doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 4 Gauge anyone?

LEFAURE ARQUEBUSIER: I think I have this figured out. It's interesting that there is no French summary of this gun maker. I could go further into the research but this is enough of an outline to understand where 12BM's 4-Bore came from:

Joseph Alexis Lefaure - Proprietor 1764-1790's was a barrel maker (cannonier) located in Beaumont-sur-Oise. He began making barrels in 1764 and continued into the 1790’s. He may have opened a shop at rue de Richelieu, Paris around 1770 (although this is not at all sure). Some records mention him as a rifle maker and an action maker.
1. Advertisement from 1860 highlighting the founding of the firm
2. French rifle from the 1760’s now in a museum with a Joseph Lefaure barrel:
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24942


Pierre Alexis Lefaure - Proprietor 1790's-1823: In the late 1790’s Joseph's son Pierre Alexis Lefaure (Name may be different from this) took over the business and ran it for the next 25 years, located at Presles près Beaumont-sur-Oise et à Paris. He showed his guns including an invention to store matches for use as a percussion gun at the 1823 Industrial exhibition and won a medal entering the exposition as “Lefaure Pere (pere - "Father")”:
https://patrimoine.minesparis.psl.eu/document/Annales_Mines_1823_S01_08#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=5&z=-423.1755%2C0%2C3758.351%2C2452


Pierre Alexis Lefaure, Jr - Proprietor 1823-1850: He apparently had trained with his father for many years. Lefaure “Pere” appears to have retired after the 1823 exposition and his son took over the business and moved it first to 111, rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, Paris and then to 9 Boulevard Poissonnière. By 1833 Lefaure (fils - o/e "son") was a distributor for Castor Lefaucheaux and wrote a testimonial for Lefaucheaux’s guns in 1835. He showed his products at both the 1839 Paris exposition and the 1844 exposition.


Louis Alexis Lefaure - Proprietor 1850-1867: Pierre Alexis appears to have retired around 1850 and his shop was taken over by his son Louis Alexis Lefaure. He allegedly was appointed a gunmaker to Napoleon-III around 1855. In the mid 1850’s he may have moved to Boulevard Montmartre 22. However, by 1860 the firm, stlll under L. Lefaure, moved to passage Jauffroy, 20. Louis was working with his son Edmond, who was a arquebusier in his own right. There are supposedly a few guns around with "Lefaure & Fils" on the ribs from this time period.


Edmond Alexis Marie Lefaure - Proprietor 1867 - 1872: Around 1867, Louis retired and his business was taken over by Edmond Alexis Marie Lefaure. At this time Edmond adopted the script seen on 12BM’s gun. Edmond had already been working with his father for 26 years and may have retired in 1872 and the firm disbanded although research has not been done to confirm this.


Lefaure appears to have been as much an armurier as a arquebusier. He was licensed to sell Lefaucheaux guns almost from the beginning 1833 and his name can be found on several guns with the words “fini par Lefaure.” He marketed guns putting his name on them including Lefaucheaux and Guyot.

Here a few examples from the Internet:

1. Boulevard Poissoniere
https://www.interencheres.com/art-decoration/interieurs-du-xviii-au-xxeme-642663/lot-79332078.html
Estimation : 200 € - 250 € Frais de vente
Fusil de chasse à percussion, deux coups. Canons en table signés « L. LEFAURE A PARIS ». Platines à corps plats signés « L.LEFAURE ARQr BOULEVARD POISSONIERE ». Garnitures en fer. Crosse en noyer sculpté d’un bec de canard. Baguette à embout en laiton. Bretelle en cuir.


2. https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...5LIyQWX8a8CNwhb-BqClcYSAPIqyK-_cwrcBpmkq
Fusil à à double canon justaposé de marque L LEFAURE à Paris décor damasquiné Beau fusil de chasse, double, à percussion. Canons ronds, en table, damas, marquée à l'or sur la bande L Lefaure à Paris. platines arrières signées L Lefaure à Paris , LeFAU


3. Lefaure a Paris:
https://www.naturabuy.fr/FUSIL-JUXT...LE-CANON-A-PERCUSSION--item-9428658.html


4. Fini par Lefaure: Lefaucheux with Bernard barrels finished by Lefaure
https://www.naturabuy.fr/Fusil-Lefaure-Paris-calibre-16-broche-item-11761648.html
https://prehistoire-xixeme.forumactif.org/t1862-un-fusil-lefaure


5. https://www.beaussantlefevre.com/en...a-broche-et-a-percussion-centrale-chien?
Fusil de chasse à broche et à percussion centrale, chien ext - Lot 60
Fusil de chasse à broche et à percussion centrale, chien extérieur, à système, deux coups, calibre 12. Canons en table, rebronzés, signés sur la bande «Ed Lefaure Bte à Paris». Platines arrière signées ensuite et chiens, ciselés de rinceaux feuillagés et gravés de chiens. Garnitures en fer ciselé ensuite. Crosse en noyer marbré en partie quadrillé. A.B.E. (usures, remis en couleur), vers 1870-1880.