Martin, Emil R.-Bonn – German Hunting Guns

By Larry B. Schuknecht

Much of the following information was found in Dietrich Apel’s digital archive. He did not record the source of his information and some aspects of it may be in error.

“The small gun shop of Emil Robert Martin, Baelderbergstr. 14 in Bonn was first mentioned in 1865. In 1896 it was named “Emil R. Martin & Sohn” and had moved to Wilhelm-Heinrich-Str. 2. The Company existed until the early 1950’s.

In 1898 they patented a gun with button triggers on the tang, especially suited to handicapped people. One such side by side shotgun they supplied to Kaiser Wilhelm II, who could not use his left arm.

About 1900 they advertised special light drillings with three triggers. In 1903 E. Martin and C. Doetsch obtained DR Patent # 161721 on a lock mechanism for a four barrel combination gun with two shotgun barrels on top, two rifle barrels below, and two triggers. Their design allowed the selection to either fire the shotgun barrels (shotgun mode), or the Rifle barrels (Double rifle mode) or one shotgun and one rifle barrel.

Apparently, Martin catered especially to handicapped hunters who had lost an eye or a hand or had other handicaps. They worked in close cooperation with the Suhl gunmakers, where the guns were actually made to their designs.”

The following images found in Dietrich’s digital archive for Emil R. Martin are of a side lever hammer shotgun which seems to support the statement that the firm dated to the mid 1860’s.

The following images also found in Dietrich’s digital archive for Martin are of special guns made specifically for handicapped shooters. The first is a Drilling with a cross over stock made for a right handed shooter who could not use his right eye and had to use his left eye. It is in 8 x 57 JR & 116 ga.

The second and third guns are side by side double shotguns made with the button trigger mechanism.

The Pape and Kellner Archive records the following-

“Martin (& Sohn) Bonn, Belderberg 14, Wilhelm-Neirich-Straße 2. Founder: Martin, Emil Robert. Büchsenmachermeister (Master Gun Maker). Manufacture and sale of Hunting Weapons, Target Weapons, Pistols & Revolvers. Specialist for Light Steel Drillings (Martin Drillings) and Target Pistols. Drillings with three triggers. Built Target Pistols based on the Luna model by Udo Anschutz..”

From the little bit we know of this family, it would appear that there were at least three generations of Emil’s working at the gun trade if in fact the firm did date back to around 1865. The second generation Emil would have been born in the late 1860’s or early 1870’s and the third generation Emil was born on Nov. 27, 1894. He was a noted Pistol shot and a member of the St. Sebastianus Schützenbruderschaft, Bonn and competed in the 1936 Olympics placing 19th in the 50 meters Men’s Free Pistol event. He took part in the 1935 & 1939 World Championship and was a member of the Bronze winning team.

On Feb. 7, 1903 Emil R. Martin of Bonn and Caspar Doetsch of Coblenz were issued DRP no. 161721 for a four barrel combination gun. Following is a copy of that patent.