Original Exceptional French Gold Washed 11mm Revolver Model of 1855 by Louis Perrin for Paris Exposition Original Items

Original Item: One of a Kind. This is a true showpiece! This is a fabulous exhibition grade French gold washed and embossed 11mm six shot presentation revolver, made by the famous gunsmith Louis Perrin of Paris. This magnificent piece is said to have been first shown at Napoleon III’s Parisian Universal Exposition of 1855.

It must have made quite a stir, as it is of massive size, almost 17″ in overall length, and fitted with a 9 3/4″ barrel with the muzzle of a cannon. The whole revolver is decorated to the extreme, covered with embossed and engraved designs on almost every surface. It is fitted with polished ebony grip with an ornate carved butt cap, which was no doubt once covered in gold. It is marked on top of the barrel:

L. Perrin. Bté. à Paris

It is also marked PARIS on the right side of the frame by the arbor pin, with PERRIN & CIE BTÉ. “Bté” is short for Breveté, the French word for “Patented”, indicating that it was a registered and protected design by Perrin. Originally known as Louis Perrin-Lepage, Perrin was one of the foremost high art gunsmiths of the era, with his best pieces housed in fabulous collections and prestigious museums.

This revolver is definitely a work of art, and was intended as a showpiece, and most likely never intended to see any type of use. The bore of the barrel is completely smooth, and shows no signs of having been rifled. The gold wash also extends into the barrel by the cylinder, so definitely it was never meant for use.

That however does not mean that it is any less well designed. It has some rather ingenious high end aspects to its construction, such as a cartridge ejector rod mounted to a bushing that rotates around the entire barrel. It then rotates back to be stowed inside of the cylinder arbor pin. It also has a loading gate behind the cylinder, and many features anticipate later revolver designs. It looks to be a centerfire design, with a very large hammer point. We do not know what cartridge it was designed for, if any. Currently unresearched this revolver would benefit from serious study.

A fantastic collector’s opportunity, which does not come along very often at all!

Specifications: 

Year of Manufacture: circa 1855
Caliber: 11mm
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Overall Length: 16 1/2 inches
Barrel Length: 9 3/4 inches
Action: Double Only
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these.