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
Mercenier Gérard
The revolver is marked: G. MERCENIER Bte 790
This is on the left hand side of the frame in front of the cylinder. Below this is marked CAL – the rest being lost in the refinish. There is the faintest sign of the first digit being a 4. The revolver will not chamber any .45 or .450 cartridges, but will accept a .44. Measuring the marks within the chamber, it would appear to be .44 Webley, or possibly .442 Revolver, as they are very similar.
The front of the cylinder has the stamping ELG over star in a circle, and Star over R.
The frame and most of the moving parts are stamped with the number 10.
The revolver functions in single and double action, and has provision for a rebounding hammer.
To open the cylinder, you press the catch on the frame between the 'Mercenier' name and the cylinder - which then opens to the right.
Using the knob underneath the frame, which has now moved slightly to the left, you grasp it and pull it upwards, which swings the cylinder all the way out to the right.
You then push the same knob forward, and the spring loaded ring extractor pushes out the cartridges. It rotates very slightly to the left as it moves the cartridges out of the cylinder, so when pressure on the knob is released, the empty cases no longer align perfectly with the cylinder bore, and as the ring extractor closes under spring pressure, they are pushed out by the body of the cylinder. Very clever!
Paul T.
England
Mercenier Gérard
Revolver of bulldog type of (large) caliber 500 Webley. The cylinder is with five chambers.
The barrel measures 108 mm and the overall length of the weapon is of 217 mm.
Punches
The weapon carries the lawful punches of the bench of tests of Liege, namely:
Spangled ELG in an oval: acceptance, of use of 1846 to 1893.
T spangled: countermark of the controller post 1877.
The manufacturer
MERCENIER Gerard arms manufacturer with BLEGNY (province of Liege) deposits in 1881 a Belgian patent for a system of extractor revolver independent of the barrel. On photographs, I unfortunately could not perhaps return account to me if this weapon were equipped with this system of extraction, you will be able to note it yourself with the weapon in hand.
If it were the case, you hold there, a not very current weapon with system.
The Museum of weapons of Liege preserves a revolver MERCENIER at 6 shots caliber 450 of them gone back to 1882 (ref. 5158)
GG
Mercenier Gérard
This revolver of LEVAUX Dieudonné was already evoked on our site.
MERCENIER Gerard of BLEGNY (province of Liege) was the manufacturer. It is known for two patents deposited in 1862 and 1864 for improvements with the revolvers.
Only one punch of the bench of tests of Liege is visible on the photographs is T spangled which is the countermark of the controller post 1877.
The mention ACIER FONDU (CRUCIBLE CAST STEEL) does without comment.
JT is a mark of subcontractor while the S in a circle would owe with my direction being a mark of the founder of cylinder.
GG
