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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

Kaufmann Jules

Here is a classic hunting rifle juxtaposed to external hammers of Belgian manufacture which has also been tested at the proofhouse of Vienna to undergo the test with smokeless powders (it is engraved on the barrel); pistol butt, toe rest, key between the hammers. It was sold by Nik. Szailer & C° established in Vienna in 1866. He’s got a long history. It was manufactured between 1910 and 1924. Probably by Jules Kaufmann, with Lochet-Habran barrels.

The markings

Peron: inspection of the Liège proofhouse, in use since 1853;

Lion on PV: powder proof, in use since 1898;

v, j and u under star: countermarks of controllers, in use since 1877

D=65 by 20.6: chamber length and diameter in mm after the optional smokeless powder test, in use between 1892 and 1924;

EL: provisional proof, in use since 1852;

CHOKE 17.4 out of 18.1: indication that guns are choked; in use between 1910 and 1924;

12 on C in vertical diamond: calibre, in use between 1898 and 1924;

ELG on star in crowned oval: accepted, in use since 1893;

P.1K416.9: gun weight, in use between 1892 and 1924;

Cockerill steel: type of steel used;

NPv: hallmark of the Vienna Test Bench; there is also a C 18.3 and a C 17.5 (each time the point is at the top of the letter: I presume it is the diameter).

The good eyes of one member of the team led him to formulate three assumptions about the rifle.

1°: the word on the band between the guns could be IDEAL: a trademark registered by Jules Kaufmann in 1890.

The latter used Lochet-Habran barrels whose trade initials were ACL, corresponding initials.

(For completeness, the member also suggested ACLB for Lhermitte and Bruyninx, and ACM for the Manufacture liégeoise d’armes à feu). We also see a punch/mark, an eagle with extended wings (on the last photo). No suggestion so far.

We can’t find much on Nik. Szailer in Vienna:

There was an article wien.pdf (streleckarevue.cz) in the Czech language in October 2000, which includes the name of the company Henri Pieper...

The gunmaker was well known at the time and published catalogues of hunting and precision firearms.

It was located at 18 Rotenturmstrasse, according to expert Ing. Martin Kruschitz between approx. 1890-1910.

But the name of the company still appears in an industrial and commercial directory of 1928...

GP with the help of PHL.

KAUFMANN Jules

It is about a copy of Liège of a revolver COLT 1851 Navy with percussion (cap & ball). The weapon of which description is not any more to make would be “BROOKLYN BRIDGE” name given because of the coarse engraving of boats on the cylinder. These weapons were manufactured in LIEGE to the war 1914. They were intended for export and more particularly the Turkish market.

The weapon carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of tests of LIEGE, namely:

ELG* in a crowned oval: final acceptance post 1893.

Superimposed and spangled AT: countermark of the controller post 1877.

The weapon also carries the following marks:

LEPAGE A LIEGE: this firm well-known inhabitant of Liège was taken again by KAUFMAN Jules in 1890, this last A nevertheless kept the mark.

Crowned JK: mark of factory from KAUFMAN Jules, street of Augustins, 26 in LIEGE. It was registered with the proofhouse of 1890 to 1914.

I could not decipher the words engraved on the top of the console. It is probably about the corporate name of a foreign retailer?

Herewith: logo on a letter of the company.

KAUFMANN Jules & Cie.

Manufacturer of weapons.

Liège (06/10/1896).

Rue des Augustins, 26 Liège (29/11/1899).

House founded in 1790.

Old house Lepage.

Deposit manufacture marks.

N° 794 – Liège 06/10/1896

N° 957 – Liège 29/11/1899

N° 1058 – Liège 31/10/1901

N° 1128 – Liège 26/02/1903

Deposit belgian patent.

n° 109122 - 16/03/1894 Amendments with dismountable barrel rifles.

n° 122597 - 08/07/1896 Safety applied to the trigger of the revolvers.

n° 129020 - 09/06/1897 Revolver without gas loss.

n° 153585 - 06/12/1900 Improvements with the rifles Martiny imitation.

n° 161932 - 07/03/1902 New closing of revolvers.

n° 164900 - 31/07/1902 System of assembly of the two barels of the shotguns. n° 185053 - 02/06/1905 Extractor-ejector for tilting barrels weapons

Kaufmann Jules et Cie

The weapon

Without the photographs of the weapon complete, difficult to give a description of it.

I then however to say that it is about a shotgun to double barrels, juxtaposed, smooth, of gauge 16.

Punches

The weapon carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of Liege, namely:

X and AE spangled: countermarks of the controllers post 1877.

Peron: inspection post 1853.

PV surmounted of a stylized lion: test with the powder without smoke, of use of 1898 to 1968.

16 C in a rhombus: gauge, of use of 1898 to 1924.

Choke 16.2/16.7 and 16.7/16.8: chokes barrels: gauged in mm to 22 cm of the breech and the mouth. In use of 1910 to 1924.

D = 65/18.0: Length of the room in mm and diameter in mm after optional test with the powder without smoke. In use of 1892 to 1924.

P = 1K 59. (?): Weight of the barrel which can draw from the powders without fume (smooth weapons). In use of 1892 to 1924.

Period of manufacture of the weapon: between 1910 and 1914.

Marks

Letters ACL in a circle: mark of factory of Laurent LOCHET-HABRAN in Jupille (Liege) manufacturer of weapons and barrels of rifles. From 1884 to 1897, it deposited three arms patents (See more on our site).

Condor with the wings spread with mark CONDOR: it is about a trade mark the 05.12.1911, by the manufacturer of weapons KAUFMANN Jules and Co, street of Augustins, 26 with

Liege. This company was registered with the registers of the bench of tests of Liege of 1890 to 1914.

STEEL COCKERIL: type of steel of Liège used by LOCHET to manufacture the barrels.

Official test for powder without smoke: advertizing indication. Without more comments.

16198: serial number.

Jules Kaufmann & Cie

Revolver of Liège of the type "velo-dog" with external hammer and folding trigger.

This type of weapon was manufactured in hundreds of thousands of specimens by industry of Liège.

The manufacturer

The crowned J.K. belongs to the manufacturer Jules KAUFMANN & Co street of Augustins, 26 in Liege and registered with the bench of test of 1890 to 1914.

Mark VEL struck by manufacturing indicates that it acts of a velodog.