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
Tholet Joseph
Here is a
shotgun with barrels juxtaposed to outside hammers and an opening key between
the hammers. Damascus barrels are marked Damascus Bernard. It is more than a
hundred years old, having been tried between 1898 and 1910.
Markings
ELG on
star in crowned oval: acceptance, in use since 1893;
Peron
(little step) : inspection since 1853;
Choke
17.4 : choke gun, in use between 1898 and 1910
12 C in
vertical diamond: calibre, in use between 1898 and 1924;
U (?)
under star: countermark of a controller, in use since 1877;
JJ:
Unidentified initials.
A member of the team with piercing eyes was able to
identify the initials
JTC crowned on
the rocker (I humbly admit that I had hardly noticed them given the “quality” of
the photos...) : these initials had been identified by my predecessor as
possibly those of
Joseph Tholet et Cie,
registered at the Liège proofhouse between 1890 and 1900. Which corresponds with
the other markings.
GP with the help of PHL and GG (†).
Tholet
The weapon
It acts of a revolver of the type BULLDOG, grips in ripping iron in gutta-percha molded - 9 mm central fire - 6 shots.
Curiously the handlebar in half-moon is at half-barrel for the good reason which it acts of a weapon intended for export towards South America where the short weapons were prohibited.
The border crossed without administrative obstacle, it was easy to bring back the gun to the desired length.
Punches
They are those of the proof test of Liege, namely:
Spangled ELG in an oval: acceptance of the test, of use of 1846 to 1893.
R crowned: rifled bore, of use of 1894 to 1868.
W spangled: countermark of the controller, of use of 1877 to 1968.
The manufacturer
THOLET Joseph and Co was registered with the proof tests of Liege of 1886 to 1900.
Retailer (?)
Does mark JA & C are unknown for me, perhaps act of a bad reading following wear and perhaps for the bad general state of the weapon, it would be necessary to read JF & C? It would act then of JANSSEN Fils & Co Street Lambert the Stammered, 4 in Liege, tradesmen out of weapons (BE 1895/1951) which would have exported this weapon towards South America, very current thing at the time.
GG
