J. Funk & comp:in SUHL

[Gloria Monroe]

http://s1017.photobucket.com/albums/af295/glorioussnookie/Muzzle loader shotgun/

Hi Friends! Please help to identify this muzzle loader and it's value , My hubby recently inherited it, A neighbor gave it to him 40 years ago when he was a little boy. Sure will appreciate all your help! Thanks so much ! Gloria :surrender:

 

[Lorne Johnson]

That's a nice gun. I don't know Funk off hand, but Suhl is the center of high quality German firearms, such as The Brothers Merkel, et alia.

Value, of course, depends on such conditions as the bores (hard to evaluate). Then, for example, London guns of equal quality and condition generally command higher prices than others. Finally, the market for percussion muzzle-loaders (especially in this country, non-US muzzle loaders) is very small and very quirky.

Your gun: It's a very Germanic style gun. The carving and engraving are high relief, which is not easy to do, and not currently seen as especially high value. (Who can understand taste.) The design of the hammers is unusual, which can be both a plus and a minus. The barrels appear to be an unusual, but probably high quality laminated steel (if they weren't laminated steel, they wouldn't be original). So, it's worth quite a lot to the right collector, I wouldn't sell for less than four digits as a wall hanger. The real issue is finding the right market.

 

[Zonie]

Interesting that both hammer spurs were broken off.
They appear to be broken in the same place too.

Mere coincidence? I don't think so.

I wonder what would motivate someone to do such a thing?

Probably someones wife said, "OH! And you love that damn shotgun more than me too? I'll fix that!"

 

[Gloria Monroe]

Thanks so much fro your reply! I really appreciate it! Have a tremendous day! God Bless!

 

[Gloria Monroe]

Sure laughed about the wife, haha! David said the rabbit ears were broke when it was given to him 40 years ago and beings he was only 8 at the time he has no idea what happened haha, Thanks so much for your reply! God Bless! TOL!

 

[TFoley]

Sadly, those broken parts on a European gun that's over a hundred and fifty years old may well have shot down its value in flames. Unless you can match them with reasonable modern or even older facsimiles, whatever THEY look like, the value of this nice old gun has taken a severe battering.

It would need the attention of an expert in German guns of the period to determine, if possible, the actual style of hammers on this piece, hopefully by looking at others of a similar type from the same maker.

Unless somebody here, and there ARE folks here with vast knowledge, can come up with the goods, you are stuck with a damaged good.

My $0.02.

tac

 

[dyemaker]

I thought the broken hammer spurs looked intentional also. Maybe to hinder it's use... :idunno: I am interested to know what the hammers looked like and can't help but wonder about the shotgun's history. Regardless it is beautiful in my eyes.

Imagine a matching drilling hanging on the wall next to it :shocked2:

Thank you for sharing the photos!

 

[Robby]

Looks to be worth having those hammer spurs restored (correctly). Beautiful gun, thanks for showing it.
Robby

 

[TFoley]

As I noted, in order to restore them you need to know what they originally looked like - hence my recommendation that a look, if possible, at a similar piece would be beneficial - to say the least.

So firstly, we have to find one from the same maker that has not been sabotaged.

tac

 

[Lorne Johnson]

You might want to contact Dietrich Apel at the German Gun Collectors' Guild. He has access to considerable historical background, and a very high level of gunsmithing knowledge (and skill, although he is retired).

 

[dyemaker]

Or... maybe email Peter Ravin Lund as suggested on page 4 in the Danish article on Christoph Funk firearms. Maybe he can shed some light on j. Funk & comp. for us all.

 

[Gloria Monroe]

:wink: Hi GreenMT, Thanks so much fro the helpful link! I will contact him, I will let you know what I am able to find out! Thanks again!

 

[Gloria Monroe]

:wink: Hi dyemaker, Thanks so much for the helpful link! I will let you know what I can find out! Again Thanks!

 

[dyemaker]

I could only find two guns made by J. Funk & comp. online. One was a .50 caliber Jaeger rifle and the other was a single shot early bolt action target rifle. There was also a beautiful double barreled rifle made by U. Funk. It had very fancy dragon hammers, the hammer spurs looking like wings in a way.

 

[dyemaker]

Could'nt resist swiping the photos from another forum. The first 3 pics are a U. Funk & Sohne double rifle. The last is by V. Funk. Notice the dragon theme... It looks like it belongs on a wall in Frankenstien's castle or something :haha:

http://imageshack.us/g/844/722da.jpg/

hope the link works

 

[colmoultrie]

I suspect the hammer spurs may have broken if the gun were dropped at one time. If it fell onto a floor straight onto its "back," the hammer spurs may have absorbed most of the impact.

 

[dyemaker]

Just an observation: Very similar if not identical dragon hammers as the V Funk rifle were put on rifles and pistols by Jung and Sohne around the same time period in Suhl. The hammer spurs representing dragon wings. For what it's worth.

 

[hounddog]

Folks, When looking at the pics, I am not certain the hammer spurs are broken off. It could have been made that way. Also in front of the hammer in the area where one would find a frizen spring on a flinter. the is a screw there with a shaped ingrasved piece on metal, this can be seen on both locks. Could be a 1/2 cock notch or a external safety. note the extruding pin the part seems to come in contact with. Interisting very interisting hounddog

 

[hounddog]

Gents I took another look there is a knob attached to the piece. I believe what we are looking at is the cocking mechanisim, pressing down on the knob will raise the hammer. This gun aint broke! It was made that way. Look close and see what you all think hounddog

 

[Captjoel]

The mechanism you are referring to is a secondary safety that keeps the hammer from contacting the nipple. It does not cock the mechanism. Most of these German percussion locks do have a half cock notch safety on the tumbler as well. That is why I call the external type a secondary system. I own a ca.1830 percussion jaeger rifle that has the same set up. Somewhat common on gunlocks of this era made near Suhl and nearby Zella.