[EdD]

Here is an updated count by type and manufacturer. There are only 291 cases in my database (based on Bill's work and updates when I come across new examples). The #3 is the least common by a significant amount. Even with the small number of observations.

Thanks for your work, Bill (Humble Pie).

Model Total Examples* 2 2a 3 3a Bergmann 23 13 3 5 2 8% Lignose 268 52 96 18 103 92% 291 65 99 23 105 22% 34% 8% 36%

 

[EdD]

I took the opportunity to update my spreadsheet and tumble the numbers a bit. I think that it now includes all of the examples that were posted on this thread as well as others that I came across.

I think that the tables are pretty self explanatory but if not just ask.

	Total Examples including incomplete
Bergmann	27	8%
Lignose	296	92%
	323
=========================================
Count of Examples
		Model
	Total Examples*	2	2a	3	3a
Bergmann	25	14	3	6	2	8%
Lignose	293	58	106	20	109	92%
	318	72	109	26	111
		23%	34%	8%	35%
	* Only complete pistols.
=========================================
% of Occurrances by Model Within Manufacturer
	Total Examples*	2	2a	3	3a
Bergmann	25	56%	12%	24%	8%	100%
Lignose	293	20%	36%	7%	37%	100%
	318
=========================================
% Occurances by Model and Manufacturer vs Total
		Model
	Total Examples*	2	2a	3	3a
Bergmann	25	4%	1%	2%	1%	8%
Lignose	293	18%	33%	6%	34%	92%
	318
=========================================
Count of Examples
		Model
	Total Examples*	2a	3a
Steel	161	76	85	79%
Brass	43	25	18	21%
None
	204	101	103

 

[EdD]

Absolutely. I will get the spreadsheet hosted someplace and then post the link.

 

[EdD]

OK, these are links to the files that will allow you to download them. The DB is in Excel and has 3 tabs. Pretty self explanatory but a bit idiosyncratic. I put prices realized in only sporadically and only recently started noting when additions were made. I put the slide markings in only when I could copy them from an image. Again, a bit sporadic.
This DB was the idea of Humble Pie and added to by members of this forum, I only tidyed up the place for company
http://www.mediafire.com/file/9f3r5936cdc3nql/Bergmann-Lignose DB.xls

I took the images of the Lignose manual and assembled them into a PDF
http://www.mediafire.com/file/sbu5nb2uqyseey8/Manual.pdf/file

 

[EdD]

I plotted the incidence of cocker material, or lack thereof. I think that the end of "brass" coincided with the period of German hyperinflation where the cost of copper became astronomical. A finer economically inclined mind than mine is called for.

 

[EdD]

It would be nice to be able to assign s/ns to dates.

 

[EdD]

This is from an historical repository of prices of goods. The graph shows the cost of copper peaking in June of 1923. This is sorta meaningless from an explanatory point of view without a companion graph of steel prices. That said, this reference
http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Matter/Costs.html
suggests a 10:1 relationship between Copper Alloys and steel on an equal volume basis. There are other issues like the value of scrap and the cost of machining and so on but it seems like a reasonable conjuncture to suggest that the end of brass cockers resulted from economic conditions in Germany in the 1920's.

You could also suggest, I suppose, that the softer brass gave reliability problems and was replaced for that reason and, perhaps, increased costs hastened it's demise. Thing is that no brass cocker equipped pistol that I have examined has shown wear or damage to the cocker that would have resulted in a consumer complaint.

I vote for cost, your mileage may vary

 

[EdD]

I think so. It was about making money, not purity for future collectors.