Duché
Below you will find a small file relating to Duché, a French gunsmith of the 18th century who had his importance at the time; followed by an iconographic illustration as an example;
namely
an example of a sea dog, and an example of his production in the form of eagle
heads.
Gribeauval
Chien de mer signé Duché à Tulle.
Sea dog signed Duché à Tulle.
French naval officer's belt pistol called "sea dog". Exemplar manufactured by Duché à Tulle who is considered to be the designer of this model.
Duché (or Ducher or Duchet), assembler at the Manufacture Royale de Tulle in 1792, made many pairs of this model with reversed plates (left/right). He generally worked with the gunner Desaga.
This model of weapon was in vogue for a period of about thirty years (1780-1810) and seems to have served as a reference for the French regulation model of the navy 1779. This type of pistol exists in different dimensions varying from 180 to 275 mm, with iron or brass fittings.
Characterized by a stock in the shape of a sea dog's head, these pistols are more or less richly sculpted or decorated depending on the manufacturer.
Characteristics of the example presented:
- Model with reverse lock (left), probably part of a pair.
- Lock with round body, swan neck hammer, battery with turnbacks at the foot and dorsal ridge, round iron basin with firewall.
- Barrel with five sides then round. Astragal at the muzzle. Caliber 14 mm.
Brass fittings. Annular mouthpiece surrounding the barrel and dated with a sight point, extending into a sub-guard fixed at the rear by a screw passing through the stock. The trigger guard is permanently fixed to the sub-guard by riveting. “Lobed” counter-lock characteristic of civilian naval weapons of the time. Brass stock strap.
- Belt hook in the shape of a “hairpin”, fixed by the rear lock screw and a notch planted in the wood to prevent it from turning.
- Dark walnut mount with short barrel ending in a sculpted sea dog’s head.
- Nail head baguette.
Gribeauval
Eagles head signed Duché à Tulle.
