Description
A lovely drilling from 1920’s made by Wiener Waffenfabrik “Vienna Arms Factory” 9.3x72R (NITRO) 12GA and Krieghoff .22 WMR insert. Scope: PECAR BERLIN GERMANY variable.
Background & Foundation
Wiener Waffenfabrik (literally “Vienna Arms Factory” in German) was founded around 1908 or shortly afterwards in Vienna.
The company was a partnership between the Czech weapons designer Alois Tomiška and a partner named Camillo Frank.
“Gr.” stands for “Grand-Ducal” = “Grand-Ducal.”
So the full meaning is:
“Grand-Ducal Court Supplier, Darmstadt.”
This title was given to craftsmen or merchants who were officially appointed as suppliers to the Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt. It was a mark of prestige and quality, and only authorized businesses were allowed to use it.
