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
Copy of the Henri Pieper's Rationnel
Here is a
juxtaposed shotgun of Liège manufacture (undoubtedly the second of a pair since
one sees a 2 on the opening key), passed by the Proofhouse of Liège and that of
Vienna, and sold by a arms manufacturer of Bratislava, Jozsef Seifert.
At first
glance, the weapon has a great family resemblance with the rifle "Le Rationnel"
(mark registered by Henri Pieper on November 16, 1896, whereas the rifle already
existed in 1894). Not only by the (hard) arming lever of the firing pin on the
left of the weapon, but also by the manufacture of the barrels (see Michel
Druart's book: Bayard Les hommes, les armes et les machines du Chevalier, Pieper
& Cie, 1859-1957). It is probably a copy made after the expiry of the patent,
probably filed around 1893/94.
Markings
ELG on
star in crowned oval:
acceptance, after 1893;
16 on C
in vertical rhombus:
the calibre, in use between 1898 and 1924;
Peron:
inspection, as from 1893;
EL: provisional test, as from 1852;
D=65 mm
out of 18. 7:
length of the chamber in mm and diameter, between 1892 and 1924;
P 1KG457.
7:
weight of the barrel, between 1892 and 1924;
Lion on
SCH:
optional test with powder without smoke, as from 1891;
X under
star:
countermark of a controller, in use since 1877;
JC: it could be the gunner Joseph Cap, active at the beginning of the XXe
century;
NPv:
punch of the Proofhouse of Vienna; there is also another punch of an eagle with
the large spread wings which I did not identify: it resembles an Austrian punch
for the control of the ammunition;
AP: not identified;
I do not
see an annual letter: the weapon thus probably dates from between 1913/14 (ten
years after the deposit of the patent) and 1921, the annual letters having been
introduced in 1922 (I do not know at which precise date).
GP with MD and MAX
Pubs and photos of the real Rational by Pieper Henri
