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

DUMOULIN François & Cie

Here are two beautifully percussion rifles from the Liège company François DUMOULIN.

Both are 12 mm/410 caliber. One has a barrel and a pistol butt, the other two barrels and an "English" butt.

According to the proud owner, based on the previous owner’s statements, the rifles were manufactured shortly before a “sports exhibition” held in Berlin in 1933 and won a prize there. They were bought by an Australian. Unfortunately, the documents that accompanied them have been lost.

The markings

ELG on star in oval: acceptance for muzzle-loading guns, in use since 1893;

EL: provisional proof, in use since 1852;

G, V and C under crown: Controller countersigns, in use since 1877;

12.0: calibre in mm;

Cockerill steel: type of steel used;

DF and arrow to the left: trademark of François DUMOULIN;

LLH: barrel manufacturer Laurent LOCHET-HABRAN.

Note the absence of an annual letter (they were introduced in 1922).

GP

Voilà le premier

Et voilà le second

DUMOULIN François & Cie

Here is what, at first glance, could be nothing more than a "stupid little revolver" from Liège with five shots of undisclosed caliber, a folding trigger, as hundreds of thousands or even more have been made. In fact, it is a revolver with a security that could be described as secret.

The markings

ELG on star in crowned oval: acceptance between 1893 and 1968

L crowned: regularly observed on revolvers of Liège without result. . . .

R crowned: rifled barrel between 1894 and 1968

Y under star: countermark of a controller between 1877 and 1968

JD under the plates: it is almost certainly not Jean Duchateau, specialized in luxury weapons.

?DC in a cartridge on the left side of the barrel: it is most probably François Dumoulin et Cie, rue Thier de la Fontaine 2 in Liège, registered with the proofhouse from 1908 to 1968.

The originality of this small revolver lies in the round piece on the left side of the weapon. According to one of the experts in our research group, this round piece is indeed an example of a very fashionable "secret security" in the last quarter of the 19th century, even until the war of 14-18 (he remembers us having seen in a catalogue of the Jules Pire house in Antwerp before the 1st GM an advertisement of course not illustrated for "to secret" revolvers in handling was explained in store when the purchase).

The revolver in question is reminiscent of Colt New Line 1873, on which this round piece is nothing more than the cover plate giving (difficult) access to the mechanism. I don't know why Colt has given this part a relief, which has no other function than to serve as a cover.

On the other hand, the Belgian revolver is very interesting: the manufacturer imitated the Colt's cover plate, but gave it a completely different function, namely a "secret" security system designed to prevent any unintentional use by inexperienced people or children. On the pictures with the part dismantled, we can clearly see the locking cam of the hammer halfway out of the frame, and its channel in the inner face of the round part.

The cam is equipped with a spiral spring that pushes it outwards into the deep part of the channel so that it does not interfere with the movement of the hammer during shooting. When the knob is turned to the right 1/4 turn, with the hammer down, the oblique bottom of the channel pushes the cam inwards so that it engages in a mortise in the left side of the hammer, blocking any movement of the hammer.

The system is of course worth what it is worth...

François Dumoulin had actually been active since 1894 at other addresses. He filed several patents, including one in 1905 for a security interest for revolvers, but this is not the model we are dealing with.

GP with the much appreciated help of MC and PHL.

Dumoulin François & Cie

François Dumoulin has been registered to the proofhouse under his own name from 1894 to 1908, and under the name Dumoulin F. & Cie from 1908 to 1968.

In 1968 the business was taken over by the George Laloux establishments.

The overlapping of the punches of the proofhouse gives us a range from 1893 to 1968 !!

It’s not very accurate!!

Dumoulin François & Cie

It is about a rifle of small hunting of the hammerless type. The lock is square. The trigger is double under trigger guard. The key of opening is of type “Top lever” followed by a safety to slide of the Galand type.

The stick “pistol” seems to be in walnut with metal buttplate.

The weapon carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of Liège, namely:

ELG* in a crowned oval: final acceptance post 1893.

V* and O*: countermarks of the inspectors post 1877.

PV surmounted of a stylized lion: test with the powder without smoke, of use of 1898 to 1968.

12-70 in an omega lying: gauge nominal and length of the casing, of use of 1924 to our days.

Peron: inspection, of use of 1853 to our days.

Greek letter Ni (seem it?) yearly letter of 1953. To check!

The weapon also carries the following marks:

41045: number of the weapon.

F. Dumoulin & Cie Liège : mark factory of weapons François Dumoulin & Co in Liège street Thier of the fountain, 2. The company was registered with the proofhouse of Liège of 1908 to 1968.

GG

François DUMOULIN & Cie

Here is a classic pistol of shooting of living room of Liège manufacture, gauge 6 mm Flobert. It COULD be a production of François Dumoulin et Cie:

see the last revolver of the link below, the mark D. F. looks like the one appearing on the gun, without the dot after the F.

