doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Belgian BLNE - Engraved-Turkish Damascus - ID?

I just mail ordered this one. It was advertised as a Belgian BLNE, Damascus, in the "white". They (Simpson, Ltd) didn't know or couldn't tell me much more and the pictures they had were just enough to peak interest.

It arrived to find it's Turkish Damascus and has very interesting engraving for a shotgun, any idea why it would have Stag, Deer and Boars engraved instead of birds?

Any ID or details would be appreciated.

Doug

those barrels are not in the white. they have been heavily etched. i bet the pattern feels wavy. i have seen this done on a double rifle. you should check the wall thicknes.

Doug: the 'JD' mark on the barrels looks like that of Jean Duchateau
http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20den/a%20duchateau%20gb.htm
That is indeed 3 Iron 'Turkish' and appears to have been acid etched (can you feel the pattern?)
It was made 1898-1924 and does not have the Lettres Annales (Dateletters) which started in 1922.
The numbers on the left barrel are the bore size and choke constriction in mm.
Please note it does not have the Optional Smokeless Powder proof used 1891-1924.

Edit: what Travis said

Battle,

Yes, I can feel the "pattern" , interesting. Will do on the wall thickness.
What's the appropriate finish/refinish for etched barrels if I have them restored?

Doug

Doc,

Glad to see you're back in one piece. Thanks for the info, I'll check out the links. I also have another interesting "anomoly" pic, I'll send to you.

Doug

"FEU" & "SUR" are typical for Spanish guns. I would guess a Belgian sourced longarm for the Argentine market, or Spain, and the engraving was done there.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Would this have been some type of "custom" gun with this engraving and the etched barrels or JABC?

I'm curious if it's worth restoring.

Doug

It could easily also be for the French market with "Sur" but that doesn't look like typical deep relief French engraving. When you slide the top tang safety forward are there any other letters? I could very easily be wrong, but when I see the images I think of Argentina. I haven't been to France but they may have the same critters there. I think it to be a price point longarm and South America was a market for Belgium early on in the 20th century. The engraving is odd. The pattern welded tubes are interesting also as outside of Germany I don't know who else would really cotton to them. On the double rifle mentioned, Rigby could have been the source for those tubes.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Raimey,

No other letters when I slide the safety forward. Not shown in these pictures are the sling swivels attached at the barrel and stock, if that is helpful. I've been told that is an indicator of a gun for the European market.

Also, the stock has the essence of pipe tobacco

Doug

Um, the essence of pipe tobacco. It looks to have a straight-hand stock and long triggerbow which usually denotes a British influence. I've seen French and German straight-hand examples with sling swivels, which regarding scatterguns are an indicator of some other market other than the Britian and the U.S. of A. I'd looks toward a country that either acknowledged/accepted Belgium's proofmark system or didn't have proofmark laws during the 1898-1924 period. Although there was a pre-WWI attempt for every country with proof laws to get on the same page at the International Proof Conference of 1914, I don't think it was until 1927 until one sees true reciprocity. Does it have a buttplate or is the wood chequered or hatched?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse