Carl Grasser

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Carl Grasser (born October 1, 1845 in Vienna , † October 1, 1902 ) was an important Austrian arms manufacturer during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy . The company was based in Burggasse 38 in Vienna's 7th district of Neubau .

history

Advertisement by Carl Grasser (1900)

In 1848 the Tyrolean sword sweeper Andreas Grasser came to Vienna and set up a small business that he continued to expand. After his death, the company passed into the possession of his son Carl, who expanded it according to the circumstances of the time and, above all, brought the sword-sweeping business to what was then modern. Carl Grasser knew how to make his trade efficient as a businessman. He became an army supplier and soon after received the authorization to supply saber and fencing props for the military academies, the gymnastics and fencing instructor course, the riding school, the various cadet schools, the oriental academy, etc.

Due to the high quality of his products, Grasser was appointed supplier to the imperial and royal court and was allowed to purchase “kuk Hof-Army-Waffen- u. Fencing props manufacturer. He was also a chamber supplier to Archduke Eugene of Austria-Teschen . Later he was given the title of imperial purveyor to the German court for the production of an artistically crafted honorary saber for Feldzeugmeister Freiherr von Schönfeld , which the German Kaiser had entrusted to him . He also became supplier to the Imperial and Royal Lower Austrian Lieutenancy and supplier to Duke Philipp von Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his company, Grasser received numerous honors, which also bear witness to his personal popularity. After his death, the business was continued by his heirs. The company was the first in its branch around 1900 and was a leader in terms of the tasteful and artistic execution of its products for the audience at the time. Grasser only sold edged weapons, his weapons production was considered exemplary in terms of its technical equipment and was one of the most efficient in the monarchy.

Auctions

To this day, Grasser products fetch very high prices at auctions. An example is a very rare infantry saber from 1902 as a shooting prize from the emperor. The saber is 95.5 cm long and fluted on both sides, the front and back are decorated with etched inscriptions and the manufacturer shows "Carl Grasser HF & Army Goods Factory Vienna" and for the blade brand "Echt Damast Eisenhauer / Solingen". A minimum price of € 1,000 was requested for this blade.

Awards

  • Grasser was awarded the Franz Joseph Order .
  • His son is mentioned in the book of honor of the Austro-Hungarian Wehrmacht: those who won awards in World War I , Volume 1.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Carl Grasser. In: Anniversary number of the imperial Wiener Zeitung 1703-1903. Supplement commercial part. Alfred von Lindheim. Druck und Verlag KK Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, Vienna, August 8, 1903, p. 93 , accessed on August 23, 2009 .
  2. ↑ Feldzeugmeister Freiherr von Schönfeld. In: Austrian Biographical Lexicon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Volume 11, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 1999, ISBN 3-7001-2803-7 , p. 70 f. (Direct links on p. 70 , p. 71 ). Retrieved August 25, 2009
  3. ^ Austria infantry saber as Kaiser shooting price , 1902. In: 2nd auction. Winkler Auctions, August 23, 2009, archived from the original on March 7, 2016 ; Retrieved August 23, 2009 .
  4. ↑ Book of Honor of the Austro-Hungarian Wehrmacht: The Winner in World War I, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. War Archives, Vaterländisches Archiv Verlag, 1917
personal data
SURNAME Grasser, Carl
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian arms manufacturer
DATE OF BIRTH October 1, 1845
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna
DATE OF DEATH October 1, 1902
Place of death Vienna