I love the American guns, but I hate the prices you have to pay for good ones. On most Parkers, Foxes, L.C. Smiths — especially the higher grades — you’re paying more for a name and its sentimental connections than you are for true quality.
But when you buy Belgian and French doubles, different dynamics come into play. You can pay relatively little money and get a gun that’s extremely well made. That’s the case with this Gastinne Renette. It’s a fantastic double, very high quality, and it looks like it’s in incredible original condition.
Gastinne Renette is one of Europe’s most famous gunmakers. They started building guns in the early-to-mid 1800s, and their clients included all sorts of aristocrats and noble types, including Napoleon III. I think they still had a retail shop in Paris up into the 1970s.
This Gastinne is an Anson & Deeley pattern boxlock with ejectors. It looks like it was built in Belgium, probably before WW2, and then retailed in Paris by the “maker”. This was a pretty common practice for a lot of the Parisian gunmakers, and for a lot of the “makers” throughout Europe.
12g Gastinne Renette, Paris, Side-by-Side Shotgun: A 12 ga shotgun chambered for 2-1/2″ shells. A very classic looking European shotgun with a straight grip stock. Very thin in the wrist area. Very tight engraving on the frame. Heavy deep relief engraved bolsters. The frame has most case color remaining. Typical of European style, the inset panel is in blue as is the trigger guard. Extensive high quality engraving with the classical long pointed lower tang. Bbl blue very nice also. Wood is good overall cond with typical hunting mars and dings. The buttplate on this is not separate but instead sculpted into the stock. Letters in gold are “J L F” towards the heal of the stock. A fine looking shotgun that would make a dandy hunting gun. Price: $ 2,100
