RARE Manufrance Model Gaulois No. 1DAO Squeeze Cocker Palm Pistol, 2 1/8” Matchning Pocket / Palm Pistol, MFD 1897-1910 C&R
SOLD FOR: $805.00
LSB#: 150817RM02
Make: Manufacture Francaise D’Armes ET Cycles De Saint-Etienne (Manufrance)
Model: Gaulois
Serial Number: 11048
Year of Manufacture: 1897-1910 (The pistol first entered production in 1893 but was first called “Mitrailleuse”. It was re-named Gaulois in 1897. (https://books.google.com/books?id=okQH6zFgDtUC&pg=PA211&lpg=PA211&dq=manufrance+modele+de+poche&source=bl&ots=MEDTR6n-op&sig=2ojXkXdX4aOA0FHP4DIxJOd8TV4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEoQ6AEwCWoVChMIm5vlytLqxwIVjS-ICh0-6AI9#v=onepage&q=manufrance%20modele%20de%20poche&f=false).
Caliber: 8mm Turbiaux. This is an antique cartridge that is no longer being manufactured.
Action Type: The action is double action only with an internal magazine. A round is inserted into the magazine as the grip is squeezed and fired when the bolt closes.
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “GAULOIS” and with a Crossed Cannons Manufrance logo. The top of the receiver at the chamber is marked “CAL. / 8m/m” and the tab at the front of the slider is marked “No. / 1”. The top rear of the receiver is marked with a circled Manufrance trademark. The underside of the barrel is marked “11048” and the left side of the grip is marked “5435” and “F”. The underside of the receiver is marked “1”. The inside of the right sideplate and right side of the receiver under the sideplate are both marked “11048”. The right side of the receiver is also marked “S” and with what looks like a script “T”.
Barrel Length: The barrel is 2 1/8” in length and is round with a full-length flat rib on the top of the barrel.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a small brass bead screwed into the top of the barrel. There is no provision for a rear sight other than sighting over the top of the sliding cover over the port.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The palm piece is checkered black hard rubber. The checkering shows very light wear with no mars. There is a chip out of the top edge of the palm piece with a hairline crack at the top edge. The palm piece is in about Very Good condition and would be Excellent if it weren’t for the chip and crack.
Type of Finish: The receiver and barrel are blued and the moving grip unit is case colored.
Finish Originality: All Original
Bore Condition: The bore is gray and the rifling is shallow. There is a spot of light erosion near the muzzle.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 93% of its metal finish. There is surface loss on the sider and thinning on the edges of the receiver. There is also thinning on the top of the barrel where the front of the slider rubs and a few light handling marks on the sides of the receiver. There are several tiny spots of surface frosting on the side of the receiver and the moving grip unit. The serrations on the slider show light wear and the serrations on the front strap are sharp. The markings are clear and the trademark on the top of the receiver is very sharp with raised edges. Overall, this handgun rates in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. There is a safety mounted on the left side of the receiver. It has three positions, the lowest being “D” for disassemble. The pistol fires in double action mode only. We did not fire this handgun.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: From http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/Francais/francais.html: “In 1893 Manufrance began to manufacture a palm pistol known originally as Le Mitrailleuse (usually translated as “machine gun”), but which was renamed to Le Gaulois within a year or two (actually 1897). This was a magazine-fed “palm -squeezer” that fired the existing 8mm cartridge used by the Turbiaux Le Protector rotary palm pistol. Manufacture of the Gaulois continued until 1910. Sales of the gun declined steadily with the advent of true self-loading semi-automatic pistols, some of which were smaller and more easily concealed than the Gaulois.”. This an exceptional example of a rare Gaulois No. 1 pistol. This pistol is in about Excellent condition with about 93% of its original finish remaining. The finish shows thinning on the edges of the receiver and surface loss on the slider. There is a spot of thinning on the top of the barrel where the slider rubs and a few light handling marks and tiny spots of surface frosting on the sides of the receiver. The checkered hard rubber barrel palm piece shows very light wear in the checkering but has a chip and a hairline crack at its top surface. The bore is gray with shallow rifling and a spot of light erosion near the muzzle. The barrel, right sideplate and frame have matching serial numbers. This is a fantastic find for the collector of French handguns and of small pocket and palm pistols. This model wasn’t made for that many years and the 8mm cartridges it fired were black powder, so to see a finish this nice is remarkable.
