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
Manufacture d’armes Lepage
The weapon presented here is a superb hunting rifle that
raises some historical questions. With its two side-by-side barrels, double
trigger, elegant English-style stock, top-lever opening system, and safety
catch, it remains classically crafted. However, it is a high-end weapon,
particularly due to the fine engraving of the metal parts (scrolls and floral
motifs). One particular feature makes this piece unique: it is "decorated" with
a gilded portrait and the first coat of arms of the USSR. The engraver of the
portrait signed his work (D. Roland, to be confirmed as it is only moderately
legible).
Markings:
Numbers 7279 and 0251, serial numbers, and/or assembly
aids.
Perron, on the breech, hallmark of the inspector of the
B.E. (valid from June 16, 1853 to the present day). PV under a standing lion,
proofed with smokeless powder (live powder) since 1898.
1 kg 407, weight of the barrel capable of firing
smokeless powder (smoothguns), 1892-1924.
ELG over a star in a crowned oval, proofhouse after 1893.
Omega caliber (12.65), nominal caliber and case length
since 1924.
Choke 18.3.
X, U, and AE joined under a star, control marks from
January 27, 1877.
EL in cursive, provisional proof since 1853 (rifle
barrels).
Annal letter e: 1926.
The owner mentions two marks LP and B that we were unable
to detect in the provided photos, making any interpretation impossible.
The barrels are marked Acier Siemens. This is a process
for manufacturing steel, see:
A marking indicates the rifle's manufacturer: Lepage in
Liège on the barrel rib. The history of this gunmaking dynasty is detailed on
the website.
Of course, the most intriguing question lies in the gold
engraving depicting a face. The weapon's owner attributes this portrait to the
Russian revolutionary Nikolai Bukharin (1888-1938). However, a comparison of
period photographs clearly suggests that the man depicted is in fact Vladimir
Ilyich Ulyanov, known as Lenin (1870-1924), whose biography is readily available
and will not be elaborated upon here. It can even be said that the photograph
shown below served as a model for the engraver.
Engraving of the rifle
Photograph of Lenin
Photograph of Bukharin
It is known that Lenin hunted occasionally and owned
personal rifles. A photo on a Russian website shows him holding a Francotte in
1897.
In 1923, a double-barreled hunting rifle was manufactured
at the Tula Arms Factory as a gift for Lenin. It was decorated with floral
motifs and images depicting hunting scenes.
In his memoirs entitled "My Life," Leon Trotsky provides
the following testimony:
"Lenin, too, went
hunting to Zaitsev's, and Ivan Vasilyevich always pointed out the place, in a
wooden shed, where Lenin had slept on the hay. Lenin was an avid hunter, but he
rarely hunted. He brought too much passion to this exercise, although he was
extremely measured in major matters. It happens that great strategists are
usually bad chess players; similarly, men who have a genius for political aim
can be mediocre hunters. I remember that it was almost with despair, as if he
had committed something forever irreparable, that Lenin complained to me about
having missed, in a hunt, a fox at twenty-five paces. I understood him and my
heart filled with sympathy for him.
Sources:
https://fr.rbth.com/en_bref/95755-lenine-armes-personnelles
https://www.marxists.org/francais/trotsky/livres/mavie/mv42.htm
Without additional information, it is impossible to
determine who the recipient of this rifle was: an admirer of Soviet Russia, a
special order for a high-ranking comrade, a gift, or even a personal commission
from Lenin himself? The weapon was produced no later than 1926, according to the
annual letter, two years after Lenin's death, but this may have taken the
manufacturer and engraver this long to finalize the work. Lenin's fondness for
hunting makes it attractive to assume that this weapon was intended for him, in
which case this rifle would be of major historical interest.
Chris, HPH
Manufacture d’armes Lepage (or Lepage/Kaufmann)
Lepage
yes, but what company?
Lepage
Emile, Lepage Frères, Lepage/Kaufmann, or the
Manufacture d'armes Lepage?
In the
absence of precision difficult to specify!
But with
the punches of the proofhouse it's possible to reduce to two possibilities:
Lepage/Kaufmann or the Manufacture d'armes Lepage.
Alain
Manufacture d’armes Lepage
Lepage perhaps (probably)
Manufacture Français d'armes et cycles - L'explorateur
Revolver 12 shots gauges 6mm vélodog.
