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
Croute & Deville
Overall length 270 mm, barrel lenght 143 mm. Cal 11 mm pinfire.
Marked as follows: On the barrel rib, near the cylinder frame: L. Deville Bté. On the cylinder: T. Croute Bté.
Theodore Croute of Mortier, is holder of 10 patents dated 1864-1880
Working:
At the end of the barrel rib, near the muzzle, a small locking bolt allows to unlock the rib an to pull it upwards, which actuates two other levers that push forward the lug and the cylinder for ejection of the empty shells and reloading.
However, the extraction disk is welded to the cylinder, exactly like on the Bruwier revolver !
Possible explanation:
When the lever/barrel rib is completely extended, the disk can expell the shells very easily, but lays in the way for reloading, causing the cartridges to jam between the disk and the cylinder, since there is no loading gate, nor any cut in the recoil shield.
That could explain why someone welded the disk to the cylinder.
P.A.
