I have a similar catalog from 1929, Mr. Chambers-but, it is from a retailer that sold BOTH Francisque Darne and Charlin models-and, it has a page very similar to the one you have shown. That illustration, by the way, is an 1894 patent style gun, which, anybody was free to copy, after Regis Darne began building the 1909 patent guns.
While Charlin may, or may not have, built exact, Regis Darne style sliding breech guns, they DID in fact built their own rendition of the sliding breech gun, that is the Charlin that is almost always encountered. It is one thing to show an ad, patent or a photo of something, quite another to procure an example for all to see, quite another still to say that such a gun was the main product of a company like Charlin, or, even a design that was available-no one has seen a Tobin hammer gun, but, they were cataloged.
Why? Who knows.
The main Charlin gun, their gun of fame, the money maker, the gun of the great majority of future Charlin catalogs ( I have a few) has no axle through the breechblock. It is an over the center device, non locked breech sliding breech double. They made lots of them, and it it the sliding breech gun design they promoted.
I can say this, because the very great majority of Charlin guns I have seen and owned, here and in Europe, saving a rather interesting O/U, were the typical, non locked breech Charlin. It is the only gun listed in the Charlin catalogs I have. And I have a few Charlin catalogs.
Since you brought it up, is there a chance we could see a photo of the whole page that shows that 1894 Darne patent gun, and mentions the Charlin? I'd be interested in seeing it, and, Larry would provide pretty good translation for little or no money, I think.
A nice clear shot of the whole page would be quite enlightening-and, it would be nice to see that other Charlin patent, regarding swivel attachment to a plume rib barrel that you offered before the last post was locked down, so to speak.
Thanks in advance.
Best,
Ted
