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
Malherbe Oscar
Splendid
box of pistols with percussion. This one is sheathed of red felt what would
indicate that this cassette was planned for the duel, the green being reserved
with the weapons of voyage.
These two pistols are decorated in style rubble is of
foliage, carved and engraved. The barrels with eight sides are grooved and carry
a front sight enchased tenon-mortise. They are fixed at mounting by a key (or
slide-in system) and a screw with the tail of breech. The trigger is protected
by a trigger guard with rest-finger. The stick out of wooden of walnut is richly
carved of foliage and ends in a cap with baluster. A part of inch out of metal
gilded engraved J.S. is
fixed on this same stick. They are most probably initial the first owner.
The tools
decorating this box are in the order of the photographs, a dosette with powder,
two screwdrivers, one limps with starters, a rod out of brass, a hammer, a
cleaning-rod, a ball mould.
The weapon carries on the barrels a damascened
inscription to the fine gold the mention
Oscar Malherbe
which is most probably the manufacturer of these weapons. Family
Malherbe
was very prolific because there is ten arms manufacturers carrying this
patronym.
Who’s Who arms manufacture of Liège made state of a
Malherbe
O (?) of LIEGE which deposited a patent in
1862 concerning a pistol-revolver with cover-loads of safety, mobile carry-rod
and cartridge with tube pare fire!? I don’t have unfortunately more information
on this character.
GG
