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
Leverd & Counet
The rifle
examined here is identical to a weapon already described in detail and in detail
on the website.
The text
of a team member (GP) appearing in this file is reproduced in full below, with
the exception of the markings, which differ partially between the two weapons:
"This is a rifle that can be disassembled into two parts: a barrel and an
English stock containing the firing mechanism, without a forearm. A typical
poacher's weapon, it appears in some old catalogs under the name Leverd or
Levert system. The barrel is fixed in the receiver using a system comparable to
that of a socket bayonet. It is almost certainly an incarnation of patent 106283
filed in 1893 by Messrs. Jean-Jacques Leverd and Counet.
Certainly a very strange machine, the identification of which would undoubtedly
have taken "some time" if the copy of catalog No. 53 of 1912 from the house of
J.B. Rongé Fils had not fallen into our hands. On page 46, there is indeed this
strange vistemboire attributed to Jean-Jacques Leverd, which existed in several
versions, if only for the stock: pistol grip or English, with or without
cheekpiece. All calibers were available, from 12 to 12 mm, including 16, 20, 24,
28, 32 and 14 mm. This example is in two pieces, but there were also versions in
three pieces (with a broken barrel) and in four pieces, with a broken barrel and
stock. The system is directly derived from that of a socket bayonet. The barrel,
equipped with two studs of different sizes, fits into the breech and locks after
a small rotating movement. The barrel is released after pressing with the right
thumb on the beak of a spring slightly larger than a semicircle that locks the
small lower stud. The operation is very quick and must be done after firing each
cartridge. Needless to say, this type of weapon must have found itself more
often in the hands of a poacher than an honest hunter. The Rongé catalog
unfortunately does not mention the price, but there is no doubt that it must not
have been very high, at least during manufacture. In any case, not much is known
about this Jean-Jacques Leverd: the "Who's Who of Liège Armoury" tells us that
he was a gunmaker in Cheratte between 1893 and 1902. He filed two patents: one
for modifications to single-barrel, take-apart shotguns (with Counet) in 1893,
and the other, in 1902, for a modification to Flobert rifles.
At first, since the drawing of patent 106283 from 1893 showed a side key, we
thought it was a variation of the Leclercq system for folding shotguns, well
known in Liège gunsmithing. But another member of the team (many thanks to him)
noticed that the patent actually covered a barrel that slides into a housing and
is released by pressing the side key. There may have been another patent for
this rifle's system, namely the two-pin retainer and a kind of (half) ferrule
(actually a spring) like socket bayonets, but it is not currently known to us.
Nevertheless, we can say that this rifle is related to Leverd and Counet, if
only by the presence of the "L&C Breveté" marking in an oval.
The 1911 Alpha catalog also lists this rifle at the bottom of page 298. Note the
other spelling (Levert instead of Leverd), but at the time, people had a
different idea of the spelling of proper names. It is a pistol grip stock, and
all calibers are available, from 12 to 410, for a price ranging from 31 to 42.50
marks. Added to this is the fact that other gunsmiths have not hesitated to
include this rather unusual rifle in their catalogs. Thus, on page 40 of a
catalog by Joseph Saive (obviously undated), we find the type 82 machine, this
time described as a SWISS RIFLE brand "Champion" (see also the notice on an
identical Leverd rifle from the littlegun.be website, except for the markings).
Note that it only exists, in J. Saive's catalog, in the simplest version with an
English stock and without a cheekpiece, and in a single caliber, the 16, like
the rifle mentioned on the site. To be completely complete, and as they say "in
the current state of our knowledge", a third known example of this rifle is
exhibited in a historical room of Fort II in Wijnegem near Antwerp (as a weapon
used by a resistance fighter...), but in a state that does not allow for
examination of the markings. »
Markings:
Perron
(little step) on one of the studs and on the front sight: inspection since 1853.
EL:
provisional proof since 1852.
