Paul GIFFARD
This is a Giffard type air rifle. This French inventor distinguished himself
with his original liquefied gas parlor rifles produced in Saint-Etienne.
The 1900 catalogue of the Saint-Etienne Manufacture offered 3 versions:
- 6 mm rifled barrel
- 8 mm rifled barrel for shooting bullets
- 8 mm smooth barrel for shooting lead shot
Giffard also filed a good number of patents in Belgium for various rifles. He
founded an air gun factory in Liège in 1865.
The rifle examined here bears a marking attributing its paternity to Paul
Giffard: P. Giffard brevet. The model was patented in Brussels on December 30,
1865 (patent 18946), a plate of which is reproduced below:
The weapon also shows the markings CB 88 and Warnant on the lock, as well as the
initials JC on the wood. These are the markings that question the owner of the
weapon.
JC at this location: workshop mark.
The mention "CB88" could mean "Conical Bullet 8 mm for both bullet and pellet
shooting".
The mention of a member of the Warnant family is unexpected. Which Warnant is it
and what was his involvement (mechanism: cocking, opening, percussion,
operation, or simple subcontracting?)? The members of the dynasty are well known
on the site.
To possibly answer this question, it would be necessary to have additional
information from new photos showing the operating mode of the rifle.
Chris, HPH, Max, Marcel
I have just consulted a commercial directory from 1868 dedicated to Liège and I
find nothing in the name of Giffard (with D) but on the other hand, I find a
Giffart (with T), engineer, faubourg Saint-Léonard 321 in Liège.
Is this our man? With a spelling mistake in the surname, as is often the case
...
The truffle hunter
Paul GIFFARD
Inventor of the rifles and pistols with gas tank compressed in Paris in 1871-1891. Patent on May 20, 1862 for a weapon of living room, hunting, war compressed-air.
Brother of the specialist in the airships Henri Giffard, inventor of the injector which bears its name.
Extract of Jarlier.
From where probably the origin of the engraving of Montgolfier on the top of the breech!
Alain
Sold by "Hallantique"
Photos Littlegun
