Cap Joseph
Double shotgun to juxtaposed barrels and percussion.
The unrifled bores are in Damas ribbon.
Locks are of type “behind” with external hammers. They are fixed at keys.
The rod is out of wood and is maintained by two pass-rods fixed under the barrel.
The stick is out of wood of walnut cut “with English”. It ends in a metal buttplate on return.
Locks in addition to mark G.E. GOULCHER are engraved of scene hunting!
Punches
The weapon carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of tests of Liege, namely:
ELG on star in a vertical oval: final acceptance, of use of 1846 to 1893.
EL in cursive letters: provisional test, of use of 1852 to our days.
VIII: they are marks of “équipors” corresponding more or less to the Roman numerals.
The manufacturer
The manufacturer of Liège of this weapon did not leave of trademark on the weapon, that was often the case for weapons intended for export.
The foreign customer wishing to make appear his own mark as it is the case with G.E GOULCHER arms manufacturer in NEW YORK since 1840. It was specialized in the manufacture of parts and elements of weapons especially of locks of quality.
Not very visible mark JC on the barrels probably comes from the manufacturer of barrels of rifles of Liège CAP Joseph street Jonruelle, 42 in LIEGE.
This leaves us think that “sior” GOULCHER will have imported the barrels of Liège and mounted the weapon itself but it is only assumption.
GG
Cap Joseph
J.C in a rounded corners rectangle is the mark of the barrel manufacturer CAP s, (Henri) Joseph 62 rue Jonruelle, in Liege then rue de Sluse between 1904 and 1920.
He is the author of 4 Belgian patents registered at the same period.
GG
