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
Comblain
"Comblain Breveté à Paris" - An advertising statement !?
Comblain Hubert
Here is a pistol certainly very rare because unknown to the specialists I consulted. Moreover, it has been sold, so I have not been able to ask what calibre it is. If it is the “original” calibre in 11x50 R, hello the damage to the wrist... Even the 11x42 R must also hurt...
It is of course based on the model of the 1870 "bronze" rifle of the Belgian Civic Guard.
Only the mention Comblain patented and n°2686 appear on this pistol.
No proof marks were photographed.
There is also a crowned C ( ?) R on the right side and P 80, which could be a regimental mark.
It is known that Comblain rifles and rifles have also been exported, notably to South America, notably to Brazil, which ordered rifles with steel casings, as well as to Chile. And it seems he's also in Greece.
But I am well aware that all this does not tell us for which country it was made...
GP
Comblain Hubert
H.
Comblain
revolver with ejection rod system coupled to loading door (following patent of
17 November 1859). I have the impression that they are not very common!
-
caliber 12 mm pinfire with single and double action.
- length
29 cm.
- markings: the Liège ELG and G crowned on the cylinder;
and FD on handle flange (subcontractor?);
H. Comblain breveté filler on the left side of the barrel console;
No. 12280 on the right stick plate: I do not know what a number (especially that high) struck on the outside of the wood could correspond to, which is usually found only on military weapons.
No numbers are struck on the other parts.
Finish:
barrel and barrel bronzed black; the rest in grey temper.
Gilles
Comblain 1888
Here is an uncommon Comblain type rifle, probably the 1888 model for forest rangers or rangers. The caliber is the 11 mm x 50 R Comblain identical to that of the Civic Guard.
Of all the control stamps, we can identify the
GB in an oval,
indicating that the weapon is the property of the Belgian Government.
The
EGB on a star in an oval
shows that the weapon has been tested according to the standards of the Belgian
Government.
1889 is
almost certainly the year of manufacture.
Unlike the Comblains of the Civic Guard (1870 and 1882), the bayonet is fixed by a tenon located under the barrel and not on the right side. The bayonet of the forest rangers / rangers is lighter than those of the Civic Guard.
GP
Comblain
This is
a revolver with central percussion and open box!
The 6-block barrel is smooth and engraved
with arabesque. The trigger is curved without a trigger guard. It folds under
the carcass to make it easier to put in the pocket.
The
barrel is round and likely rifled? He’s wearing a front sight that seems to me
to be truncated? The weapon is
equipped with an L-shifted lever which, when operated downwards, disassociates
the barrel block from the carcass.
The
crestless hammer indicates that it is a single action weapon only. The grips is
in grid and carved walnut!
The
weapon bears the statutory marks of the Liège proofhouse, namely:
ELG* in a vertical oval: definitive acceptance in use from 1846 to 1893.
Crowned
V:
Controller’s countermark, in use from 1853 to 1877.
The weapon also bears the mark
Comblain
breveté which only partially identifies the
inventor who worked between 1853 and 1877 according to the above stamp.
These
could include:
Comblain Dieudonné Joseph, who filed patents between 1850 and 1853.
Comblain Hubert and Lambin who filed patents between 1868 and 1870. But they involve the famous Comblain lever-action rifle.
Comblain
Hubert
who filed patents between 1852 and 1860.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to get my hands on a patent for this weapon,
so I am left in the dark?
GG
Comblain
Modest arms manufacturer from Cheratte (Visé - Liège).
As soon as 1867, he presented at the Belgian army tests a breech loading rifle with a breech block rising backwards. He then created a resolutely modern gun with a falling block, produced by the firm “Lambin and Co”.
In 1869, the new Comblain rifle with block falling, manufactured by house Lambin and Co was subjected to severe tests.
Finally accepted, it will be issued in 1870 to the Chasseurss and in 1871 to the civic guard. On the first models thr breech and a majority of parts were made of phosphorous bronze. Later, all the parts will be made of steel.
Comblain "Prix du gouvernement"
Many thanks to the "ROYAL ARMY MUSEUM" Bruxelles and especially the section "ARMES PORTATIVES".
(N° d'identification : V726 - Salle historique - Bijoutière 16)
Photos Littlegun
Comblain subcaliber adaptor
This is a Comblain cartridge subcaliber adaptor of 6,5 X 8,6 R.caliber.
The headstamp indicates a Belgian manufacture and more particularly in Brussels: the “A” in relief, indicates the old cartridge factories of Anderlecht.
This ammunition is intended for a dummy Comblain cartridge bored through with a hole to the same diameter as this cartridge and intended for shooting reduced loads when training of the recruits.
Manufactured since 1902.
jfro.
Comblain D.J.
This is a nice pepperbox made of a beautiful Damascus steel with 4 screwed-in barrels and with the ignition area protected by an anti-spitting shield.
This firing is done by a lower firing pin actuated by a ring, like in the MARIETTE pepperbox .
This gun bears the Liege acceptance stamp used from1846 to 1893.
It is also stamped D.J. COMBLAIN BREVETE on the lower part of the grip strap.
Dieudonné Joseph COMBLAIN was a gunsmith in TREMBLEUR, near Liege.
From 1850 to 1855, he registered eight Belgian patents one of which concerning improvements for this gun i.e to the revolving system of the gun.
He also worked on a two shot gun, on improvements to a gun with several hammers and only one trigger and on a needle pistol , with several shots and only one barrel.
GG
Comblain Dieudonné Joseph
Photos Littlegun
