignation. These facts may indicate the closeness of Baron von Holstein and Otto von Bismarck. And this allows me to assume that the person who, as a token of gratitude for his efforts, presented the gun to Baron von Holstein was none other than Otto von Bismarck, who became the first Chancellor of unified Germany in 1871.”

I find similarities to a drilling made by the Gustav Adolf Störmer firm of Herzberg. In particular, the S shaped top lever with sculpting and the large heads of the firing pins. Below are the Störmer comparisons. Please let me what comparisons you find to other makers.

To add to the mix, following is a Auction listing for another “F. R. Hollstein” shotgun sold in a James D. Julia sale of an unknown date.