doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Le Personne & Co Ltd Shotgun

Le Personne & Co Ltd had amongst other things the Fabrique National or FN agency for the UK. They were merchants, agents and brokers.

Can anyone tell me who made this o/u shotgun. Its marked Le Personne & Co Lt on the barrel along with J. Cannon, demi block, best fluid steel.

https://www.icollector.com/Belgian-...nne-Co-LTD-London-on-the-top-o_i19847641






Regards

Alan

Other than having been made in Belgium, I can't tell you much from the photos. That gun has some obvious Merkel-like features: 3 piece forend, Kersten bolts at the top, reinforcing bosses on the receiver. But I've seen other Belgian-made OUs with similar features. The late Don Zutz wrote that OUs imported under the Charles Daly name in the 30's, with many of the same features as the Le Personne in your link, were made by Masquelier. Again, according to Zutz, so were the "Zephyr" OUs that show up--also with those same features--as Stoeger imports in their 1940 "Shooter's Bible".

A similar Masquelier, with less engraving, is here
http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20ma/a%20masquelier%20gb.htm

There might be a mask trademark and certainly a lettre annale

Masquelier's o+u's can be almost instantly identified by the rather unusual angled wood to metal fit on their forearms....as well as the distinctive triangular "mask" makers mark.

best regards,
tom

Personne seems similar to this .

This gun marked Belgique.







Or the lower gun, Belgian made, marked St. Hubert, Paris. Mechanically similar, the design can come in several grades for retail by others. Both finely made guns.

Also Lajot, Francotte and Defourny have made similar O/U guns.

Great replies.

Mr Personne was a Belgian national who settled in the UK. The company was only wound up by his relatives in the 1980's.

No records of gun sales seem to have survived.

Lastly who or what is 'J. Cannon, demi block, best fluid steel.' As inscribed on the barrel.

Regards

AlanD

"Best Fluid Steel" was just a generic term and does not establish the tube maker.
Ithaca NIDs were so marked, with tubes from Canons Delcour which was in business until about 1968 when they were acquired by Fabrique National de Herstal.
I've not seen "J. Cannon" - maybe Joseph Cap?
http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20c/a%20cap%20joseph%20gb.htm

Demi-bloc is the method of joining the tubes to the breech and does not establish the maker
https://www.boxallandedmiston.co.uk/shotgun-anatomy/difference-between-a-demo-and-mono-bloc-barrel

Thanks for all the info.

Regards

Alan

Back around 1990 I was involved in an investigation which involved the importers of Spanish made Astra shotguns. Le Personne was one I had on my list. By that time they had ceased the import of firearms and had no records. They were then in the business of selling wine glasses. An odd change of direction. Lagopus.....