doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Duchateau-Belgian manufacturer or retailer

There is an appealing (though kind of over the top and expensive) shotgun being offered that is billed as being made by Duchateau, a Belgian manufacturer, also being advertised as a premier builder on the order of LeBeau, Jules Bury and Francotte. There is very little about Duchateau on the internet and I am thinking it may be or have been a retailer. Does anybody know anythinga about a Belgian retailer or manufacturer named Duchateau?

He was a gunmaker and he have made many beautifull guns. I have send you some pictures of a pair of sideplated guns that one of my friends have in his colection and an other picture of a sidelock who was in a previous Holt's sale.
If you know how post pictures you can post the pictures.
Marc.

Here is a bit about this maker.

http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20den/a%20duchateau%20gb.htm

Pete

There are some fine (but small) Belgian makers who are not widely known. I have a Fernand Thonon SLE that's very nice. (I noted that another Thonon--Jules--is referenced in Pete's link on Duchateau. Since mine is a later gun (1949 by the date code), I'm guessing Jules was earlier generation, same family.)

Larry,

I count at least 18 Thonons or hyphenated Thonons. The family extended from the 1830's (or earlier) to at least the 1960's. There was even a damascus pattern called thonon.

Go to the bottom of this page:
http://www.damascus-barrels.com/Image_Barrels_2.html

Which leads me to believe that some Thonon at some time patented this pattern.

Jules was around from 1908-1925. He was in business with Duchateau.

Fernand had a large operation, that began about 1903. How long it continued I am not sure.

Pete

Pete, I have a Fernand Thonon with the 1947 proofing mark.