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
LEONARD DENIS
This is a classic double-barreled hammerless shotgun,
featuring a double trigger and a top lever break-key opening system. This
example appears to be of good quality, with its Damascus steel barrels,
checkered wood, and engraved metal parts. It is equipped with a safety.
Markings:
Number 23285: Serial number.
Perron: Mark of the inspector of the B.E. (valid from
June 16, 1853 to the present day).
S and T under a star: Control marks from January 27,
1877.
ELG over a star in an oval: Proof house from September 8,
1846, to July 11, 1893.
EL in cursive: Provisional proof since 1853 (shotgun
barrels).
Choke 18.0 and 17.0 (The number after the decimal point
is illegible in the photos).
NOT FOR BULLET: Choked smoothbore barrels, in use from
1878 to 1897.
The precise origin of the shotgun cannot be established
with certainty. However, one clue lies in the marking of the initials DL before
the serial number. These initials were previously attributed, subject to solid
confirmation, to the craftsman Denis Léonard, active in Liège in the 1860s and
1870s. Other weapons bearing these initials are described on the website.
In summary, this shotgun was tested in Liège between 1878 and 1893,
according to analysis of the punches. The gunsmith Denis Léonard was likely
involved in its creation, either as a founder or manufacturer.
Chris, HPH, GP
LEONARD DENIS
Here is a
nice small revolver in 7 mm CF that the lucky owner, at first, took for a
"transition" Chamelot-Delvigne, made in Liège. My research in this direction has
yielded nothing. The originality of this revolver lies in the spring of the
loading door and the fact that when the door is lowered, the dog cannot operate.
Subsequently, he saw on a forum an identical revolver, but with French punches,
and, on the heel of the lacrosse, a hot-air balloon of the same type as the one
seen on the Giffard guns (compressed air).
Neither
of these two revolvers has a manufacturer/inventor mark or a "patented"
designation. According to the stamps, it is after 1894.
Markings
R crowned
on the cannon: striped cannon, in use since 1894;
q under
asterisk on the gun and on the barrel: countermark of the controller, in wisdom
after 1877;
ELG on
star in crowned oval: acceptance, in use since 1893;
C under
crown on barrel: unidentified.
Let's also have the initials DL under the right
sticker plate: either the initials of the founder, or those of the
manufacturer/inventor? I have only identified
Denis LEONARD
who could be considered as a manufacturer, but he was active earlier, around
1860/70; there is also
Dieudonné LEVAUX-STAS
but his initials are
DDL.
GP