C under
asterisk and I (or T?) under asterisk: inspectors' countermarks since 1877.
967 is
probably the weapon's number.
L&C Btés
in an oval: to be attributed to Jean-Jacques Leverd and Counet, who filed a
patent in 1893 entitled "modifications to rifles with a single, demountable
barrel."
16.7 is
probably the diameter of the barrel, that is, that of a 16 gauge. Since, between
1898 and 1924, the marking of a barrel appears in a diamond with the caliber
above the C, we can say that the weapon is (almost certainly) prior to 1898.
Indeed, from 1924 onwards, the caliber and the length of the chamber appear in a
lying omega. ELG over a star in a crowned oval, at both ends of the barrel:
proof mark after 1893.
LLH:
These initials probably refer to Laurent Lochet-Habran, who made at least the
barrel.
In
conclusion, this is a so-called "poacher's" rifle, in 16 gauge, manufactured in
Liège between 1893 and 1898 according to a patent by Leverd and Counet. The
maker may have been this same team, with Laurent Lochet-Habran's assistance for
the barrel.
Chris, HPH, Alain, GP
Leverd & Counet
Here's a fairly standard folding shotgun, but this one
has the advantage of being attributable to Leverd and Counet, already mentioned
on the site:
In any case, we don't know much about this Jean-Jacques Leverd: the "Who's Who of Liège Armoury" tells us that he was a gunmaker in Cheratte between 1893 and 1902.
He filed two patents for modifications to single-barrel, take-down
shotguns (with Counet?) and another, in 1902 (?), for a modification to Flobert
rifles.
However, an examination of these two patents does not
allow me to say that this shotgun is the result.
In addition, another "strange" device by Jean-Jacques
Leverd can also be found on the site.
It is also included in the exceptional private
collection.
But let's get back to this Leverd and Counet folding
shotgun. Markings
H under star: countermark of an inspector, between 1877
and 1968;
Perron: inspection by the Liège Proof House, from 1853;
14 m on C in diamond: caliber, in use from 1898 to 1924;
ELG over star in crowned oval: acceptance, in use from
1893 to 1968;
L&C Bté in oval: Leverd and Counet hallmark;
12.8: barrel diameter in mm;
EL: provisional proof, in use since 1852;
K under star: countermark of an inspector, between 1877
and 1968.
We can therefore conclude that this rifle was
manufactured between 1898 and 1924.
GP avec
l’aide de HPH.
Leverd & Counet
This is a 16-gauge, single-shot poacher's rifle, which
can be disassembled into three parts, two of which are for the barrel. The first
part of the barrel has a sight and fits onto the breechblock using a bayonet
system similar to that described for Leverd and Counet's poacher's rifles. The
second part of the barrel, which screws onto the previous one, has a front
sight. Leverd and Counet's weapons are well described on the website.
https://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20l/a%20leverd%20jean%20jacques%20fr.htm
The following text is taken from the links above (by GP):
"This is almost
certainly an avatar of patent 106283 filed in 1893 by Messrs. Jean-Jacques
Leverd and Counet...
The barrel, fitted
with two studs of different sizes, fits into the breech and locks after a slight
rotation. The barrel is released after pressing with the right thumb on the nose
of a spring slightly larger than a semicircle, which locks the small lower stud.
Although the photos presented do not allow for a
manufacturer's marking, the general appearance, the concept itself, as well as
the assembly and disassembly system support production by Leverd and Counet.
Markings:
Perron: inspection since 1853.
Number 3 on the hammer, stock, and trigger guard: serial
number?
16.2 (caliber) and 17 on the barrel.
W and AE (or AF) under a star: inspectors' countermarks
since 1877.
Note the absence of an oval ELG in the photos provided.
In conclusion, it's a so-called "poacher's" rifle, in 16 gauge,
manufactured in Liège after 1893 under a patent issued by Leverd and Counet. The
manufacturer was probably the same team.
Chris
