Daryl,
This is directly from Littlegun
http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20l/a%20lebeau%20gb.htmIn 1865, Auguste Lebeau, known as one of the best arms manufacturers of the Area of Argenteau (large suburbs of Liege) opens its own factory of shotguns of highest quality.
In 1896, death of Auguste Lebeau, Ferdinand Courally ensures continuity, he will be the author in 1931 of very known "the Weapons of Hunting and their Shooting".
In 1902, the firm takes the name of "Webley-Lebeau-Courally".
In 1919, Ferdinand Courally is withdrawn, the firm becomes a limited company ` SA Continental Auguste Lebeau-Courally "under the direction of English Philippe Reeve. About 1930 departure of the Rue Mosselman, 51-53 for the Rue Fond des Tawes, 17-21 (close to the bench of tests) At the beginning of Ph. Reeve, in 1956, the Lebeau-Courally house is repurchased by Joseph Verrees *, already manufacturer of weapons in Liege.
In 1982, with died of Joseph Verrees, his niece Anne-Marie Moermans-Ramakers, the direction begins again. She always currently assumes the perpetuation of the great tradition armurière inhabitant of Liège, in the field of the weapons of hunting of great luxury.
SA VERREES & Co - LEBEAU-COURALLY - Rue Saint-Gilles, 386, B-4000 Liege
* Joseph Verrees, bank clerk of 1930 to 1945, opens under his name his own manufacture in 1945. In 1949, it joins another manufacturer: Oste and they create the firm "Verrees and Oste", specialized in the construction of fine weapons.
In 1952, end of association with Oste, the firm becomes "fine Munitions factory Verrees & Co".
In 1954, transfer of the Company of the n° 99 to the n° 386 of the street Saint-Gilles.
In 1956, repurchase of "Lebeau-Courally".So based on the above history. A gun marked only as Lebeau would have been made prior to 1897.
Over the years, the firm held several patents in Belgium and perhaps in England.
Pete
