Interesting on prices. I have a page from a 1934 Verney-Carron catalog, showing the Helice 33 prices running from 595F for the No. 1 to 725F for the No. 3. (At least they ran their model #'s in order!)

A 15,000F Robust would've been something to see. However, I'm not sure what the exchange rate was in the 30's. I do know that in more recent times, long before they went to the euro, the French changed their monetary system by a factor of 100: it took 100 old francs to equal 1 new one. After that change, the exchange rate ran in the neighborhood of 5 to 8F = $1. I was in France when it was running 8 to 1, and I shudder to think of the guns I should've bought then.