Thanks again for the effort. Do you know if there is a section in the law that requires the gunmakers to close up shop and join forces? I was just curious when the houses merged and how in the world Modé was funded to absorb the other concerns. Is the dubbing as a Knight the same as a Royal Appointment in other countries and was there a yearly fee? Did they also use the term Bte.(Brevete) after there name as advertising?
Société Pirlet fils et Cie, armurerie, 26, rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré.
Maison Modé - PIRLET 91, rue de Richelieu
The Modé file shows that the Paris garrison commander forced him to close shop in 1914. And of course all male subjects were draftable.
One fascinating aspect in the file is that Modé had to prove that he did serve *and* did not make profits from trading with the government in order to be eligible.
He ended up serving for an ammunition making company and not on the front, so he had it pretty good.
I'll remind folks that 1.5 Million French men died in WWI out of 40 Million total population. It was truly a bloodbath that gutted an entire generation. By the end of the war, women simply could not find men to marry.
I am not an expert on this subject but the L of H was created by Napoleon. Early on, a pension of 250FF was given out. Not only did it disappear, but inductees had to pay to get in.
It was used for valor or services rendered to the nation.
Our subjects were usually recommended by the ministry of commerce, and the military personnel by the ministry of defense.
The L of H is very much a republican (French meaning) thing and bears no nobility value. It cannot be passed on.
There are multiple ranks:
Chevalier (Knight)
Officier
Commandeur
Grand-Officier
Grand-Croix
The president is Grand-Croix by default.
The medal was highly sought after in the 19th and first part of the 20th century.
Breveté means patentee and has nothing to do with the L of H.
I don't know how Modé bought the other houses. One possibility is that he bought them on the cheap when they were dying anyways. Lots of houses did not manage the gunmaking revolution of the last part of the 19th century properly and were falling out of favor. Another opportunity was the old masters passed.
Rieger had bought many of them before him (Rochatte, Beringer, E. Lefaucheux, Arthur Nouvelle, etc...).
The letter that you published shows additions stamped by Mode on the Lefaucheux letterhead. Pirlet seems to be one of them.
All the best
WC-
