Carl Walther GmbH

Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen , or simply Walther, is a German weapon manufacturer, and a subsidiary of the PW Group. Founded by Carl Walther in 1886, the company has manufactured firearms and air guns at its facility in Germany for more than 100 years. Walther Arms, Inc. is the United States Walther business unit and is based in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

The history of Walther started with the factory created by Matthias Conrad Pistor who was the chief armorer of the Kassel Armory. Pistor is the ancestor of the Walther family. This plant was operating in 1780 and made pistols and other weapons. It was the granddaughter of Gustave Wilhelm Pistor who married August Theodore Walther whose son Carl Wilhelm Freund established the factory that employed apprentice Carl Walther. This small shop was established in 1886 in Zella-Mehlis, in what is today Thuringia. The company originally manufactured hunting and target rifles.
Then in 1888, he married Minna Georgine Pickert, daughter of Christian Friedrich Pickert, from the well established revolver manufacturer "Arminius Waffenwerk", in the same town.

Wikipedia