Info needed: W. COLLATH SOHNE FRANKFURT A.O. GERMAN DRILLING

[Xringshooter]

Customer saw this on Armslist. Seller is in Lancaster, PA area. Wanted to know if I knew or had any info about it. I have none at the moment, need to do some research.

W. COLLATH SOHNE FRANKFURT A.O. 16 GA. & 9.3x80r GERMAN DRILLING, SHOTGUN RIFLE COMBO. TWO SHOTGUN BARRELS AND ONE RIFLE BARREL

https://www.armslist.com/posts/12814...-triple-barrel

Any ideas?

[Xringshooter]

Well I did find some info:

Wilhelm Collath (Söhne), Frankfurt an der Oder (Germany) was one of leading makers of rifles, sporting guns and proprietary cartridges (Tesco Geschoss).

IOW, single, SxS & O/U shotguns, along with rifles & their cartridges.

The company of Wilhelm Collath & Sons started in Frankfurt/Oder around 1900-1910, but the company's roots were at much earlier.
After the death of Wilhelm Collath the company was renamed "Tesco" (Teschner Collath), up to the end of the 1920s.

Wilhelm Collath was born in Belkow Kreits Crell Greifenberg, in Pommeren, 25 Feb. 1838, served his training in Kolberg, received his letter of education in 1858, and took his walking year/apprenticeship (gesselle) in Danzig.

In 1859 Collath joined work with Georg Teshner in Frankfurt, with 12 men in the workshop.

Wilhelm Collath became co-owner of the firm in 1870, the same year he joined the Frankfurt Gunmakers Guild.
His sons Paul and Franz joined the firm that same year.
W.Collath succeeded Georg Teschner in the 1890s
The sons took over the business when their father died 21 Jun 1906 - which they kept going until 1941, when Frankfurt got bombed during WWII. When Wilhelm died, the firm had over 100 employees.

Among other things, Wilhelm Collath was granted a patent on a short needle fire principle, and replacement needles so the same gun could be shot both with modern centerfire cartridges and needle cartridges.

Wilhem also invented the metallic enforcement of the bottom of paper cartridges, and a bullet base system known today as gaschecks.

Collath made a lot of rifles and designed a number of cartridges, many in general use for over half a century - one is still made by some of the big companies: 9,3 x72R.
The others are: 7,3 x72, 8 x 72R,10,75 x 68, 8,15 x 46R, 9,3 x 80, 9,3 x82R, and possibly some more

Your SxS should be worth about $1K - and the DOM might be able to be deciphered from the proofmarks.

[Jhaydeno]

Where's Noah Zark when you need him? He knows about everything that could possibly fire a projectile (and most likely speaks german too )

[abner13]

16ga was popular in German drillings , but many used 2-9/16in shells.

A quick look thru Barnes COTW shows Collath used a number of their own , what we would call 'proprietary' cartridges.

[JenniferG]

Cool gun. I'd love to have a double with interchangeable barrels. If your friend buys it have it inspected by a competent gunsmith before firing it.Thanks for the info on the manufacturer.

[Noah_Zark]

Well I did find some info:

Wilhelm Collath (Söhne), Frankfurt an der Oder (Germany) was one of leading makers of rifles, sporting guns and proprietary cartridges (Tesco Geschoss).

IOW, single, SxS & O/U shotguns, along with rifles & their cartridges.

The company of Wilhelm Collath & Sons started in Frankfurt/Oder around 1900-1910, but the company's roots were at much earlier.
After the death of Wilhelm Collath the company was renamed "Tesco" (Teschner Collath), up to the end of the 1920s.

Wilhelm Collath was born in Belkow Kreits Crell Greifenberg, in Pommeren, 25 Feb. 1838, served his training in Kolberg, received his letter of education in 1858, and took his walking year/apprenticeship (gesselle) in Danzig.

In 1859 Collath joined work with Georg Teshner in Frankfurt, with 12 men in the workshop.

Wilhelm Collath became co-owner of the firm in 1870, the same year he joined the Frankfurt Gunmakers Guild.
His sons Paul and Franz joined the firm that same year.
W.Collath succeeded Georg Teschner in the 1890s
The sons took over the business when their father died 21 Jun 1906 - which they kept going until 1941, when Frankfurt got bombed during WWII. When Wilhelm died, the firm had over 100 employees.

Among other things, Wilhelm Collath was granted a patent on a short needle fire principle, and replacement needles so the same gun could be shot both with modern centerfire cartridges and needle cartridges.

Wilhem also invented the metallic enforcement of the bottom of paper cartridges, and a bullet base system known today as gaschecks.

Collath made a lot of rifles and designed a number of cartridges, many in general use for over half a century - one is still made by some of the big companies: 9,3 x72R.
The others are: 7,3 x72, 8 x 72R,10,75 x 68, 8,15 x 46R, 9,3 x 80, 9,3 x82R, and possibly some more

Your SxS should be worth about $1K - and the DOM might be able to be deciphered from the proofmarks.

Can't add anything to what you found. Collath & Sons (pron "KOE-lawtt" with the "a" as in "father" and the "th" as "tt") were one of the better known German combination gun builders. Their extensive line of proprietary cartridges made them a sort of "Weatherby" of their time.

Nice one.

Noah

[Walleye Hunter]

Cool gun. I'd love to have a double with interchangeable barrels. If your friend buys it have it inspected by a competent gunsmith before firing it.Thanks for the info on the manufacturer.

Or he could just let free shoot it first.

[abner13]

Their extensive line of proprietary cartridges made them a sort of "Weatherby" of their time.

Nice one.

Noah

Or perhaps Sharps back then (1870's)? Or Ballard.

[Noah_Zark]

Yeah, them too.

Noah