DOLLA
Most were apparently produced in Germany between WWI and WWII and may have been produced by several makers.They were especially promoted by Darlow of Bedford, England and Midland Gun Company of Birmingham, England. All are very solid and have very low power. The name came from the fact that the guns were priced at about the equivalent of an American dollar at the time of their introduction (SP, SS, .l77 cal.).
Noted European airgun historian, John Atkins, indicates that the term Dolla, strictly speaking, should be applied only to models produced after 1927. Earlier, similar appearing pistols, perhaps first produced about 1895 by the Langenhan and Eisenwerke Gaggenau factories in Zella Mehlis, Germany, never had this name applied to them while they were in production. Typical specimens bear cast letter names such as "BRITISH CUB" or "CUB". The recent Dolla pistols typically have a trigger guard with a completely rounded opening while the similar, older, pre-Dolla versions typically had the upper rear area of the trigger guard opening with a distinct right angle profile. The pre-Dolla versions are worth significantly more.
Push barrel air pistols with sheet metal trigger guards, as made by Anschütz, and perhaps others, as early as 1930, had graduated to the designation of Dolla Mark II.
Dolla values range from about $100 to $700 depending on model, condition, and case. Ref: AG Jan. 2005.
Noted European airgun historian, John Atkins, indicates that the term Dolla, strictly speaking, should be applied only to models produced after 1927. Earlier, similar appearing pistols, perhaps first produced about 1895 by the Langenhan and Eisenwerke Gaggenau factories in Zella Mehlis, Germany, never had this name applied to them while they were in production. Typical specimens bear cast letter names such as "BRITISH CUB" or "CUB". The recent Dolla pistols typically have a trigger guard with a completely rounded opening while the similar, older, pre-Dolla versions typically had the upper rear area of the trigger guard opening with a distinct right angle profile. The pre-Dolla versions are worth significantly more.
Push barrel air pistols with sheet metal trigger guards, as made by Anschütz, and perhaps others, as early as 1930, had graduated to the designation of Dolla Mark II.
Dolla values range from about $100 to $700 depending on model, condition, and case. Ref: AG Jan. 2005.
The Dolla name appeared about 1927 as a general designation for a number of push barrel air pistols with a cast one-piece grip and frame of distinctive shape but typically with no maker’s name.