It was sold by the famous Lefaucheux house 37 rue Vivienne in Paris.

Markings:

ELG on star in oval: acceptance between 1846 and 1893;

q reversed under star: countermark of a controller between 1877 and 1968.

There is also a name but it is indecipherable because badly struck

1st letter: B or D or P or R.

2nd letter: I.

3rd letter: C or G or S.

4th letter: C or G or S.

5th letter: O.

6th letter: H or U or Y.

7th letter: B or D or P or R.

Notice to the amateurs of scrabble......

I have serious doubts as for the attribution of this pistol to François Dumoulin given the period of activity (from 1894 to 1908 then from 1908 to 1968) which does not correspond to this type of pistol dating from the second half of the XIXth century (according to the punches, it was presented to the Proof House between 1877 and 1893).

GP with the help of PHL.

François DUMOULIN & compagnie

On sold at "Ives Devos"

Photos Littlegun

François DUMOULIN & compagnie

Shotgun hammerless to juxtaposed barrels of gauge 12.

Locks are of type “ahead”. Engraving is of English type with rollers

The opening of the weapon is practiced using the key top lever, a safety of the marked type GALAND S with the fine gold is placed just behind.

The stick worked with English is out of wood of walnut fair (French?).

Punches

The weapon carries the punches of the proofhouse of Liege, namely:

ELG on star in a crowned oval: final acceptance post 1893.

Peron: inspection post 1853.

AC spangled: countermark of the controller post 1877.

PV surmounted of a stylized lion: test with the powder without smoke, of use of 1898 to 1968.

12-65 in an omega: gauge nominal and length of the casing, of use of 1924 to our days.

Small letter “g”: yearly letter of 1928 (year of manufacture of the weapon)

Choke 18.3: chokes barrels, gauged to 22 cm of the breech, of use of 1924 to 1968.

1 kg 518: weight of the barrel which can draw from the powders without smoke (weapons smooth) except for the gram. In use of 1924 to our days.

Marks

F.D.C. Manufacture: mark of manufacturer François DUMOULIN & company, street Thier of the Fountain, 2 in LIEGE. It was registered with the proofhouse of 1908 to 1968 before being taken again by LALOUX (see site)

A.ROUFFIN: it is about the engraver of the weapon on which I do not have any information unfortunately.

FRIED. KRUPP.A.G. ESSEN - SPECIAL GEWEER LAUP. STAHL with drawing of 3 overlapping circles: it is about the type of steel used for the guns.

83962: job number.

Appendix: a publicity of this firm presenting the same weapon more or less.

GG

François Dumoulin & Cie

It is indeed about a rifle revolver to central percussion of late manufactured (see punches). The loading is done by a side door.

The long cylinder is not grooved and is with six blows seems it to me.

It is of the calibre 10,5mm.

The stick is of type pistol and the hand-shield under the barrel is squared.

The barrel with 8 sides must be striped, although I did not see the punch R crowned!

The weapon carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of Liege, namely:

Spangled ELG in a crowned oval: acceptance post 1893, which seems to me late for a weapon of this type. It was probably intended for South America.

E spangled: countermark of the controller post 1877.

Peron: inspection post 1853.

EL in cursive letters: provisional test post 1852.

10, 5: calibre in mm, of use of 1889 to our days.

L crowned: this mark does not belong to the proofhouse and I am unaware of what it indicates. I allot it in any assumption to the founder of cylinder, since this mark is never met but on the cylinders. If you have a better explanation, I am taking.

Mark F.DUMOULIN & C° belong like know it the readers of the “Who’s Who” at the firm François DUMOULIN & Co, manufactures from weapons, street Thier of the fountain, 2 in Liege (Proofhouse 1908/1968).

GG

François Dumoulin & Cie

The weapon is a shotgun to juxtaposed unrifled bores, gauges 16 hammers external with central percussion, key between the hammers. The stock in drowning is with English and the lock engraving in animalist copper-plate engraving.

It carries the lawful punches of the proof house of Liege, namely:

Spangled ELG in a crowned oval: acceptance post 1893.

Peron: inspection post 1853.

Crowned AF: countermark of the controller post 1877.

EL in cursive letters: provisional test post 1852.

16C in a rhombus: gauge weapon, of use of 1898 to 1924.

Choke 16.4/17.0: chokés guns: gauge in mm to 22 cm of the breech and the mouth, of use of 1910 to 1924.

Markings of the manufacturer

LANCELOT in LIEGE

In accordance with the two last requests for identifications concerning of marked rifles LANCELOT à LIEGE and whose name of the manufacturer could not have been identified, I discovered publicities of the firm Fs. DUMOULIN street Thier of the fountain, 2 in Liege (Proof house 1894/1968) whose telegraphic address was LANCELOT - LIEGE.

Coincidence is not in my opinion and I regard this mystery as being elucidated!

9120: serial number.

E3 - 5F - sign omega: markings of workshop without known significance.

ACIER GARANTI (GUARANTEED STEEL): without comment.

