Badgecrazy
1985 Lovena Czech Double Barrelled Shotgun & Rifle Maker Stag Trophy Pin Badge
1985 Lovena Czech Double Barrelled Shotgun & Rifle Maker Stag Trophy Pin Badge
Couldn't load pickup availability
- A 1985, gold coloured metal hunting themed pin from former Czechoslovakia, the badge face is 2cm high and has a long, stick pin style fastener to the rear. Featuring the text Lovena and the words 65 LET meaning 65 years. The pin commemorates the company's 65th anniversary.
- Lovena was formed sometime after World War 1 when artisans of weapon design formed a joint union to strengthen the precarious businesses owned by the small number of weapon smiths who were making fine weapons. World war one had introduced a sudden demand for mass produced guns and gradually the demand for guns that were also works of art recovered.
Lovena was formed in Prague from 10 small, privately owned, gunsmiths and they had their inaugural meeting in 1920. At first their businesses reestablished themselves by repairing privately owned hunting guns.
By 1935 there were 28 full time workers including a number of engravers.
Around this time Lovena started producing their own hunting magazine that also served to advertise their products. Prior to World War 2 the company were producing Remington rifles and self loading shotguns using parts imported from all over the world.
This Inter-war period of gun manufacture produced some of the finest works of gunsmithmanship and weapons from this period are highly collectable.World War 2 arrived and Lovena's production facilities were once again diverted from craftsmanship to mass production and repair and the workforce expanded to over 140 employees and apprentices.
In 1948, communism and the lack of foreign gun supplies forced Lovena to produce a very limited number of artisan rifles and shotguns but repair and supply of gun components across Czechoslovakia ensured the company survived as it still does today.
