It is very hard to find information about this company. The Dictionary of Guns and Gunmakers lists Paul Abesser, Suhl with the date 1920, and the company Abesser & Merkel in Suhl as gunmakers in 1920-30 and Paul Abesser and Ernst Merkel as the owners. The book Gebrüder Merkel by Hans-Jürgen Fritze has one paragraph about Ernst Merkel and Abesser & Merkel that confirms the above information, lists the company in 1925. It also informs us that Ernst Merkel became a Master Gunmaker on August 14, 1929, and that he is possibly a descendant of the Friedrich Ernst Ferdinand branch of the Merkel families.

Since this was not much information to offer our readers, I contacted the dealer mentioned by the owner of the guns as having an original Abesser & Merkel catalog. He confirmed this but told me when I asked if I could borrow it that it was so fragile that he had to turn me down. Instead he offered that he would send me scans. This he did which now allows me to offer a reprint of the catalog pages. Thanks to Morris Hallowell for his generous help. Morris is a dealer of fine guns and you can find out more about him by visiting: www.hallowellco.com