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
GERVAIS Nicolas
This is a
shotgun juxtaposed pinfire in a wrecked state (widespread corrosion, a broken
hammer and the second one missing). The metal parts retain traces of engraving
(floral motifs). The barrels appear to have been made from Damascus steel. It
was supposed to be a good weapon in better days...
Markings,
stamps:
An
unidentified letter in a crown.
ELG on
star in an oval: stamp of the test bench from 8 September 1846 to 11 July 1893.
Peron
(little step): inspection, in use from 1853 to the present day.
EL in
English cursives: Liège punch for provisional black powder proofs, in use from
1852 to the present day.
17.2:
Choke 17.
Nas
GERVAIS
on the lock: for Nicolas GERVAIS,
the manufacturer.
Nas
GERVAIS
in Antwerp on the barrel strip: name and address of the manufacturer.
Nicolas
GERVAIS
is mentioned in The Address Book of the City of Antwerp 1877 - 1878 as a
gunsmith and cutler, Milk Market. The Gervais family had 3 workshops in Antwerp
where they made firstly high-end hunting rifles, and secondly a whole range of
military equipment for the soldiers of the army (gamelles, cutlery, daggers,
spear and spear points, belt buckles and various leathers, but not firearms).
Their 1878 and 1898 bayonets are best known, both with sawtooth backs and marked
EG near the guard.
This shotgun was manufactured by Nicolas GERVAIS in Antwerp and tested in Liège
between 1853 and 1893 according to identifiable markings.
Anecdote:
It should
be noted that it was a descendant of this family: Charles Gervais who, in 1956,
set up a dairy in the disused premises of the Melkmarkt (Milk Market) in Antwerp
and invented the world-famous fresh cheese "Petit Gervais" (taken over by the
Danone Group).
Chris, Marcel, HPH, GP
