Swiss gunsmiths

[mkeen]

Does anyone have information or suggestions on where find information on gunsmiths in Canton Bern, Switzerland? This would be during the period of 1680 to 1710. I'm investigating possible links to early residents of Germantown and Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

[doug]

     Most of them would be listed in die Neue Stockel (edited by Heeren) with three catches; first is that if you can find the books, they run $250 - $400, second is that I believe the makers are all listed alphabetically and not by country, and the third catch is that the books is written in german but that last one is a minor problem compared to the first two

cheers Doug

[mkeen]

Thanks for the suggestion. Der Neue Stockel by Eugene Heer is hard to find. The Library of Congress does not have a copy.

Thanks, mkeen

[doug]

     I am afraid you have your gender wrong; it is die Neue Stockel  :>)  :>)

I occasionally check www.abebooks.com but so far have not seen a copy (it is a two or 3 volumes set)

cheers Doug

[T*O*F]

Doug,
There's a copy on ABE now.......3 volume set..........only $812 and $30 shipping.
Why don't you buy it and loan it to me?
33000 listings from 34 countries.

[Stophel]

It is Danish.  At least originally.  (Der Neue Stoeckel in German means "the new high-heeled shoe".  )

As I understand it, all it is is a listing of gunsmiths.  No pictures other than some pictures of maker's marks.  I'm not sure how much biographical information is given on anyone.

[cal.43]

It is Danish.  At least originally.  (Der Neue Stoeckel in German means "the new high-heeled shoe".  )

 Støckel  has not the translation higheel  a highheel is a Stöcklschuh
"Der Neue  Støckel" show there was an older one before.

Allen eine Fröhliche Weihnacht und ein gesegnetes Neue Jahr

[Stophel]

I don't know what it it supposed to mean in Danish.  It's "Germanic", but not German, and I can speak little of that as it is.

 

[JV Puleo]

The original Stockel is in Danish, The New Stockel is in German. I have both of them so if you can give me a name or some names, I'll be glad to look them up. Also, keep in mind that Stockel isn't absolutely reliable, at least regarding dates. He probably recorded names and marks correctly but often the dates are based on whatever was believed the date of a particular piece was. The result was even more erratic than current dating problems often are because much less was known about the artifacts. That said, in at least one important case I have been able to confirm Stockel is correct in an important date that is otherwise unverified. We don't know what sources Stockel himself used but the original two volumes were published in 1938 and 1943. Eugene Heer simply added to Stockel by raiding Gardner, Carey, Kaufman and all the other published lists. So...any mistakes those works included are included in the New Stockel,

Joe Puleo

[mkeen]

As an endnote to my original question on Swiss gunsmiths during the period of 1680 to 1710, I would like to give to an enormous thanks to Joe Puleo, technical editor for Man at Arms Magazine for the Gun and Sword Collector. Joe found the information I was looking for in Der Neue Stockel. The book listed 4 gunsmiths of the Bundeli family in Bern, Switzerland working in the 1600's. Yes, the information is very basic and not very detailed, but it does lead to other areas and sources of research and gives me a starting point. I must now connect this family of gunsmiths to Rudolf Bundeli of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania who purchased land in Germantown in 1704. A 1704 letter in the Burger Bibliothek of Bern lists this Rudolf as a son of the gunsmith Bundeli, but does not specify which Bundeli. The results of my research will be published later in the year. I'll post a review of the research on the forum. Thanks again to Joe for all his work.

Mart Keen

[JV Puleo]

It was my pleasure.
I'd encourage any other members to contact me if I can help in this fashion... I bought both versions of Stockel at the Merrill Lindsay sale in 1986, I think I paid $150 for the lot... at the time it was a awful lot of money but I thought they might come in handy.I guess for once I guessed right!