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Accessories
for the Centaure # Display Cases # Shoulder Stocks # Powder Flasks & Cap Boxes # Bullet Moulds # Extra Cylinders # Oil Bottles # Vent Picks & Nipple Wrenches # Cleaning Kit # Original Cartons # Handling Instructions # Warranty Slip |
Display
Cases: like Colt Firearms in Hartford Centennial Arms
Corporation of Lincolnwood and other Fabriques d’Armes Unies de Liège (FAUL) dealers
and distributors in Europe and New Zealand offered the
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RNMA
#834 in 2nd gen. Colt display case & Italian
accessories, USA |
Civilian
#C752, Italian accessories, USA |
Centaure C&B revolvers in display cases. Different
grades were available including elaborate wooden presentation cases with two
locks. Presentation cases known to exist today were either made in English
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Cased
1st variation RNMA #3035 with accessories, wood cap box with London Label;
USA |
Cased
3rd variation RNMA #4835, accessories aftermarket, USA |
(partitioned with blue and
red interior) or in French fit (contoured with dark red and green interior).
Most cased sets discovered these days, however, are
not Belgian made during the 1960s or 1970s but sport
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Custom
cased 3rd variation RNMA #9960, Italian accessories, USA |
1st
variation RNMA #5418 in aftermarket case, Germany |
aftermarket presentation boxes (above and below). Double set display cases have yet
to be found.
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French
fit cased 6th variation RNMA #12823, FAUL nipple wrench, Eley
cap box, other accessories Italian, Germany |
Custom
cased de Luxe factory engraved RNMA #13348 in
French style, aftermarket accessories, France |
Presentation cases could be had for single pistols
with original FAUL accessories as well as for the early
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Cased
Cavalry Model #F7 with matching shoulder stock, accessories aftermarket, USA |
Custom
cased Cavalry Model #F85 with matching shoulder stock, Italian accessories,
personalized carving of grip & stock
(courtesy RPRCA), USA |
Cavalry Models with
shoulder stock (above left). During
the early 1960s gifted enthusiasts took pains to
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Custom
cased 2nd variation RNMA #1514, Italian accessories… |
…comes with original Belgian shoulder stock #F254, USA |
display their Centaure pistols in elaborately designed cases of their very
personal style (above).
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2
custom cased Centaures in French fit from Germany:
Marshal 1st variation #11337, silver plated flask, 2nd
gen Colt steel bullet mold, FAUL nipple wrench, JAMES DIXON&SONS marked silverish
cap box |
RNMA
6th variation #12270 with 2nd
gen Colt flask, Italian 2 cavity brass bullet mold &
nipple wrench |
Shoulder Stocks could be ordered for the 4-screw frame Cavalry Models. They had usually
matching serial numbers and were fitted to the pistol. Their serial numbers
were stamped on the butt metal and the bottom tang. Some were marked MADE IN BELGIUM on the left side.
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#F83 on bottom tang |
MADE IN BELGIUM marking |
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Shoulder stock of early production #F85 1st
variation… |
…and of #F11226 late
production 2nd variation Cavalry Model |
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Only specimens with yoke and
butt plate made of brass are known.
In addition to Cavalry
pistols with matching shoulder stock
Centennial Arms Corp., Chicago advertised
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separate detachable
shoulder stocks for those shooters,
re-enactors and collectors during the early 1960s that felt the need for a
shoulder stock after they had obtained their Centaure pistol. This one
stock-fits-all was offered for the early Cavalry
Models (dubbed “1st Model Centennial” by Centennial Arms |
Corp.
back then) and the RNMA. Price was $ 49,95. These separate
stocks were not numbered, see pictures above. Some
were stamped MADE IN BELGIUM on the left side of the yoke.
Powder Flasks & Cap Boxes
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At the request of
demanding customers FAUL added high quality powder flasks made of copper by famous Dixon & Sons in England (see lift picture and catalog) to their revolvers. They are marked COLTS
PATENT
like the original and carry the manufacturer’s mark DIXON & SONS MADE IN ENGLAND stamped in
two lines. Cap boxes made
of (sterling?) silver and marked JAMES DIXON & SONS SHEFFIELD MADE IN ENGLAND in three
lines, with hallmarks and serial numbered are known from custom display cases
found in Germany, see pictures of cased sets above. |
The previous owner of below specimen had his initials engraved into the
lid.
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Bullet Molds with 2 cavities for a round and a conical ball could
also be had. Regular finish was blued steel but molds
made of brass are known as well. Most were marked MADE IN BELGIUM.
Contrary to many Italian molds the Belgian ones
featured a conical ball with grease groove.
During the early
1960s Centennial Arms Corp. advertised these steel bullet molds
at $ 9,95 whereas your German dealer during the early 1970s offered them at DM
19.00.
