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
Galand Charles François
Here is a
beautiful shotgun mono-barrel with external hammer, squared "English" stick,
forearm with push rod, barrel initially octagonal then round, marked Galand, of
manufacture of Liège.
Markings
Peron:
inspection since 1853
EL:
provisional test since 1852
24 on C
in a rhombus: gauge of the weapon between 1898 and 1924
Lion on
PV: test with the powder without smoke between 1898 and 1968
T on PV:
test with a particular powder which is not known to us
X under
star: countermark of the controller since 1877
S under
star: countermark of the controller since 1877
ELG in
crowned oval: acceptance between 1893 and 1968
19616 on
all the parts: the number of the weapon
CHOKE 14.
0 on 14. 7: barrel choked between 1910 and 1924
14. 6: I
do not explain the presence of this marking....
P OK877.
6: weight of the barrel between 1892 and 1924.
Galand
patented manufacturer:
Charles-François Galand
(1832-1900) is well known, especially for his revolvers, but also for his
hunting rifles of good quality, like the specimen examined here.
It began
its activities in 1870 and opened branches in Liege and London.
It also
had decentralised manufacturing workshops in Liège (from 1870 to 1890 according
to one of the sources consulted) and in Birmingham.
The rifle
examined is thus a product of the Liège workshop. His eldest son René took over
the company on the death of his father until 1942. According to the marking of
the choke, the rifle would thus have been manufactured between 1910 and 1924,
which certainly contradicts the source reporting manufacture in Liege until
1890.....
The weapon corresponds well to the type 16 "rich
model" appearing in an old catalogue of the
Galand
company, dating approximately 1910.
Only
small reservation: the drawing is too small to see the extractor which seems to
be manual on the rifle presented, since there are grooves to facilitate the
grip.
GP
Sources consulted : Der Neue Stockel, Eugène Heer ;
Lexique onomastique des arquebusiers : Jean-Claude Mournetas.
Thanks to
HPH for the document.
Galand hunting rifle
Here a
very beautiful shotgun juxtaposed to external hammers, Damas barrels, English
stick, forearm with full pedal, key top break, abundantly engraved but, signed
Galand in Paris, in its box with some accessories (screwdriver, rod and
brushes), tested in Liege.
Markings
On the table:
Barrel of Galand patented manufacturer;
Peron:
inspection since 1853
ELG in
oval: acceptance before July 1893
EL:
provisional test since 1852
S and Z
under star: countermark of the controller since 1877
GV in a
circle: could be the manufacturer of barrels Gosme & Van Heer
17.4:
gauge in mm, that is to say a gauge 16
CHOKE:
chokés unrifled bores, between on January 30th, 1897 and on October 4th, 1898.
WD: not
identified
In
theory, this rifle thus goes back to before July 1893 (ELG in oval), and even of
before June 11th, 1892, date on which one started to indicate the weight of the
barrels. But the presence - twice - mention “choke” is difficult to explain
since in theory, according to the literature that I have, it does not appear
(thus without mention of figures) only between on January 30th, 1897 and on
October 4th, 1898. Mystery and "swell of gum…."
The box
seems to me quite young for a manufacturing of before 1893. But that wants
nothing to say because the Galand house existed until 1942.
Charles-François Galand (1832-1900) is well-known, especially for his revolvers,
but also for his shotguns of great quality, like the specimen examined here. He
started his activities in 1870 and opened branches, in Liege and London. He had
also workshops decentralized in Liege (of 1870 to 1890 according to one of the
consulted sources) and in Birmingham. Examined rifle is thus a product of the
workshop of Liège. His oldest son Rene took again the company with the death of
his father until 1942.
GP
Consulted sources: Der Neue Stockel, Eugene Heer;
Onomastic lexicon of the arquebusiers… Jean-Claude Mournetas.
