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 Liégeoise d’armes à Feu
This is a
small rifle in caliber 410 (12 mm).
Characteristics:
Side-by-side barrels, double trigger, internal hammer and opening by key of the
"Leclercq" type. Finely checkered wood, pistol grip.
Markings:
L in a
circle (?).
15802,
serial number (?).
10.3
(actual caliber in mm), in use from 1889 to the present day.
Perron,
on the breech tail, punch of the inspector of the B.E. (valid from 06.16.1853 to
the present day).
ELG on
star in crowned oval, proof bench after 1893.
Caliber
in a diamond (12 MC), caliber, in use from 1898 to 1924.
P, I and
AE joined under star, control punches from January 27, 1877.
EL in
cursive, provisional proof since 1853 (rifle barrels).
The band
of the barrels bears the name of the dealer: Juan Seyler Santiago-Valparaiso.
This importer is known for having brought weapons to Chile from Liège, see for
example:
https://www.ravell.es/escopetas-segunda-mano/2637-3523-escopeta-manufacture-liegeoise-calibre-20.html
We can
find several traces of this gunsmith on the internet:
The
Belgian rifle visible in the previous link came from the Manufacture Liégeoise
d’Armes à Feu. It is tempting to suggest that this one also came from there,
however we will note the absence of the crowned ML marking specific to this
company. We do indeed find “Leclercq” key rifles in the ML catalog.
In conclusion, this small rifle in caliber 410 was produced in Liège to be distributed in Chile by the importer Juan Seyler. It is possible that the manufacturer was the Manufacture Liégeoise d’Armes à Feu.
Examination of the markings indicates that its manufacture was between
1898 (diamond caliber) and 1922 (absence of annual letter).
Chris, HPH
Manufacture Liégeoise d’armes à Feu
It is about a top break rifle of small hunting of the
type
Leclercq. The opening is practiced using a
key says “Key snake” placed on the right side of the weapon. The rifled bore is
with 8 sides of gauge 12mm, the metal parts carry an engraving “in foliage”. The
stick is not visible on the photographs!
The
weapon carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of Liege, namely:
12MC in
a rhombus: gauge weapon, of use of 1898 to 1924.
R*:
rifled bore, of use of 1894 to 1968.
Peron:
inspection, of use of 1853 to 1968.
10.4:
gauge in mm, of use of 1889 to our days.
Mark ml
crowned in an oval
belongs to “Manufacture
Liégeoise d’Armes à Feu”, street of
Green-Wood, 52 in Liège.
Appendix: a page extracted from a catalogue of this company and which presents
the same parts.
GG
Manufacture Liégeoise d’armes à Feu
Shotgun to one barrel with opening to key snake of gauge 410, system LECLERCQ. The barrel is with eight sides with ring of strap as on the stick of the pistol type. This weapon readily had “rifle of poacher” because of his facility to be dissimulated under a coat and its democratic price.
Greek letter Delta: letter annal 1951 (year of manufacture).
The manufacturer is MANUFACTURE LIEGEOISE D’ARMES A FEU street of Vertbois, 54 is largely evoked on the site.
GG
