doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Help identifying Belgian 12G

I have acquired a Damascene barreled 12g The Continental on left of receiver and patent date on right. TJ Bouvy was maker ( stamped on action.

I see the proof marks:
TD between the firing pins

On barrel flats:
Serial number

TJ Bovy Pat(ent)

TJB et cie(?) in circles ( twice) a- makers mark for Bouvy

* over x which I understand is inspectors mark - not specifically identified

Perrone ( tower) sign of inspection

88 - no idea

58(???) 0(???) no idea what these represent

On barrels:
Not for ball ( in English- was this for UK or US export market??)
Belgian mark in social E over LG over *

17.0 on bottom of left barrel
18.0 on bottom of right barrel also *over z
Also a B or 3 and a plume like shape

Sets of numbers engraved on barrel 32070 corresponds to number punched inside friend and engraved on barrel flats
Punched on left barrel 1013

Bottom of rib has a 3 and a seperate different orientation 80


Help from experts much appreciated by this "newby"
Was this gun cobbled together with separate barrel/ receiver/ for end???

Images:I will post as soon as I figure out how!

Darryl

First, it was made in Liege after the Belgian Decree of june 26th, 1877 where the British Government petitioned Belgian to change the inspector's(controller's) mark so that it could not be confused w/ their proofmarks. This speaks volumes as the Brits had to be importing Belgian wares by the Ox Cart Load.


The >>Not For Ball<< falls under the Belgian Decree of April 10th, 1878 and I am not sure on the English version, but a later set of rules allowed the text in English, German & of course French. But the subject longarm doesn't make it to the 1893 Rules. So it was made between 1878 & 1893.

I can go thru the process in excruciating detail, but skimming over, the single barrels were brought to the Liège Proof Facility by Lads in the trade, possible Lads that would later become gunmakers. Upon arrival they were inspected to see if they were what they were said to be. After inspection, they were handed over to the >>Calibrator<<, who as an accurate obtainer of dimension. He made the measurement & applied the proper calibre stamp. Each barrel was to experience proof with of one shot a black powder charge of 2/3rds the weight of a lead ball/balle(sphere). The >>Calibrator<< made the measurement, applied the proper diameter, which led to the associated load due to gauge. There was an allowable windage of 0.6mm between the lead sphere and the diameter of the tube. Then the single tube was handed off to the >>Loader<< who with the info from the >>Calibrator<< loaded the single tube.

After passing proof, the single tube could not be finished to a state that was more than 0.2mm from the original stamp of the >>Calibrator<<. I am sure there was a penalty as well as a reproof effort should more than 0.2mm be removed.

Tubes that passed proof were stamped with a script >>EL<< and sent their merry way via the Tube Ferrying Lads back tot he maker. After the whole lot was cobbled together the platform >>in the white<< was sent back for a final pass(proof) @ the Liège Proof Facility and upon passing the encircled ELG was well as the stamp of the Perron(Tower firmly established in 1853) for final inspection were applied noting the >>in the white<< platform was conformal in the eyes of the Belgian Law.


So the French Arquebusier T.J. Bovy finished the platform possibly for an English Speaking Client.

So with all the French Patent Chicken-Scratching on the water-table, it is possible that Bovy cobbled together a gesteck/parts kit with his unique frame and sent it all to Liège to have it assembled with Belgian Pattern Welded Tubes, sent for proof and on to Bovy to retail.

Could you pleasure us with some images of the sides, top & floorplate of the frame?

Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse

The Orange encircled stamps could be Process Stamps for Arquebusier T.J. Bovy.

The Green encircled characters have all the hallmarks of be an APUN or Permission of Use Stamp for some novel idea. But I am unsure of the Chicken Scratching inside the characters, which may be a masking attempt¿


Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse

But the question that begs is what exactly was the Arquebusier Théodore Joseph Bovy Patent Protection for and what is the Arquebusier Théodore Joseph Bovy platform??

https://www.littlegun.be/arme%20bel...0b/a%20bovy%20theodore%20joseph%20gb.htm


Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse