doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The case of the Paris proof

Folks,
While looking at the Bernard barrel making history, I came upon a document which explains the mystery of the Paris proof house.
I knew that the proof somehow stopped being required in the late 1800s, but did not know why and when, and when did it restart.

Anyways, here is the time line:
9/14/1810: proofing becomes mandatory in France. The proof house is in St-Etienne.
6/19/1865: A proof inspector position is created in Paris. The inspector does not have a "house" and works at each gunmaker's shop.
8/14/1885: a new law makes the sale and manufacturing of weapons of all kind "free from all regulations" (oh boy). Therefore, it kills the proofing requirements.
The Paris proof inspector goes, but St-Etienne stays on a voluntary basis.
In 1894, problems arise from Belgium: unproved French guns and parts going through Belgium are seized and holders prosecuted due to the lack of proof. The situation is not workable.
11/7/1895: The Paris Chamber of commerce is authorized to set a proof house.
7/1/1899: The proof house is operational *in L. Bernard's facility at 129 rue de Versailles, Paris*. (So much for the reported death of Bernard's operation in 1890).
The Paris mark is recognized in Germany, Belgium, London and Birmingham.

It seems that the proofing was still voluntary at that point. However, it looks like most everybody used it. Of course Bernard should have been as it was most convenient for him.

Best regards,
WC-

Much is often made of proof having been voluntary in France, but I can't recall ever having seen a French gun that didn't have proofmarks, either St Etienne or Paris. Vast majority St Etienne.

Hi Larry,
My other thread shows a bunch of unproved guns, all with Bernard barrels. As a matter a fact, so far I have not seen a single originally proved Bernard barreled gun made before 1899.
Best regards,
WC-

Larry, I had a nice Cogswell and Harrison ble, Avenue de Opera, Paris, on the rib that had Austrian proofmarks, only. Now, how does one figure that. Oh, it did have a cheekpiece stock.

Interesting for Bernard: rolling proofing his own sort of like Collath. Still voluntary proof in 1901 but after attending the International Proof Conference of 1914, the conditions were penned into French proof law on June 4th, 1926 but compulsory proof wasn't reinstated until January 12th, 1960, effective June or 1962.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

My bad, WC. I probably should have stressed MODERN French guns. Anything made since WWI, probably since 1900.

My limited experience matches Larry. All the post-WWI guns I've seen and hunted with have had proof marks. I have a buddy who runs a gunshop in Brittany and I've used a bunch of his SxSs for hunting woodcock over the years and as far as I can remember I've seen proofmarks on the guns (probably a sample size of 30-50 guns or so). Having said that I've much less experience with 19th century French shotguns.