Original item. Only One Available. This is an excellent condition high end SIX BARREL Underhammer Percussion Pepperbox revolver, which is in approximately .36" caliber, made by Mariette of the Cheratte area of Liège, Belgium. This design was patented by the firm, which involved the two brothers Gillaume and Gilles Mariette, both of whom were excellent gunsmiths. They were known specifically for this type of pepperbox, featuring an underhammer design and having individual removable barrels as opposed to the barrel / cylinder cluster usually seen on pepperboxes. As with most we have seen, the barrel are all "Damascus" forged, which can be hard to see due to wear to the finish. We have only had one of these before, and that only had four barrels, but this is the larger six barrel variety!

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 grips are high end ebony wood, so this was definitely an upmarket example.

The six barrels are all smooth bore, and have 4 short grooves at the muzzle so they can be unscrewed for reloading, though at present only barrels 2 and and 3 can be removed easily. The cap nipple cone bolsters are numbered 1 to 6, 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 after 1810, along with CROWN / F and CROWN / AF inspector markings. There is what be think may be a serial number on the the top of the frame: 25.

This pistol is marked MARIETTE BREVETÉ on the front side of the grip, for gunsmiths Gilles and Guillaume 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 the firms fine work. These sometimes would be attributed to one brother or the other, but this does not have any indication. "Breveté" is the French word for "patented", as this underhammer design was one they developed, and it really is quite elegant.

The pistol is in great shape, showing a lovely lightly aged polished patina overall, with no signs of major oxidation or other damage. The barrels all show much of the original spiral forging texture in the light, and the engraving on the frame is well retained. The wooden grip scales show only light wear, and the ebony wood looks really sharp. The revolver functions great, and we did not notice any of the finicky behavior we often see with revolvers this age.

A magnificent example of an upmarket Belgian Six Barrel Underhammer Percussion Pepperbox revolver by Mariette, ready to research and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1840
Caliber: .36"
Ammunition Type: Cap & Ball
Overall Length: 7 ¼ inches
Barrel Length: 2 ⅞ inches
Action: Double Action Only
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver with Turn Off barrels

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