Quelque chose d'intéressant

[Jerry Cornelius]

I was browsing an old catalogue of a manufacturer in St Étienne, as you do, and thought people might like this:



Needless to say the pistol is in johns encyclopaedia, and is apparently a copy of the “Eureka”

And then there was this page of cycling supplies:



Cycling in France in the 1890s must have been even worse than in Chatham in the 1980s, if revolvers and knuckledusters were required equipment!!

[Garvin]

I like the name 'coup de poing' for knuckleduster. Presumably derived from the sound a Frenchman makes when on the receiving end!

[Jerry Cornelius]

I like the name 'coup de poing' for knuckleduster. Presumably derived from the sound a Frenchman makes when on the receiving end!

I also liked the way the home trainer was on the same page, for people who still wanted to cycle but felt the idea of having to carry a coup de poing was a bit much. Much safer to stay indoors!

[ccdjg]

The Eureka-copy advert is very interesting Jerry, as this is the first time I have seen an advert for this pistol in any catalogue other than the French Martinier-Collin catalogues, all of which date from 1884 and earlier. In 1885 Martinier-Collin sold his gun-making business and the new owners re-named it 'Manufacture Francaise d'Armes de St Etienne'. So your catalogue shows that the pistol continued to be made after the company was taken over. Do you have any idea of the date of your catalogue?

Cheers,
John

[Garvin]

I also liked the way the home trainer was on the same page, for people who still wanted to cycle but felt the idea of having to carry a coup de poing was a bit much.

Or maybe wanted to achieve a faster getaway instead!

[Jerry Cornelius]

The Eureka-copy advert is very interesting Jerry, as this is the first time I have seen an advert for this pistol in any catalogue other than the French Martinier-Collin catalogues, all of which date from 1884 and earlier. In 1885 Martinier-Collin sold his gun-making business and the new owners re-named it 'Manufacture Francaise d'Armes de St Etienne'. So your catalogue shows that the pistol continued to be made after the company was taken over. Do you have any idea of the date of your catalogue?

Cheers,
John

Mais oui mon sewer, mais oui. May 1890. I can e-mail you the whole catalogue if you’d like but I think this was the only page with airguns.

[Geezer]

The little revolvers were intended as defence against angry dogs in the countryside.

One of the better-known ones was called the Velo[bicycle]-Dog.

[ccdjg]

Mais oui mon sewer, mais oui. May 1890. I can e-mail you the whole catalogue if you’d like but I think this was the only page with airguns.

Thanks Jerry, that would be great. Just page 1 and the airgun page would keep me happy.

I had no idea the French Eureka-copy was still available in 1890. Always something new to find.

Cheers,
John