2.4 Liège Proof House Marks – FRIENDS OF THE CENTAURE SOCIETY

Chapter 2 – Facts and Figures

2.4 Liège Proof House Marks of FAUL Made Colt 1860 Pattern Pistols

1-FIL06905-001

2.4

2.4.1

2.4.1.1

2.4.1.2

2.4.1.3

2.4.1.4

2.4.1.4.1

2.4.1.4.2

2.4.1.4.3

2.4.2.

2.4.2.1

2.4.2.2

2.4.2.3

2.4.2.4

2.4.2.5

2.4.3

2.4.4

2.4.5

Liège Proof House Marks of F.A.U.L. Made Colt 1860 Pattern Pistols

Locations of Proof Marks

Proof Marks Combination 1 – Period 1959 to Feb. 26, 1968

Proof Marks Combination 2 – Period March 1968

Proof Marks Combination 3 – Period April 1968 to Sometime in 1970

Proof Marks Combination 4 – Period Sometime in 1970 to 1973

Proof Marks Combination 4.1

Proof Marks Combination 4.2

Proof Marks Combination 4.3

Definitions of Proof Marks

CAL. .44

Perron

Crown over R

ELG

Inspector Marks

Exceptions to the Rules

Inspectors‘ Names

Data Sheet

2.4.1

Location of Proof Marks

Typically, the Banc d’Epreuves des Armes a Feu, the Liège Proof House, had their acceptance marks stamped on the left side of barrel lug and frame, and on the cylinder. During the life of the New Model Armies (NMAs) four (4) basically different combinations of proof marks were observed:

2.4.1.1

Proof Marks Combination 1 – Period 1959 to Feb. 26, 1968

$D:\FAUL Pocket Army 2V #8\1-P1020438.JPG$

Combination 1 proof marks: Left side of barrel lug caliber stamp, inspector mark, perron, crown over R; left side of frame inspector mark, perron; cylinder inspector mark, ELG over * in oval

2.4.1.2

Proof Marks Combination 2 – Period March 1968

$D:\#7436 RNMA 1V 3SV XX F\1-7436 1.jpg$

Combination 2 proof marks March 1968: Left side of barrel lug caliber stamp, perron; left side of frame perron; cylinder ELG over * in oval

2.4.1.3

Proof Marks Combination 3 – Period April 1968 to Sometime in 1970

$D:\#7785 RNMA 1V 3SV PB F\1-7785-4.jpg$

Combination 3 proof marks (transitional period to 2012): Left side of barrel lug perron; left side of frame perron; cylinder ELG over * in oval

2.4.1.4

Proof Marks Combination 4 – Period Sometime in 1970 to 1973

Three modifications regarding the location of the CAL. .44 and the perron on the barrel lug until the end of the making of the Centaures in early summer of 1973

2.4.1.4.1

Proof Marks Combination 4.1

$D:\#12968 RNMA 6V 2SV RG D\1-Ansicht von Links.JPG$

Combination 4.1 proof marks: Left side of barrel lug left of wedge screw caliber stamp and perron; left side of frame perron; cylinder ELG over * in oval

2.4.1.4.2

Proof Marks Combination 4.2

$D:\#11779 RNMA 1V 2SV JK D\1-IMG_5106.JPG$

Combination 4.2 modified proof marks: Left side of barrel lug caliber stamp and perron above wedge screw; left side of frame perron; cylinder ELG over * in oval

2.4.1.4.3

Proof Marks Combination 4.3

$D:\#12038 RNMA 4V 2SV L D\1-FIL34376.JPG$

Combination 4.3 modified proof: Left side of barrel lug caliber stamp left, perron right of wedge screw; left side of frame perron; cylinder ELG over * in oval

Before you are getting all excited Centaures custom engraved in Europe and the factory engraved ones were proof marked, too.