Operation in simple and double action.
Lepage manufactured this kind of weapon, for French manufacture inter alia!
No certainty since the weapon does not carry any mark of craftsman but what is
certain it is that it is Belgian and not French!
Alain
Manufacture d’armes Lepage
This is a
classic "garden" Flobert rifle with rimfire, 6 mm calibre and octagonal barrel;
it is curious that the calibre does not appear on the left side barrel.
There is
only one punch, ELG on star in an oval, the acceptance punch in use between 1846
and 1893.
There is
also what seems to be a mark, (the rectangle with a snake), but it could not be
identified.
There is
also LL, which could be the hallmark of the Manufacture d'armes Lepage, rue des
Augustins 26 in Liège, active under different names since - at least - 1842 to
1961.
GP
Manufacture d’armes Lepage
It is about a traditional rifle juxtaposed system
Anson of gauge 12 with triple locking, with English stick and forearm with pump.
One can read on the upper
tape
Lepage à
Liege Acier Cockerill (type of steel used).
Markings
Peron
(little step):
inspection since 1853
EL: provisional test since 1852
Above choke: CAP trademark filed by CAP Joseph, September 25, 1912.
Choke
18.1:
choke barrel, indicating the gauge to 22 cm of the breech, of use between 1924
and 1968.
M under
star and AD under star:
countermark of the controller since 1877
Letter PV
on lion:
test with the smoke-free powder between 1898 and 1968.
3468:
undoubtedly the serial number of the weapon.
S: not identified
12 C in a
vertical rhombus:
gauge weapon between 1898 and 1924
P 1k
561.4:
weight of the barrel (between 1892 and 1924).
D = 65 mm
over 20.6:
length of the room and diameter of the barrel.
There is
still a marking of two letters of which has, the whole under star: undoubtedly a
countermark of controller.
There is
also a marking resembling C lying: not identified. One thinks of a yearly
letter, but one does not see which…
The
Manufactory Lepage
(street of Augustins 26 in Liege) was registered with the proofhouse of Liege
between 1919 and 1961.
GP
Manufacture d’armes Lepage
The weapon
It is about a shotgun to central percussion.
The juxtaposed barrels are smooth, of gauge 12.
Locks are of type “ahead”.
The hammers are external and the key of opening “Top Lever”.
The forearm is with pedal-trough.
Engraving is of style bouquets.
The stick out of wooden of walnut is worked with English.
Punches
The weapon carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of Liege, namely:
ELG on star in a crowned oval: final acceptance post 1893.
Peron: inspection post 1853.
S, K and AB spangled: countermarks of the controllers post 1877.
PV surmounted of a stylized lion: test with the powder without smoke, of use of 1898 to 1968.
12 C in a rhombus: gauge, of use of 1898 to 1924.
Choke 17.7/18.2 and 17.4/18.1: chokes barrels: calibre in mm to 22 cm of the breech and the mouth. In use of 1910 to 1924.
EL in English letters: provisional test, of use of 1852 to our days.
D = 20 mm/20.6: Length of the room in mm and diameter in mm after optional test with the powder without smoke. In use of 1892 to 1924.
Markings
MAISON LEPAGE A LIEGE: mark of the manufacturer LEPAGE street of Augustins, 26 in LIEGE. Registered with the proofhouse of Liege of 1919 to 1961. (See site)
5411: serial number.
ADH: manufacturer of barrels of rifles DELVAUX-HEUSE Arthur de Fraipont (valley of Vesdre close to Liege)
Crowned LV: except could error, it act of Louis VENDRIX (BE 1907/1937) who in any assumption would have manufactured the weapon for the account of LEPAGE? (See site)
T.I and S: ignored significance? Markings of workshops??
GG
Manufacture d’Armes Lepage.
Liège (1790 ?-1918).
Manufacture d’Armes Lepage S.A.
Rue des Augustins, 26 Liège (16/05/1918) (1921-1932) (Ann.1924) (Ann.tél.1949).
Rue Hayeneux, 217 Herstal (Ann.1959).
Successors of Jules Kauffmann & Co.
Deposit trademarks:
N° 2215 – Liège 03/05/1918.
N° 2216 – Liège 03/05/1918 transmission of the mark n° 538 du 22/09/1890.
N° 2217 – Liège 13/05/1918 transmission of the mark n° 771 du 03/01/1896.
