Afternoon w Tauscher and Bannerman
 

I am in New York City this week. Most of my meetings are on Broadway and, though lacking of a time machine, I couldn't resist the urge to see the former store locations of Hans Tauscher, A.H. Funke and Francis Bannerman, all of whom we associate with the early Luger and the US Test Trials. I gleaned most of the addresses from the Land of Borchardt website, and took a long walk this afternoon with my camera.

Photos 1 and 2: My first stop was Hans Tauschers earliest known address on 56-58 Pine Street. This is the original 1893-1894 building that looks much the same as it did in 1903, when correspondence proves it was the address from which the fifty 9mm Lugers were ordered. I admit that I imagined Borchardts and Parabellums in the two large storefront windows on the right and wish I could have went in and purchased some for $27.50, but I arrived about 100 years too late.

Photo 3: 320 Broadway, Hans Tauschers most recognizable address from his later catalogs and correspondence. He was in rooms 1217-1218 and later expanded to include 1219-1220.

Photos 4-5: 325 Broadway, once home to A.H. Funke's store, where the 50 original 7.65 Test Lugers were apparently delivered per Hans Tauscher's instructions to trade for the 9mm model. (Correction: a Tauscher letter lists Funkes earlier store on Chambers Street - will photograph next visit!)

Photos 6-7: 579 Broadway is the original Bannerman & Sons location. They were likely here when they obtained the test Lugers from surplus auction. Francis Bannerman may very well have walked through this very doorway himself a thousand times.

Photo 8: Bannerman's later storefront at 501 Broadway where the test Lugers likely were displayed and sold from is long gone. It was a parking lot for a while, and the location now sports these two new buildings.

I hope on the next trip to visit Abercrombie's 1920's locations, as well as Stoeger's. I hope to get out to photograph Bannerman island some day as well.

Clark

Thank you so much, I often wondered about where and what those buld. look like

Bannerman's island is near where I used to live in New York. It's just south of Newburgh on the East side of the Hudson River.

There is a gothic "Castle" on the island, and it looks like a group is now working to preserve it:

Bannerman's Castle

http://bannermancastle.org/wp-conten...s/header_3.jpg

When I lived in NY, I had a boat and taught Scuba Diving. Bannerman's Island (at the time the property was posted and off limits) always had the allure of mystery. It's interesting to see the activities going on there now... Gardens... Castle restoration... Perhaps hidden Lugers?

I also worked for IBM in Poughkeepsie. This is the plant that assembled M1 Carbines for the US in WW-II. There was a persistent rumor that after the war, IBM dumped case after case of cosmoline packed M1 parts into the Hudson. We never found any trace, but it's deep, dark and muddy on the bottom of this estuary (which flows in and out with the tides)...

Marc

if you did not notice, just above the picture is a
 

"click-on" bannerman castle......opens another site with some great extras..........thanks for the story, great read.......tom

I explored the castle years ago. There were hundreds of rotting British pith helmets scattered around the basement area. This was before the group took over and started restoration. We would be dropped off in a motorboat and picked up later. One interesting thing I saw was that in a section of crumbling sea wall the reenforcing rebar were barreled rifle actions!! (I think Martinis).
One story I remember is that a group of kids landed in the shallows just off the dock and as one boy stepped into the water, his foot went through something and sunk up to his hip. It turned out he put his leg through the top of a wooden crate, which when salvaged contained a Gatling Gun encrusted in cosmoline. I remember hearing that the gun ended up at the West Point museum. Although I've looked recently for news articles corroborating this story, I havent turned anything up.

Great history & photos gentlemen (& I don't use the term loosely). Its folks like you who take the time to share your adventures (& mis-adventures :D ) that keep this forum an interesting and fun place to visit). Thank you all!

Clark, "Thanks for the memories". Here's another address for someone to check out, from the lable on some repro boxes that I have available (see the FS section): A.H.FUNKE 83 Chambers St. N.Y. TH

Back in the early70s i got a chance to visit Ellis Island before any renovation. There were still beds, fixtures a rusty eerie chambers. The following year the Godfather two was filmed there and renovation were done especially to the main hall. The half sunk wooden ferry was still moored to the embarkation dock. I sure someone there was carrying a luger or two!

I'll be on NYC for a quick holiday with Mrs.
I'll look for such addresses and take a picture or two.
Thanks a lot for this very original "Luger Tour".

I remember the Abercrombie and Fitch building on Madison Av. well. Back in the 60's my office was just around the corner (my office is still there, A and F is long gone). I used to visit the legendary 5th floor gun room frequently during my lunch hour. The vast room was lined with gun racks filled with Purdeys, Churchills etc., and one could pick them up and handle them without restriction. Above the gun racks the heads of long dead beasts stared down at us. The center of the room had several large green felt covered tables where the sales staff, who all wore smart brown shop aprons, would lay out guns for prospective customers. All that changed when some inconsiderate person inserted a 12 gauge shell into one of the guns and blew his head off! The guns were locked up after that. Regards, Norm

Peter Von Frantzius, Chicago dealer...
 

Hi,

I hale from Chicago, and this thread got me thinking about the notorious arms dealer on the North side of Chicago during the prohibition era:

Peter Von Frantzius

His shop was at 608 W. Diversey Parkway in Chicago. Unfortunately, this is all that's left: