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Theodor Bergmann Waffenfabrik, Suhl, Germany. Aktiengesellschaft LIGNOSE, Berlin, Abteilung Suhl The company LIGNOSE in Berlin/Germany was a big gunpowder- and ammunition factory before, during and after World War I. In 1921/22 a workgroup (the Lignose-Aktiengesellschaft) under the leadership of the Lignose gunpowder-factory took over the company Theodor Bergmann in Suhl/Gaggenau, which was sold after the death of Theodor Bergmann. Together with the factory, Lignose also purchased several patents und continued the production of the last Bergmann vest pocket pistols with the new inscription "Lignose". The pistols therefore were marked with "Akt. Ges. Lignose, Berlin, Abteilung Suhl". In 1937 Lignose purchased also the Menz Company in Suhl and for a short time they put a number of the former Menz pistols with insignations "Theodor Bergmann Erben" on the market. During the last years of World War II the company disapperared from the market. While the normal pattern seemed to stay the more an unimportant part of the Lignose pistol production, as time passed, the name Lignose became kind of a synonym for the "one-hand-pistol". During the years 1913-1916, the Polish designer Withold Chylewski, resident in Vienna, designed a small automatic pistol, which could be operated with just one hand. After a number of these pistols (app. 1000 pcs.) had been produced in Switzerland by the company SIG, the company Bergmann purchased these patents and started to produce and sell these pistols for a short time. Shortly afterwards, the Lignose Company took over the company Bergmann, and the pistols became well known as Lignose Pistols. The production with insignations "Lignose" started after the takeover in 1922 and lasted on to around 1939, where the numbering of Bergmann was continued and just the insignation at the slide and at the grips were changed. A big sales success did not show up, as the system of onehand cocking was widely not accepted. So there are pieces known, where the one-hand cocking mechanism was blocked by a screwed side plate. In addition, the pistol was offered to expensive related to other pistols. While pistols of Walther and Mauser costed between 22 und 36 RM, the Lignose-pistol costed not less than 42 RM. There are no reports about amount of pistols produced, but it seems therefore they were not too many, as this pistol is already a little bit scarce today. The One-hand Model 2A differs from the Model 3A just in the size of the grip. The model 2A has a capacity of 6 shells, the model 3A of 9 shells. With exception of the onhand-mechanism these pistols are identical to the normal models. There were also pistols with factory engraving produced, as well as patterns with movable trigger guard out of brass are known. Model 2A SYSTEM: self-cocking pistol with mass system and internal hammer CARTRIDGES : 6 CALIBRE : .25 ACP BARREL LENGTH : 54 mm , 6 grooves right hand twisting WEIGHT EMPTY : 400 g TOTAL LENGTH : 120 mm TOTAL HEIGHT : 77 mm TOTAL WIDTH : 23 mm TRIGGER : Single Action, onehand-cocking SIGHT : groove and notch SAFETY : safety-lever FINISH : blued GRIPS : hardrubber Appearently the company choosed a second way, in case the one-hand design would not succeed, and therefore beside the one-hand-types also conventional types were produced. Shortly afterwards, the Lignose Company took over the company Bergmann, and the pistols became well known as Lignose Pistols. The production with the insignation "Lignose" started after the takeover in 1922 and lasted on to around 1939, where the numbering of Bergmann was continued and just the insignation at the slide and at the grips were changed. There are no reports about amount of pistols produced, but it seems they were not too many, as this pistol is already a little bit scarce today. The normal Model 2 differs from the Model 3 just in the size of the grip. The model 2 has a capacity of 6 shells, the model 3 of 9 shells. This pistol may be found with either, brass or blued steel cocking levers, hard rubber or wood grips, or with a solid trigger guard of standard design. The Einhand was the “A” variation, the frame size was the model 2. It was built on a small frame with a six-shot detachable box magazine as standard. There were more frame sizes with longer grips. It had a nine-shot clip that protruded from the bottom. This scarce, well made pistol is still functional in today’s world. The Chylewski is a .25 ACP unlocked blowback, semi-automatic pistol with a magazine fitted through the grip-frame. The primary thing of note about this small pistol is the fact that it could be operated with one hand. On the forward part of the trigger guard, it had a re-curve that looked like a second trigger. This ran along a rail that was machined on the sides of the frame, and impinged on a cut in the slide. When withdrawn to the rear, it hooked itself on the projection of the slide and then with drew the slide at the same time it travelled rearward. When the slide was released, the cocking piece was pushed forward under the power of the recoil spring and back to the front of the trigger guard. In this manner you had a hammerless, semi-automatic pistol that could be carried with a full magazine and no round in the chamber for absolute safety, and in an emergency, with one only hand you could put a round in the chamber and have it ready for firing while it is still in your pocket. (ref. ‘Pistols and revolvers’ p179 - Maj F Myatt ‘Pistols and revolvers’ p140 – JE Smith, ‘The G/D modern gun values’ p106, ‘Price guide for collector handguns’ - R H Balderson p121 p250, ‘Pistols of the world’ by Hogg and Weeks p39, Dictionary of guns and gunmakers by John Walter p121)

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