Some of the most beautiful work of this craftsman, and many others, are in this book “Liège Gunmakers through their Work. 1800 - 1950”.
For more detail see: LIEGE GUNMAKERS
Bernard E. (Emile or Eugène)
Here is a hunting rifle juxtaposed with external
hammers with rear plates: English butt, opening by the key in front of the
trigger guard. The pair of damask cannons comes from the
Manufacture
d’Armes E. Bernard de Liège (Emile or
Eugène).
As for
Rossi or Bossi Intra on the locks, unknown to the battalion.
Given the
difference in quality between the pair of barrels and the rest, one member of
the team favors a re-assembly.
However, I have a "problem" when I notice the few
punches on the barrels: I only see 17.0 (caliber in mm), EL (provisional test)
and the trademark
EB crowned with a star in an oval.
It’s not enough... No ELG, no step, no controller’s countermark, etc.
It must
be said that the barrels are no longer twenty years old and have suffered...
GP with the help of PHL.
Bernard E. (Emile or Eugène)
BELGIAN DOUBLE BARREL PINFIRE SHOTGUN / RIFLE, EMILE
BERNARD, 19th
C. THE 2ND
HALF, LIEGE, BELGIUM.
Origin:
Belgium.
Pinfire lock with two hammers, precisely chiseled and
engraved in floral motifs. Wooden stock with iron back and the ring for a belt.
Gold incrusted E. BERNARD between barrels.
Barrels with several marks underneath: 274 / 19044 / T 16 (caliber) / AD / L
under the crown (controller’s stamp) / E.BERNARD / CANNONIER (maker’s mark,
partially damaged) / I7.2 / illegible stamp (probably English style ciphers EL,
Liege provisional test, in use from 1852 till our days) / K under the crown
(controller’s stamp) / ELG above the star in the vertical oval (Liege prove mark
until 1893 by Banc d’Epreuves de Liege). Lock with repeated marks: number 274 /
controllers stamps – K and J under the crown.
Emile
BERNARD – Manufacture d’Armes de precision E. Bernard, Belgium, Liege, 56 rue
Mont-Saint-Martin (Manufacture of precision arms E. Barnard), company founded in
1845 specialized in de luxe hunting arms. BERNARD used the best alloys available
to produce his rifles, particularly named ÉCLAIR and ANINIT.
Length -
116 cm.
Bibliography:
Les armuriers Liégeois à travers leurs réalisation.
1800 -
1950. (Liège gunmakers through their work.
1800 – 1950). ALAIN
DAUBRESSE (see page 73).
Le Qui est Qui de
l’Armurerie Liégeoise (Who’s who in Liege’s armpury), DRUART M & GADISSEUR G.
Editions Atlantica -2005.
Catalogue E.BERNARD
before 1924.
Piotr D.
(With my
grateful thanks)
Bernard E. (Emile or Eugène)
Here’s a
“Bernard” rifle, the last one in my stock.
Caliber
16 pinfire with side key closure type “snake tail”
- E.
Bernard on barrel;
- E.
Bernard cannonier under the barrel (the “C” was also erased when the ELG punch
was struck);
- punches
ELG, perron, EL interlaced, K starry; thus classic;
- on the
other hand, the manufacturer’s punch differs: it is unfortunately illegible, but
the oval is turned in the opposite direction of the usual (perpendicular to the
axis of the barrels);
You can
see that the breech are adorned with a griffon, drowned in the engravings: head
facing forward, twisted tail ending at the rear. Unfortunately, there is no
signature or marking to indicate its manufacture or resale.
Gilles
Bernard (Emile or Eugène)
Here is a very classic pinfire cartridge shotgun with the
Lefaucheux type wrench.
It is signed Jacques Brun at the Donjon (in the Allier)
but the rifle is made from Liège, signed by E. Bernard Breveté.
Damascus guns.
Marking
EB under crown in oval: more than likely the brand of an
Emile/Eugene Bernard active in the second half of the nineteenth century;
Peron: inspection since 1853;
ELG on star in oval: acceptance between 1846 and 1893;
17. 9: diameter in mm, i. e. a size of 14 (?, not
common....);
N crowned: countermark of a controller between 1893 and
1877.
According to the Jarlier/Buigné, Jacques Brun filed
patents between 1850 and 1858 for an improvement to the tilting rifle, but I am
almost certain that this has nothing to do with the rifle in question.
As for Bernard, he began his activities in 1845.
GP with the help of HPH
Bernard (Emile or Eugène)
It is
about a shotgun pinfire with two barrels in Damas ribbons placed in table. The
hammers with pins are external. The double trigger is under trigger guard. The
opening of the two lower levers (double key) is practiced by slipping them
towards the line.
It
carries the punches of the proofhouse of Liege, attesting its manufacturing in
this city, namely:
ELG* in
a vertical oval:
final acceptance, of use of 1846 to 1893.
Peron:
inspection, of use of 1853 to our days.
V
crowned:
countermark of the controller, of use of 1853 to 1877.
EL in
English letters:
provisional test, of use of 1852 to our days.
17.4:
gauge in mm.
The
weapon also carries the following marks:
EB
crowned in a circle:
mark of the manufacturer of the weapon: Bernard Emile or Eugene
Crowned
ST
(read so well because partially unobtrusive): without answer?
LJ and
LS:
marks of sub contractor not identified.
PEYRRIN
in GRENOBLE isn't the manufacturer of the weapon but well the dealer French on
whom I do not have any detail.
GG