Below are close-ups of the relatively common Belgian steel bullet molds …
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… whereas below brass made molds from
FAUL are rare!
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… and comparing the FAUL brass and steel molds side by side:
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Note CENTENNIAL ARMS
CHICAGO ILL. USA and
MADE IN BELGIUM markings. All mold
pictures are courtesy Dennis Russell, USA.
Extra Cylinders were offered for Regular New Model Armies of the 1st
variation (rebated plain cylinder)
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Extra cylinder #969 with Centaure proprietary
naval scene… |
...came with regular NMA 1st variation #4079 |
through German and US dealers. These extra cylinders sported either the
proprietary Centaure naval scene
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Extra cylinder #162 with Colt/Ormsby
type naval scene |
(like the one of the 2nd variation
RNMA: available through dealers in Germany and USA), see the pictures above, or
the Colt-/Ormsby-type naval scene (like the one of
the 3rd variation RNMA: available in the USA only, see left
picture). The latter were marked CENTENNIAL between the scene. The extra cylinders with the Centaure proprietary naval scene were
listed in German catalogs during the early 1970s as
“stock” items but were always in short supply. They are marked NEW
MODEL 44
between the naval scene. Extra cylinders were individually proof tested in Liège and had their
own serials on the breech side, i. e. they were not
numbered to the pistol. |
Lately extra cylinders of the plain and rebated
variety have surfaced for RNMAs, 6th variation, 2nd
sub-variation (fluted cylinder, stainless lock), and a 2nd
variation, 1st sub-variation Cavalry Model from 1971.
These cylinders were properly proof marked, had either
no serial number at all or were numbered on the breech side of the cylinder
with a serial not matching the pistol.
Oil Bottles marked Sheffield England are
known from cased sets.
Vent Picks & Nipple Wrenches were found in cased sets provided by the factory.
They are unmarked. It is not possible to trace them back to FAUL. However, one
type of nipple wrenches observed was made of much harder steel then Italian
wrenches. The one below on the left is assumed to be of Belgian origin.
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Nipple wrench |
Centaure
marked plastic box with cleaning rod and brushes |
Even a little cleaning kit marked
CENTAURE with cleaning rod and brushes was available (above right).
Only a few original cartons and handling instructions have survived. Currently known cartons can be traced
back to Fabriques d’Armes Unies de Liège German importer and dealer B. Harlos, Rieden, and US
distributor Centennial Arms Corp., Lincolnwood.
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“Possible“ German carton from 1972… |
...with partitions visible, Italian accessories,
with RNMA 1st variation #11477, 2nd sub-variation… |
German cartons:
currently one “possible” (stiff & thick cardboard: red lid, black bottom,
pink interior, above pictures), and three “confirmed” original cartons (soft
& thin cardboard: reddish-brown color, below
pictures)
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German
carton from 1972... |
...with partitions visible, and RNMA 7th #12306 variation… |
have been reported. Contrary to the fine cartons found in
the USA German ones are plain without any print. The possible and one of the
confirmed specimens have primitive partitions in their lower part. The other
two
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German carton from 1972… |
…no partitions, with RNMA 4th variation #11788 |
confirmed German cartons have no partitions. All centaures found with cartons had the importer mark B. HARLOS RIEDEN
stamped in two lines on the butt, mostly over the
country of origin mark MADE IN BELGIUM.
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Marshal 1st variation, 2nd subvariation
# 12154 on top of her German carton |
According to
interviews with first owners and other contemporary witnesses we have to
conclude that most German buyers left their friendly dealers’ premises during
the late 1960s and early 1970s with a Centaure sans carton and instructions
for use whereas the Italian replicas were packed early on in factory issued
cartons with nice traditional print. They also came with a “how to” leaflet
for the novice black powder shooter! |
US cartons
(below) are much more often found than the German ones. They were made of stiff
carton in Chicago for Centennial Arms Corporation. Known with blue, black and
reddish-brown lids & blue, black, reddish and/or violet lower parts.
Different print has been recorded. These are well-made cartons of high quality
very suitable to securely pack a premium pistol.
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US
carton (image courtesy RPRCA) |
US carton
from 1962 |
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US carton
from 1962 |
...and from 1971 |
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US cartons, handling instructions & warranty slip (below): cartons or handling instructions were not
numbered to the gun but a few dealers added stickers with the gun’s serials to
the cartons.
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US
carton with handling instructions & warranty slip |
…and with handling instructions & Cavalry Model (image courtesy RPRCA) |
The clever customer oriented
pards from Centennial Arms Corporation had below
handling instructions glued to the inside of the lids of their cartons.
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US
handling instructions ca. 1972 |
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Warranty
card of US distributor Centennial Arms Corp., Chicago, IL |
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WDN/October 12, 2011
© 2007-11 Wolf D. Niederastroth