Brun-Latrige

BRUN-LATRIGE Gunsmith from Saint-Etienne (Loire, France).

Paul Brun, born around 1848. Between 1867 and 1872, he worked in Paris for "the three greatest Parisian gunsmiths". Between 1876 and 1878, he was in Saint-Etienne where he had two children with his wife, Miss Latrige. He set up his workshop at 7 cours Fauriel. His headed letters and catalogues bear "house founded in 1836", either because he took over an old gunsmith founded on that date, or because his ancestors settled there on that date.

On 18 May 1879, he registered his trademark: BL surmounting or framing a helmet in profile.

His first patent dates from July 31, 1888 under No. 192,130 for a "hammerless hunting rifle". Addition of February 11, 1890.

A second patent dates from May 27, 1889 under No. 198,774 for "a hammerless hunting rifle" with superposed barrels. The addition of February 22, 1890 removes the trigger guard key in favour of a lateral key.

Several other patents follow: from March 27, 1889 under No. 198,774 for a "so-called hammerless hunting rifle". Addition of February 22, 1890. From January 7, 1891 under No. 210,588 for a "hunting rifle with fixed barrels and a movable breech". From March 4, 1891 under No. 211,884 for a “hammerless hunting rifle with fixed barrels and movable breech”. Additions of November 27, 1891, December 14, 1892 and November 20, 1893. Patent of 1892 under No. 225,661. Addition of 1893.

Patent of 1893 under No. 228,786. Addition of 1893. Patent of 1894 under No. 236,149. Addition of 1895. Patent of 1894 under No. 238,054. Patent of 1897 under No. 270,895. Patent of 1901 under No. 315,501. Patent of 1904 under No. 342,829 for a “shotgun with fixed, removable barrels, movable block and ascending lock in the block”. Patent of 1905 under No. 356,742 for a “device for cocking the internal hammers of a shotgun by means of the key”. Patent of 1905 under No. 357,459 for a “device for cocking the internal hammers of a hunting rifle by means of the key”. Patent of 1909 under No. 395,990 for a “hunting rifle with fixed barrels with movable block and ascending bolt in the block”. Patent of 1910 under No. 421,464 for a “rifle without visible hammer with locks cocked by the bolt and special lever, with automatic ejector, operating with one or two triggers”. Four additions of 1911. Addition of 1912. Patent of 1911 under No. 423,941 for a new rifle with fixed barrels, with automatic extractor and closing by tilting bolt operated by a key in the block”. Addition of 1911. Patent of 1913 under no. 455,215 for “fixed barrel rifles with automatic opening of the block by reversal”.

Brun-Latrige won silver medals at the Universal Exhibitions in Paris in 1889 and 1900 and was awarded a prize in Lyon in 1894.

In his catalogues from 1893-94 Brun-Latrige made his barrels.

He was succeeded by Firmin Rey, born in Saint-Etienne in 1896, to a father who was a carpenter and wine merchant. After working for a time in the Automoto workshops, Firmin Rey fought in the war of 1914-18 as an aviation mechanic. On his return, he probably worked for Automoto again!

He married Marguerite Essertel, around 1920. Daughter of the founders of the company "ZANZIBAR", a branch business competing with "CASINO" (Group of large food stores) , she gave him the means to set up his own business. Around 1920-22, Firmin Rey bought Brun-Latrige, at 7 cours Fauriel. He resumed and continued the manufacture of bicycles and hunting weapons, with 10 to 15 people. In 1922, he was an honorary member of the Mutual Aid Society of Gunsmiths of Saint-Etienne.

He continued to mark the weapons “BL with a helmet”, BrunLatrige’s mark that he renewed on October 27, 1928. Firmin Rey filed a patent on October 30, 1928 under No. 663.519 for a “closing device for hammerless rifles, with a propeller adjustable from above”. He filed the corresponding mark, “SUPEREGLOBLOC”, on January 23, 1929.

After his weapons were immobilized at the Proof House due to the war, Firmin Rey saw their return in “a strange state”. He ceased his activity around 1948 before selling the workshop at 7 Cours Fauriel around 1950-52. Firmin Rey died in Saint-Etienne in 1970.

(Testimony M. Rey, Doc. A. Leveau, ADL 6M, Doc. MAI