Original Belgian Underhammer Percussion Pepperbox Revolver by Gilles Mariette for the French Market – circa 1840 Original Items

Original item. Only One Available. This is a lovely high end Belgian Underhammer Percussion Pepperbox revolver, which is in approximately .36″ caliber. It is made very much in the French style, and many French makers had these made under contract in the gun-making city of Liège, Belgium. Made around 1840, revolvers such as these were principally supplied to the Parisian Market, intended for personal protection. With an underhammer design featuring a ring trigger, the revolver had nothing that could easily catch on clothing, making it a great weapon for keeping in a coat pocket. The action and frame are covered with lovely foliate engraving, and the hardwood grips are masterfully checkered and carved, so this was definitely an upmarket example.

The 4 barrels even show signs of spiral forging, definitely, usually reserved for higher end offerings. Unlike most examples we see, each barrel is a separate piece, and not part of a solid barrel cluster as with most pepperboxes, which had been given their name for the resemblance to a pepper boxes / pots / grinders used at the time. They are all smooth bore, and have 4 short grooves at the muzzle so they can be unscrewed for reloading, though all are currently frozen. The cap nipple cone bolsters are numbered 1 to 4, matching the numbers on the barrels. The base of the barrel cluster is also marked with the E / L G / * in an oval marking proof from Liège, along with a CROWN / V inspector marking.

This pistol is marked MARIETTE BREVETÉ over serial number 29 on the front side of the grip, for gunsmith Gilles Mariette of Cheratte in Liège, Belgium. Mariette is a well-known maker of pepperbox pistols during the 1840s, and we have seen several other examples of his fine work. “Breveté” is the French word for “patented”, so this underhammer design was most likely one that he developed himself, and it really is quite elegant.

The pistol is in great shape, showing a lovely aged patina overall, with no signs of major oxidation or other damage. The barrels all show faint traces of the original spiral forging texture, and the engraving on the frame is well retained. The wooden grip scales show only light wear, with their original checkering and designs in great shape. The revolver functions well, with smooth action and a crisp dry fire. It does appear however that the trigger return spring was removed at some point, or possibly that it never had one, so the ring trigger needs to be moved back to the forward position manually.

A lovely example of an upmarket Belgian Underhammer Percussion Pepperbox revolver by a known maker, ready to research and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1840
Caliber: .36″
Ammunition Type: Cap & Ball
Overall Length: 7 ½ inches
Barrel Length: 3 ½ inches
Action: Double Action Only
Feed System: 4 Shot Revolver with Turn Off barrels

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