1749 flintlock pistols

[albert]

if moderators want this removed feel free to remove,I know this forum is for American guns.
 I am working on a matched pair of French pistols that are almost works of art ,to me anyway. the markings as I read are : Page a Paris   Fourni Par La ,the stocks are stamped 1749 near the bbl.tang, the bore is about .675,micro groove rifling,the 8" swamped bbl.measures 1.06 at the breech,.814 2" from muzzle,and .94 at the muzzle,the is also a crown w/ AM 18 . The locks are made a good as the English  Brazier  lock on my Ben Mills rifle.

[Frank Barker]

Hello Albert..... Your guns you are building sound like they are going to be very nice. A few pictures would be greatly appreciated.    Thanks   Frank

[albert]

This is a repair job on an original

[smart dog]

Hi Albert,
Fourni par la probably means "furnished (supplied) by the" and the gunmaker was Le Page of Paris.  There were father and son Le Pages that were famous French makers.  The son was contemporary with Boutet during the last quarter of the 18th century and the first of the 19th.  The firm of Le Page persisted after the son's death.  I am skeptical of the stamped dates.  Examples of the elder Le Page's work are mostly from the 1760s and later.  If you want better info you need to post some pictures, which would help date the guns.

dave 

[albert]

did a little research tonight and found out some history on Le Page,Pierre Le Page 1709-1783 was born in Normandy and arrives in Paris in 1723 and started training the following year with master gunmaker Mazillier , and started working for Louis Pigny the same year,later years he marries the niece of Louis Pigny,in 1743 firearms manufacturer  Pigny becomes known as La Page.the company later becomes the firm of Jean Le Page 1746-1834 his nephew . there is also another name on the barrels J.L. MERLEU from what I can make out,the stamping is very faint.

[Darrin McDonal]

That's really nice info on them. We'redid you read this? I am always interested in hearing or reading documentation on the original builders. Heck, who isnt. The sources are just as intriguing.
Thanks for sharing.
Darrin

[albert]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faur%C3%A9_Le_Page