This Doublegun is another particularly beautiful piece of Belgian gunsmithing. The gun is signed on the bottom with < L. CHRISTOPHE A BRUXELLES>.
Christophe is the oldest gun store in Brussels. Founded in 1819, the house was supplier to the King of the Netherlands and since 1830 to the Queen of England. The family business was under the management of Henri Magert from 1847, which merged with the Maison Montigny in 1861. His widow married H. Christophe.
Their son Louis, with the help of the workshop manager Martin Fransquet, formed a company that sold under its own name mostly externally manufactured weapons, a procedure that was quite common at that time. The company was supplied by independent gunsmiths and manufacturers from Liège. Among the most famous names at that time were Francotte, Lebeau Courally (from 1865 until today), Dufourny, Cordy, Duchateau, Dumoulin or Alphonse Forgeron. Christophe guns were mostly made or supplied by Cordy or Bury.
The double presented here is one made by Jules Bury, as the signature with the letters JB under crown make clear.
The engraving is not signed, but the type and finish are typical of the Liège school and could be by Schoffeniels. Compare to my article about Jules Bury.
The shotgun was proofed in 1929. The caliber 12/70 and the reinforcements on the case, could be an indication that it is a so-called pigeon shotgun.
The picture from an old catalog shows the model H. V which almost corresponds to the shotgun shown here.
Wonderful side locks:
My friend, this is again detailed written about the oldest gunshop in Brussels and the quality of the gun made by Jules Bury; congratulations, your friend, Marc.
Thanks my friend, glad to find you here again!
Weidmannsheil, Wolfgang