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Old April 24, 2008, 02:19 PM   #2
Jim Watson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,542
Liege is in Belgium. They speak French in part of Belgium (Flemish in the rest.)

Crown-ELG is the long time standard (from 1893) Belgian proof mark. After 1924 it represented the definitive black powder proof test.

Star-E is an inspector's mark.

Lion-PV is the smokeless poweder proof mark.

33551 is surely the serial number.

18.3 and 18.4 are the bore diameters. Looks like there ought to be two numbers, bore and choke diameters for each barrel. Is it maybe cylinder?

Horseshoe 12-65 means it is a 12 gauge with 65mm (2 5/8") chambers. Mark came into use in 1924. You are at least somewhat overloading it with US 2 3/4" (70mm) shells. Some sources say it isn't much, some say it is harmful to the life of the gun, some say it is dangerous to the shooter. Me? I had my 65mm Verney Carron chambers lengthened so I would not have to worry about it. But the previous owner had shot it as was and it is still tight.

1kg 356 means the barrels weigh 1 kilogram, 356 grams, right at 3 lbs.

Now I am guessing about translations, but here it goes.

EPREUVE SPECIALE POUR POUDRE PYROXYEE surely means Specially Proved for Nitro Powder. Not required but good advertising in a day and age when black powder guns were still in regular use.

Royal Compressed Steel essentially means "Not Damascus." May be a specific brand name. Good advertising as above.

Fusil Forgeron and the man at the anvil may be trademarks of the gunmaker, and L. Barthe in Bayonne, France the selling dealer.

Value, I dunno. Some several hundreds of dollars resale value. Irreplaceable by make and model, certainly not for family connection. I would spend the insurance money on a gun safe instead.
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