Luxury Lefaucheux Pinfire Revolver, 20 Shots, Double-barreled Over-and-under – Paris, After 185

Exceptional luxury civil revolver with a spindle, double action, with a double superimposed barrel, made by Eugène Lefaucheux, a major figure in the Parisian armory of the 19th century and inventor of the brooch cartridge system.

The weapon is equipped with a very rare double-row 20-shot barrel, including ten chambers arranged on the outer crown and ten additional chambers on a concentric inner ring, offering exceptional fire capacity for the time and testifying to a mechanical design of great sophistication.

The upper barrel bears the engraved signature: "E. Lefaucheux Bté in Paris".

The whole has a very high quality mirror polish, enhanced with deep engravings with gold damasks, executed with remarkable care and characteristic of prestigious productions intended for an elite clientele. The revolver has a foldable trigger, an eagle head-shaped sculpted dog and internally integrated barrel locking cleats, attesting to first-rate manufacturing.

The carved ivory lacrosse pads are a major element of this set. They bear the official coat of arms of the city of Lyon in its form adopted from 1859, as well as the initials "C. H.", most likely those of the client or the first owner. The coat of arms reads according to the official heraldry: "From gueules to the silver lion, to the azure chief loaded with three golden lily flowers". This heraldic decoration allows a dating after 1859, perfectly consistent with the technical and stylistic characteristics of the weapon.

The revolver is accompanied by its original luxury accessories: silver cleaning wand, silver oiler taking the shape of a small fine grease box still retaining its original grease, as well as a silver trim screwdriver. The set confirms the character of a special order made for prestigious civil use.

Markings: signature "E. Lefaucheux Bté in Paris" on the upper barrel; internal marking "LF 163".

The Lefaucheux revolvers with double barrel and 20-shot barrel are among the rarest and most sophisticated pieces of the civil armory of the 19th century. By its exceptional capacity, the richness of its execution, its identified heraldic decoration and the presence of original silver accessories, this copy is classified among the top weapons of collection, of obvious museum interest.