Revolver of transition
It is indeed about a curious revolver of transition between the modern revolver and the pepperbox.
Indeed a barrel screwed was added to a pepperbox like with an adapter making it possible to fix this one.
The barrel is unscrewed using the rod inserted in the stick and which one introduces into the hole of a metal pin placed under the gun.
The rod acts as lever to unscrew/screw the barrel.
This rod is also used to remove the casings inflated after the shooting!
The weapon with central percussion is of gauge 380 (38 short).
The grooved cylinder is to six chambers.
Is the trigger protected by curious and little running half trigger guard which is probably designed to prevent an accidental departure of the blow at the time of a setting out of pocket!?
The stick is out of ebony or false ebony (bath of fairy-like and acid chloride tannic) connected by a through screw and two rivet washers.
The weapon carries the punches of the proofhouse of Liege, namely:
Spangled ELG in an oval: final acceptance, of use of 1846 to 1893.
K spangled: countermark of the controller post 1877.
That indicates a date of manufacture between 1877 and 1893.
Marks AD - ACE - DG struck the amounts of stick are undoubtedly marks of subcontractor who it will not be easy to identify. Indeed nothing indicates with certainty that mark AD (not ringed!) belongs to DUPONT Alexandre, it could just as easily belong to DECORTIS Adolphe (1876/1904) which is the inventor of a revolver with six blows loaded with metal cartridges and igniting by the center!
AC is subjected to the same assumptions, like Albert SIMONIS (1873/1900) or Albert SPIRLET (1860/1876).
In any event, this weapon was manufactured for the draft towards South America by one manufacturer on more interested by the pecuniary ratio than by publicity given at its firm.
GG
