doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Dohout Mees ???

Here is an interesting 12ga ejector gun I recently acquired. Although it has normal Belgian proof from 1948, the barrel address is from the Netherlands. I googled the information on the barrels; Dorhout Mees is a large golf and shooting establishment in the Netherlands. The previous owner had some information on the J Ae A, it is the initials of Johan Aemilius Abraham, Google came up with this which seems to tie in with the other barrel legends

Johan Aemilius Abraham, eigenaar Centrale Wapenhandel J. Ae. A. Dorhout Mees te Utrecht, geboren op 28-05-1903 te Zuidlaren, overleden op 05-10-1950 te Bilthoven op 47-jarige leeftijd.
Gehuwd op 23-jarige leeftijd op 10-11-1926 te Purmerend met Luwtje de VRIES, 23 jaar oud, geboren op 01-02-1903 te Purmerend, dochter van Isse de VRIES en Grietje HOOIJBERG.

Google is unable to translate Dutch, anyone?

As you can see from the photos the gun is quality although the wood is kind of plain, the barrels are Martin Siemens steel, 70mm chambers, weight is 6lb 8oz. I assume it was made in Belgium. Has anyone ran into this company before?

Jim

It definitely has Belgian proofs. Looks pretty good from what I can see.

I'll take a swing at it.

Johan Aemilius Abraham, owner Centrale Gun Shop J. Ae. A. Dorhout Mees in Utrecht(city), born on 28-05-1903 in Zuidlaren, died on 05-10-1950 in Bilthoven(city) at 47-years of age.
Wed at 23-years of age on 10-11-1926 in Purmerend(city) to Luwtje de VRIES, 23 years old, born on 01-02-1903 in Purmerend, doughter of Isse de VRIES(father) and Grietje HOOIJBERG (mother).
That should be the gist of it if not exact.

RM, thanks for the translation, it ties up with what I was told by the seller. Makes you wonder sometime how things made in Belgium, sold in the Netherlands end up in the US

Jim

There was a lot of stuff "liberated" by WW II GIs. Also, there has been a lot of stuff sold to USA due to restrictive laws in Europe and reduced opportunities to shoot; for sure there is target shooting and hunting, but you have to put real effort and some money into participation. Hard to say how your gun got here. Enjoy it for what it is and where it is --- also, shoot something for the original owner's honor every now and again.

Rocketman, you got it exact.
I was born in Utrecht (1968) and know the company quit well. It started in Utrecht and opened a shooting range/shop in Biddinghuizen. The shop in Utrecht changed owner a couple of years back and is named Outdoor Eddy, now situated in Nieuwegein. Dorhout Mees is the largest shooting range in the Netherlands specialized in shooting clay. One of the previous owners is an acquaintance of me.

It could have been that the gun was made in the Netherlands, but it was proofed in Belgium. We do't have a proof house in the Netherlands.