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
DEMARTEAU-FASTRE Désiré Gilles Joseph.
Inscription with the Liege Proof House 1913/1945.
Gun Manufacturer.
527 Rue Hayeneux, Herstal (1920-1922) (Ann.1924).
171 Rue Hayeneux, Herstal (Ann.1959).
Registered TRADE marks :
N° 2542 – Liège 22/11/1920.
N° 2664 – Liège 05/08/1921.
N° 2773 – Liège 28/03/1922.
2 patents registered in Belgium (Break open shotgun).
Mark:
Demarteau Fastre Désiré G.J.
It is here about a rifle of hunting to rifled bores and juxtaposed of calibre 9,3 x74R.
The lock is of hammerless type with safety with slide of the Galand type.
The barrels are out of bronzed nickel steel. They carry the mark ACIER SPECIAL COMPRIME CAP AU NICKEL (SPECIAL STEEL COMPRESSES CAP WITH NICKEL) and a head of eagle partially unobtrusive.
The forearm with catch of squared hand is with button.
Mounting is worked “pistol” with catch of squared hand.
The weapon carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of Liege, namely:
ELG on star in an oval under crown: acceptance post 1893.
T under star: countermark of the controller post 1877.
Peron: inspection post 1853.
PV surmounted of a stylized lion: test with the powder without smoke, of use of 1898 to 1968.
R under crowned: rifled bores, of use of 1894 to 1968.
Small letter e underlined: yearly letter of 1966. (Year of manufacture of your weapon)
B BLINDEE: (Armoured ammunition) rifled bores of gauge higher than 22 for lined balls. In use of 1910 to 1968.
1Kg 684: weight of the barrel which can draw from the powders without smoke (weapons smooth) except for the gram. In use of 1924 to our days. This marking seems in opposition with the precedent and I am unaware of the reason of it?
13085: job number.
9,3 X 74R: European calibre.
Acier spécial comprimé CAP au nickel (Special steel compressed CAP with nickel): The head of eagle is a trade mark by the manufacturer of barrels of rifles Jean FALLA 35 street Bonne New in LIEGE (see website)
Fait par DEMARTEAU à HERSTAL Belgique (Manufactured by DEMARTEAU with HERSTAL Belgium: it is about the mark of manufacturer DEMARTEAU-FASTRE Désiré G.J street Hayeneux, 171 in Herstal.
GG
Demarteau Fastre Désiré G.J.
The weapon
It is about a shotgun to juxtaposed unrifled bores of gauge 16.
The opening is made using a key “Top Lever” accompanied by a safety to slide of the Galand type.
The stick is cut way pistol.
The weapon carries on its metal parts a nice engraved of animalist but not signed.
Punches
It carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of Liege, namely:
ELG on star in an oval crowned: final acceptance post 1893.
EL in English letters: provisional test, of use of 1852 to our days.
F and U crowned: countermarks of the controllers post 1877. The list of these controllers after 1912 is always available but the preceding one of the XIXe century disappeared!
However these two punches correspond well to the two inspectors of which you announce the name, the weapon having been manufactured after 1924. This information gives us dates of function to the proofhouse but don’t deliver us the exact date of manufacture. We estimate it for what concerns us between 1924 and 1945!
Peron: inspection of use of 1853 to our days. This peron is a monument impossible to circumvent of the town of Liege representing its freedoms since XVe century. This monument is installed in front of the communal house of this city.
16-65 in an omega lying: gauge nominal and length of the casing. In use from June 30, 1924 at our days.
CHOKE 17.0: chokes barrels: gauged to 22 cm of the breech. In use of June 30, 1924 to February 26, 1968.
Like known as above, they are the lawful punches for this weapon itself, it thus does not miss any as you seem to think it?
Markings
DDF: it is about a trademark deposited by DEMARTEAU-FASTRE Désiré Gilles Joseph, which was registered with the proofhouse of 1913 to 1945. He was a manufacturer of weapons with HERSTAL (Liege) street Hayeneux, 527 (then 171)
He deposited during this period two patents for rifles with rocker and three trademarks of which DUM-DUM. (see marking in appendix)
Aug.Jung Vieran b/Suhl: mark engraved on the tape of the barrels and pertaining without question to the retailer of this weapon.
D crowned: it acts indeed as you announce it of a trade mark in 1921 by DELCOUR DUPONT Jean industrial manufacturer of barrels of rifles to Nessonvaux.
Coupled CJ: mark deposited the 25.09.1912 per CAPE Joseph, industrialist, street Jonruelle, 62 in LIEGE. He was a manufacturer of barrels of rifles of 1904 to 1920. He deposited during this period four patents for manufactoring processes of the barrels of rifles.
6605 and 12269: do they are indeed job numbers without however being able to determine with what they correspond exactly nor to which manufacturer?
GG
