For those interested in Verney-Carron shotguns, or other French shotguns that feature the Helice system: An excellent copy of the 1922 V-C catalog is available from Cornell Publications. Over 100 pages long . . . although you do need to be a Francophone to get the most out of it.
The catalog includes a full page endorsement from Captain Rene Fonck, French ace of aces in WWI (75 kills), and surviving ace of aces of all nations from that conflict. Over a photo of Fonck, he has written: "I am very pleased with your Verney-Carron Helice Grip shotgun. The birds fall like Krauts!" The equivalent in the US would have been if Winchester had an ad with Sergeant York endorsing one of their rifles.
Of more interest from a technical standpoint: Opposite the full page Fonck ad is a really good drawing of the Helice system. "Helice Grip" is one of the names that V-C did trademark.
