J. HERMAN BRÉVETÉ
Støckel: J. J. Herman, Cheratte near Liège, 1839 - 1860, receives 1839, 1853, 1854, 1857, 1858 and 1860 revolver patents
Colt Bréveté by Marcot and Paxton, page 327 and 336

J. HERMAN percussion revolver purported to be a copy of a Colt, serial # 7, caliber .40. Unusual revolver with 6 11/16" octagonal smoothbore barrel, secured with a Paterson style wedge and has an unusual rack & pinion, or "creeping", rammer with the rammer handle mounted to the right side of the barrel lug. Right side of barrel lug also has a fingernail shaped loading cutout. Top flat of bbl has a tiny dovetailed front sight and a dovetailed fixed rear sight at the chambered end. It has a rebated 6-shot cylinder that is about 2" long with no frame top or bottom strap, the only support being the cylinder spindle. Frame is short and round, about 1¾" long * 1¼" diameter with unusual ring trigger that when pulled retracts the hammer into the frame raising the front of the hammer and rotating the cylinder to align the next chamber with the bore. Hammer nose cover is heart shaped with V-notch apparently to clear the sight notch on the barrel. Frame is engraved in large fan shaped elliptical panels on each side with a shell pattern behind the hammer slot with geometric patterns down back strap. Cylinder is engraved with alternating foliate and floral, diamond checkered and elliptical shaped panels around circumference. Toe of front strap is stamped "J. HERMAN / BRÉVETÉ". Mounted with very nicely figured saw handle walnut grips that have a fluted oval butt cap with lanyard stud and ring. Cylinder has mandatory Belgian proofs on two lands between nipple recesses and a small Belgian proof on left side of barrel lug. Accompanied by a copy of what appears to be pages from Guns Review titled "Firearms Curiosa" which has a photograph of a nearly identical revolver with the exception that the one in the photograph has a cannon muzzle and a tall front sight. The caption reads "Belgian Copy of a Colt". Very good condition. As usual kept in the white, grips are sound with light handling marks and retain most of their original varnish finish. Mechanics are fine. A rare revolver    $14,500.