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
J. Chaineux
This very impressive revolver, with its enormous
20-chamber cylinder, belongs to a category of weapons generally attributed to J.
Chaineux. This inventor from Liège (and not French, as is sometimes reported)
was indeed the originator of several patents for high-capacity revolvers (10,
12, 20, and even up to 30 chambers according to some sources). Designed for
pinfire ammunition, the caliber is generally limited to 7 mm to prioritize the
number of cartridges over their power. This is the case with this example, which
has unfortunately suffered the ravages of time, with a corroded surface perhaps
obscuring any markings and not improving the weapon's unsightly appearance.
However, the engravings remain clearly visible on the frame and barrel. These,
along with the quality of the grips, suggest that this revolver was originally
of high-quality manufacture and deserves to be restored.
The website has a wealth of information on Chaineux, see:
https://littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20c/a%20chaineux%20gb.htm
https://littlegun.be/collection%20privee/belgique/be%20abcde/a%20be%20chaineux%2012%20coups%20gb.htm
While lacking markings that definitively identify the
manufacturer, it's worth noting that several identical 20-shot examples are
reported on various internet sources, see for example :
In this last link, it is clearly stated that the weapon
is marked J. Chaineux Inv. Bté, which confirms the origin of the patent, but
does not resolve the uncertainty regarding the manufacturer.
Another uncertainty lies in the exact identity of the
inventor: was it J (Joseph) or JL (Joseph Lambert)? The latter seems more likely
according to specialists, particularly because of a signature, J.L. Chaineux, on
an addendum to a patent attributed to… J. Chaineux! For the record: Chaineux
Joseph Lambert (BE 1864-1884), Place des Carmes, 26 in Liège (1863-1864), filed
two patents for a pistol-revolver system.
This 20-shot revolver, likely in 7mm pinfire caliber,
therefore belongs to the family of weapons attributed to the Chaineux system,
the latter undoubtedly being Joseph Lambert. The weapon was probably produced in
the mid-1860s by an unknown manufacturer.
Chris, HPH
