There are lots of Victory models that were engraved post WW2 in the KJ shop for Occupation GI's. Many have ivory grips and inlays. Curiously (or not) many of the inlayed ones are done in silver.
German citizens were not allowed to possess handguns after the War, but the Occupation Troops could and did take advantage of the cheap near begging for work times to have them worked on.
Lots of customized Mauser and some Springfield sporting rifles from the Jaeger shop around too.
Most of the engraving was done by outsourced workers, though Kurt Jaeger was himself an engraver too.
Most all of the pieces will be signed 'Kurt Jaeger, Mainz' as he was a great businessman as well and knew how to promote his operation.
Kurt Jaeger and Paul Jaeger are related,,either bros or cousins. I haven't ever figured out which.
Paul Jeager was most noted for his Gunsmithing Shop in Jenkintown PA. He had previously worked for Sedgley (those dangerous Low# 03's) and some other unrelated jobs like all of us.
Paul Jaeger was born in the USA (NYC)
Kurt was born in Germany
Paul Jeagers shop in PA used to send most all of their engraving work to Kurts shop in Germany.
Claus Willig was one of Kurt's top engravers in Germany and later immigrated to the US and worked for Paul at his PA shop. Then went on to freelanze but kept close ties with the familys including Deitrich Apel.
Deitrich Apel was the nephew of both Kurt and Paul.
Deitrich's middle name is 'Kurt'.
He worked for a time in Kurt's shop in W Germany after the War,,escaping EG before being 'walled in'.
Later Apel came to the USA, worked for Ruger as a designer and then for Paul Jaeger in the Jenkintown shop.
Apel went on to open his own business, 'New England Custom Gun' in NH.
Clause Willig was there to take on engraving jobs for him.
Deitrich Apel passed away in 2016.
Lots of history in that family, lots of custom firearms created over the years.
You can go back even farther to Paul Jaeger's father, Franz Jaeger.
A gunsmith and inventor who's name is familiar to those with interests in German firearms.
FWIW, Franz's mother was the sister of Gustav Kersten, inv & pat of the Kersten locking system, armorer in the Prussian Army.
Kersten used his influence to get his nephew Franz an apprenticeship in the trade in Zella Mehlis.
That most likely started it all.
