POTD: French Jarre 10-Shot Double Action Pinfire Harmonica Pistol
Sam.S 07.16.21
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! During a repeater renaissance that was the 1800s, inventors dabbled in all sorts of repeater mechanisms. One such example would be a harmonica style like this Jarre pinfire pistol. Others would be revolvers, duckbills, and even big organ guns. Rock Island Auction Company goes into deeper detail below! Make sure to check them out!
“The work of Alphonse Jarre of Paris, France, patented in the United States in 1862, Jarre intended his “breech-bar” system to be used in pistols, rifles, and even cannons. Marked “A. JARRE/ BTE S.G.D.G.” in an arch on the right underside of the barrel group and on the left side of the frame, “8” on the bottom of the barrel group, and “PC” on the front of the action. The barrel group has ten barrels arranged horizontally, with a hinged gate holding the cartridges in place and a stop on the top left. In operation, the group is pushed in from the left side of the frame, and advances one chamber to the right with every pull of the double action trigger. Sighting is by a post sight on the top of the frame, and an ejector rod is screwed into the top of the grip section. Grips are checkered ebony, with a bird’s head butt. Jarre’s work in the harmonica gun field, and this pistol in particular, were featured in an article by Charles Grimes in the August 2005 (Volume 51, Number 3) of The Gun Report (photocopy of article provided with gun).”
Lot 1120: Rare Documented French Jarre 10-Shot Double Action Pinfire Harmo [Photograph found in Auction Catalog #48, Rock Island Auction Company]. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2021, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/48/1120/rare-documented-french-jarre-10shot-double-action-pinfire-harmo
