French 12mm Javelle Patent Pinfire Revolver

For sale: A well-preserved 12mm Javelle revolver, manufactured between the 1860s and 1880s by M. Javelle in St Etienne, France. This revolver operates only in double action, and while functional, the trigger requires manual resetting after each shot. The mechanism is inspired by the British Beaumont-Adams revolver, featuring a small lever behind the trigger as a secondary trigger, with a half-cock notch on the hammer for added safety.

This revolver is in excellent condition, with a much better finish than typical for its age. It retains its original solid frame, octagonal barrel, and distinctive knuckled square-shaped grip. The top-break mechanism allows for straightforward disassembly and cylinder removal. The bottom of the frame, ahead of the trigger guard, is marked with “JAVELLE.M ST ETIENNE” in a half-moon pattern, along with “Bté S.G.D.G” horizontally at the bottom. Despite the trigger issue, this Javelle revolver remains a remarkable example of mid-19th century firearms design and construction.