They were indeed originally produced in France under the French patent of Petrik, a Czech expatriot. The patent ran out in 1931 (I think)and Remington began production in 1932. '32s are just not very common and many are trap or skeet guns that have been modified to fit the taste and fashion of the owners at various eras (i.e SERIOUSLY MESSED WITH). A cherry Field grade is very hard to find now.
The most common (because relatively cheap) version of the Petrik design is the Finnish Valmet and its latter-day Italian-made spawn. Valmet apparently began producing its simplified version in 1947.
