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
Closset J.M.
The weapon
It is about a revolver with central percussion and box frame of type “Bulldog”.
The carcass, the barrel and the cylinder could come from foundry.
The short barrel is striped and carries a front sight in half-moon.
The trigger under trigger guard is curved and smooth. The hammer and lock are not rebounding.
The cylinder with 6 rooms is grooved. Like the carcass, it carries a floral engraving.
The plates seem in fair horn to be connected by a transverse screw and two brass rivet washers.
The loading is practiced by the right side door dropping thanks to the action of an internal spring.
Unloading is practiced by the introduction, in turn, in each room of the metal rod swivelling on an axis.
Punches
The weapon carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of Liege, namely:
ELG on star in a crowned oval: final acceptance post 1893.
P spangled: countermark of the controller, of use of 1877 to 1968.
R crowned: rifled bore, of use of 1894 to 1968.
Marks
The manufacturer: obviously this one did not wish to be known since it did not leave any trademark on the weapon. This type of weapons was manufactured in hundreds of thousands of specimens in Liege and the majority are not identifiable.
On an amount of handle: letters JC, it’s probably about a mark of subcontractor who could be possibly allotted to CLOSSET J.M. manufacturer of Trembleur revolvers (close to Liege) in 1903. I’m obliged to remain in the vague bus these subcontractors who are made by it the real manufacturers, never were clearly identified by their marking!
On the barrel: C crowned, it is operated of a mark often met and always on the cylinder. It been able forever, to date, being identified with certainty. One think that it is about a mark of foundry.
2516: it is about a serial number.
66: could be a classification of workshop.
Remarks
You must know that to identify a weapon on photographs without having the leisure to examine it “visu” is a random exercise often causes errors.
I then thus to certify the type of steel used (crucible cast steel), nor with certainty matter of the plates of stick (horn or bone).
The punches are the only unquestionable elements being able to give us the approximate age of this part to knowing approximately 100 years!!
GG