N° 2218 – Liège 13/05/1918 transmission of the mark n° 794 du 06/10/1896.
N° 2219 – Liège 13/05/1918 transmission of the mark n° 809 du 23/11/1896.
N° 2220 – Liège 13/05/1918 transmission of the mark n° 810 du 23/11/1896.
N° 2221 – Liège 13/05/1918 transmission of the mark n° 939 du 09/10/1899.
N° 2222 – Liège 13/05/1918 transmission of the mark n° 957 du 29/11/1899.
N° 2238 – Liège 16/05/1918 transmission of the mark n° 1877 du 08/08/1912.
N° 2239 – Liège 16/05/1918 transmission of the mark n° 2110 du 22/07/1914.
Deposit belgian patent.
n° 294350 - 07/02/1921 Closure for rifle with rocker.
n° 297875 - 30/07/1921 Fixing of the bottom of the store with cartridges for firearms.
n° 297876 - 30/07/1921 Safety for automatic weapon.
n° 298415 - 23/08/1921 Ejector for rifle with rocker.
n° 388448 - 11/05/1932 Improvements for auto pistol.
Note: the Belgian patent n° 305326 be reproduced on the automatic guns Lepage was deposited by COMMERCIAL Jules (street Nysten, 42 in Liege) on August 30, 1922.
History.
"Since 1790 one announces Lepage Manufacture and in 1810, at the time of the establishment of the bench of tests, Lepage syndic is named.
The Revolution of 1830 makes it possible to the chief of the Lepage firm to affirm its patriotism at the same time as its industrial activity: the National Committee charges it with getting weapons with the army of the incipient country. It discharges this mission so well that in 1834 the Belgian government confers the iron cross to him for services announced to the cause of the Belgian Revolution.
Little time before the war the 14-18 Lepage house had also specialized in the manufacture of revolvers and several governments had recourse to it to equip their navy or their army with irreproachable weapons.
In 1918 the Lepage house, transformed into limited company "Manufacture d’armes Lepage" went back immediately to work and since 1919 made appreciate its products on the English and American markets. It associated a machine shop which it transformed into model factory provided with American machines of high precision.
It manufactures there its automatic pistol for which it took the patents after seven years of study "
(According to a Lepage catalogue).
Production of weapons (about 1926).
Rifles with tilting barrels and hammers external - closings with double key, simple, double, triple and quadruple Greener bolt.
Hammerless rifles - closings with double key, simple, double, triple and quadruple Greener bolt.
Rifles express train with Purdey closing.
Semi-automatic pistols Lepage with 8 blows cal. 6,35 - 7,65 - 9 mm short and 9 mm long Browning.
Lepage pistols 9 mm of war with 12 blows, with or without sheath.
Revolvers with crack and central percussion cal.320 or 380.
Vélodog revolvers without apparent hammer - folding trigger - with central or annular percussion.
Single-barrelled riffles with central percussion Leclerc system with key snake.
Rifles of living room with pull knob or system Remington cal. 6 and 9 mm Flobert.
Collapsible rifles with two guns - Leclerc system with key snake cal.410 to 12.
Rifles with 2 shots with pistons cal.12 to 20.
Manufacture d’armes LEPAGE
Pocket hammerless revolver, also more commonly called "Bossu" (UNEVEN), shoot cartridges with sharp powder of 8mm LEBEL.
It could also be manufactured into 6,35 and 7,65 BROWNING and 5,8 VELODOG.
It carries the punches of proof house of Liège according to:
R crowned: rifled bore - of use of 1894 to 1968.
Lion surmounting PV : test with the powder without smoke – of use of 1898 to 1968.
J spangled: countermark of the controller - of use of 1877 to 1968.
The manufacturer:
Manufacture d’armes LEPAGE street of Augustins, 26 in Liege – Proof house of Liege 1919/1961.
GG
Photos Littlegun
Lepage velodog
Thanks to Alberto for the photos
Manufacture d'armes Lepage
Lepage manufacture d'armes
It acts of an automatic pistol Lepage (Liege) calibre 9mm long.
It carries the n°2!
The system is interesting: there is no bar of transfer between the trigger and the trigger plate, it is the magazine who does this work.
The weapon is massive and was to be a "great capacity" at the time.
Nicolas Lambert
Many thanks to the "Ets CORNET" for the nices pictures.
