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
Lepage / Kaufmann
Here a
beautiful rifle juxtaposed with external hammers, forearm with push rod, squared
"pistol" handle, lever enters the hammers, barrels more than probably to Damas,
marked Lepage in Liege. Locks and trigger guard are nicely engraved in
particular with animals.
Markings
ELG on
asterisk in crowned rhombus:
acceptance between 1893 and 1968
12 on C
in rhombus:
gauge of 1898 to 1924
Peron:
inspection since 1853
LC: quasi certainly the initial ones of Lucien Clement, gunner with
Nessonvaux
EL: provisional test since 1852
G under
asterisk:
countermark of the controller between 1877 and 1968
I am a
little astonished not to see a photograph(s) weight of the barrel (marking
introduces in 1892), of possible the chokes, length of the room (marking
introduces in 1892) since the weapon is after 1898. In the same way, I am a
little astonished to see such a rifle of beautiful invoice being with black
powder after 1898.
Finally and especially, I lose myself in the history
of the Lepage arms manufacturer:
if I read well “Who's who arms manufacture of Liège, the “Manufactory
Lepage” was activates of 1919 to 1961. This
rifle former to this period since is thus marked “simply”
Lepage in Liege.
However, according to publicity appearing on page 163 of “Who's who”, the
company exists since 1790. But how it signed its production being given all the
associations and recoveries largely evoked in “Who's who”...
In fact, I found the answer by consulting the Green
Paper on Trade Marks registered in Belgium between 1879 and 1960. It says that
the trademark “Lepage à Liège”
was filed on January 3, 1896 by
Jules Kaufmann,
rue Jonfosse, 127 in Liège. According to the “Who's Who of the Liège Armurerie”,
it can be read that
Jules Kaufmann et Cie
was an arms manufacturer registered on the proofhouse from 1890 to 1914. “In
fact, it is the old
Lepage house
founded in 1790. In 1890, they took over the
Piot-Lepage
business (BE 1886-1890) and in 1914 the business was taken over by
Lepage
Manufacture d’armes.
GP
