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
Janson Auguste
Here a
shotgun to two juxtaposed barrels, external hammers, key enters the hammers,
signed A. Janson patented in Liege on the tape. The forearm is not origin.
Markings
EL:
provisional test since 1852
Perron:
inspection since 1853
12C in
vertical rhombus: gauge weapon between 1898 and 1924
V under star:
countermark of the controller since 1877
ELG in
oval under crown: acceptance between 1893 and 1968.
AF under
crown: punch of the house Auguste Francotte, the manufacturer of rifle
Choke
17.6 over 18.0: that means that the barrels are chokes. In use between 1910 and
1924.
JB on 7:
not identified.
41269:
undoubtedly the number of the weapon.
Signed on
tape A. Janson Patented in Liege. This Mister indeed deposited patent 033553 in
1873 bearing on a system of closing to the weapons undertaking by the breech,
but it corresponds of nothing to the weapon in question like you can see on the
drawing joint. One can thus suppose that the weapon was actually manufactured by
the Francotte house as a subcontractor of Auguste Janson who put his name on the
tape, by recalling that it - also - had deposited a patent “in illo tempore”.
We do not
have the dates of activities of this Janson house.
According
to the punches, one can conclude that the weapon was manufactured between 1910
and 1924.
GP
Janson Auguste under all reserves
How to give the origin of a weapon without being able to examine the least punch?
Mark LEFAUCHEUX could direct us towards France but it is true that authentic LEFAUCHEUX were manufactured in Liege where Lefaucheux had an establishment with the 13 quay of Fragnée.
Remain the crowned mark AJ, Who’s Who arms manufacture of Liège gives us several possibilities in the fork of approximate dates (1855/1880), namely:
JACQUEMART Andre, deposits 10 patents between 1866 and 1874.
JANSEN Adolphe (BE 1859/1884) deposits 9 patent of which modifications and improvements with the system of Lefaucheux rifles!
JANSON Auguste deposits 1 patent in 1873.
JAVAUX Auguste (1864/1865)
GG
I am sending here pictures of a revolving pinfire rifle (15mm). I can read several letters on the side of the barrel that seem to form part of the word Lefaucheux. Also on the side of the barrel it is marked with crown over AJ and the number 2502, the number 1317 is marked on the lower part of frame. The barrel on this rifle is 63.5 cm long and overall it is 109.5 cm long. There are lugs on the front part of the barrel to hold a knife, I understand that these rifles were made for So. America, especially for hunting wild pigs and other animals. Since the ammunition was quite expensive the knife was attached for the coup de grace. I have seen one other such rifle here but it was in terrible condition.
Richard