Manufacture: between 1910 and 1924.

GG

François Dumoulin & Cie

Rifle or collapsible rifle, according to whether it is striped or not, of type LECLERCQ or called “of poacher” because it could easily be dissimulated in clothing. The key of opening is known as “key snake”.

This type of weapon is present in many catalogs of the manufacturers of Liège of the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of 20th.

The manufacturer of this one is François DUMOULIN & Co, street Thiers of the fountain, 2 in Liege and which was registered as manufacturer with the proof house of 1908 to 1968.

GG

Photos Littlegun

Dumoulin François

Again very traditional and very current "BOSSU" in other words a standard revolver Bulldog but with hidden hammer (hammerless). This type of weapon was manufactured in hundreds of thousands of specimens in Liege.

It carries the typical punches of the proof house of Liège is:

Spangled ELG in a crowned oval: acceptance of 1893 to 1968.

Spangled AH: countermark of the controller of 1877 to 1968.

R crowned: rifled bore of 1894 to 1968.

PV surmounted of a lion: test with the powder lives of 1898 to 1968.

The manufacturer

Here I would be careful because the mark is not easily readable, I think of reading F.D.C. in a cartouche, it would act then of François DUMOULIN & Compagnie already largely evoked on the site.

GG

François Dumoulin & Cie

It acts of a copy of a foldable S&W caliber .38 like extracts it above from catalogue L.ANCION-MARX of 1909.

I met some in other catalogues of Liège like LOVINFOSSE & HARDY in particular.

I was astonished by bad quality by the punches by BE (except oval ELG) the punches by the controller leave me doubts.

The mark with star is unknown for me (one moreover).

Letters F.D.C. mean François Dumoulin & Co. (Patent filling for revolver in 1902)

GG et MD

François DUMOULIN & Cie

Traditional shotgun that this unrifled bore weapon and juxtaposed gauges 12 of them. Locks are of type hammerless and the key of opening “Top lever”.

The weapon carries the lawful punches of the proof house of Liege, namely:

Spangled ELG in a crowned oval: acceptance post 1893

Peron: inspection post 1853.

G spangled: countermark of the controller post 1877

PV surmounted of a stylized lion: test with the powder without smoke post 1898.

EL in cursive letters: provisional test post 1852.

12-70 in large C: gauge nominal and length of the casing post 1924.

CHOKE 19.2: chokés guns: cal. to 22 cm of the breech, of use of 1924 to 1968.

1 kg 936: weight of the gun which can draw from the powders without smoke (weapons smooth) to the gram. Post 1924.

I saw other marks on a gun but the quality and the framing of the photograph prevented me from identifying those.

Manufacturer

François.DUMOULIN & Co in Liege were largely evoked on the site, thank you to defer you to this one.

GG

François Dumoulin

Beautiful shotgun to juxtaposed unrifled bores of gauge 20-70.Les locks ahead are of hammerless type with key top lever, they are decorated of a fine animalist and vegetable engraving.

The stick in drowning is of gun type.

Punches

This weapon has a multitude of punches, it is not very current to see some as much at the same time. The majority are those of the proof house of Liège, namely:

Spangled ELG in an oval crowned - acceptance - 1893/1968.

H spangled: countermark of controller WOIT Christophe (1938/1968) mark of use of 1877 to 1968.

1 kg 027: weight of the gun which can draw from the powders without smoke (weapons smooth) except for the gram. 1924/our days.

20-70 in large C: gauge nominal and length of the casing - 1924/our days

z (little): yearly letter of 1947

CHOKE 15.8 - 15.9: chokés guns: cal to 22 cm of the breech - 1924/1968.

Marks

STEEL ARQUEBUSIER CAPE JF: the CAPE company is well-known as manufactures barrels.

FALLA: also was manufacturer of barrels, useful himself of the steel of the precedent??

DF in a rectangle: is the mark of François DUMOULIN evoked on the site like the two precedents.

Conclusions

Rifle was manufactured in 1947 per firm DUMOULIN François & Co street Thiers of the Fountain, 2 in Liège (Proof house of Liege 1908/1968) probably starting from the guns provided by FALLA and manufactured with CAPE steel. This process was current at the time.

GG

Photographs from "LUXARM - BRASSCHAAT" with my grateful thanks

Photos Littlegun

Dumoulin

Gauge 12

Photographs friendly authorized by "Collectorsfirearms"

Ets François DUMOULIN & Cie

Revolver with crack of the type WARNANT, opening of the type S & W, extractor in “star”, center fire, six shots.

Markings

Of the bench of tests of Liege: invisible on the photographs.

Of the manufacturer:

DF and small mill.

Manufacturer

DF and the small mill are trade marks by Ets François DUMOULIN & Cie street Thier of the fountain, 2 in Liege (Bench of test 1894/1968) (see joined mark)

GG

Many thanks to "ANTIQUEFIREARMS" for the photos.

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