1-P1030607

With a little help from your magnifying glass: Detect proof marks CAL: .44 and perron on left of barrel lug of factory engraved Marshal #12686 left from the wedge screw

2.4.2

Definitions of Proof Marks

Chapter	Proof Marks	Definitions
2.4.2.1	$D:\FAUL-Marks & Markings\1-P1050524.JPG$	CAL. .44: Stamped on most pistols throughout the production, embossed on the left side of the barrel lug, close to the wedge screw.
2.4.2.2	$D:\FAUL-Marks & Markings\1-P1050519.JPG$	Perron: Looks like an arrow pointing to the right, or a palm tree sideways. The perron is the inspection mark for rifled barrels. These marks were stamped on the left side of barrel lug and frame throughout the production.
2.4.2.3	$D:\FAUL-Marks & Markings\1-P1050523-001.JPG$	Crown over R (sideways): Mark of rifled barrels from 1884 through Feb. 26, 1968. The mark was stamped on the left side of the barrel lug. Centaures made after February 1968 do not feature this mark.
2.4.2.4	$D:\FAUL-Marks & Markings\1-P1000283-001.JPG$	ELG over * in Oval (sideways): The final black powder proof. Usually stamped on the rebated part of the cylinder throughout the production.
2.4.2.5	$D:\FAUL-Marks & Markings\1-_1050517-001.JPG$	Inspector Marks (letters sideways): Applied until February, 26 1968. These marks are * over capital (except for q) letters C, D, F, H, K, L, M, q, R, S, T, U, Y or Z. They are found in three locations i.e. on the left side of barrel lug and frame, and stamped close to the ELG oval on the cylinder.

2.4.3

Exception to the Rule

It was standard procedure one inspector marked one pistol. Hence, the three (3) inspector marks on a given Centaure are supposed to be identical.

There are a number of pistols recorded in the survey with identical inspector marks on barrel lug and frame but the cylinder carries the mark of a different inspector. If your Regular New Model Army (RNMA) is among them she just might have a cylinder with one of the two naval scenes installed. Upon disassembly the serial number on the breech side of the cylinder may not matching the gun.

This might indicate one of three things:

An extra cylinder (they were produced in a separate block of serial numbers) with the naval scene has been installed by the owner some years back instead of the factory issued one, or
Some mistake occurred at the factory during reassembly of a batch of Centaures when the revolvers were cleaned after the proof testing procedure at Banc d’Epreuves des Armes a Feu, or
Some mistake occurred at the shop of Centennial Arms Corp. in Lincolnwood after the factory fitted cylinders of a batch of RNMAs 1st variation had been removed for the application of the Ormsby naval scene engraving to the cylinder. Once the cylinders were roll-engraved the wrong one – wrong serial number – was installed.

2.4.4

Inspectors‘ Names

The Liège Proof house kept their inspectors’ names as a secret for many years. Here they are including marks and their years of service.

You find these inspector marks on Centaures only produced and proof tested before the end of February 1968, when the marking procedures were changed.

Inspector mark (sideways)	Inspector’s Name	Period of Service
*C	Deudonnè Francard	1959 – 1968
*D	René Marchal	1951 – 1968
*F	Name not disclosed	1953 – 1968
*H	Christophe Wolf	1938 – 1968
*K	Waltere Delsaux	1929 – 1968
*L	Antoine Salmon	1937 – 1968
*M	Maurice Scorpion	1959 -1968
*q	Garspard Dewilde	1952 – 1968
*R	Sylvain Wagemans	1951 – 1965
*S	Charles Deanen	1952 – 1968
*T	Clement Leanen	1952 – 1968
*U	Jaques Fuchs	1960 – 1968
*Y	Francois Delsaux	1959 – 1968
*Z	Martin Luyten	1952 – 1968

2.4.5

Data Sheet

This form is available to you as a download from this website in both English, French or German. It will facilitate your recording efforts of your Centaure’s facts. Once completed let us have the form to do the Coppell Classification of your prized pistol, see also chapter 2.2.

$D:\#10388 RNMA 1V 2SV TS D\1-FIL22657.JPG$

Recording your Centaure’s facts with the data sheet for the Coppel Classification

Updated November 22 2023