E. Jarry – 1871 Ammunition Invoice for Lefaucheux-Type Cartridges

Description

This invoice, issued on 26 January 1871 by E. Jarry, arquebusier and successor to Thonnard in Niort, records the sale of 50 ball cartridges to Monsieur Trignaud for a total of 10 francs. The document is printed on elaborately styled letterhead, identifying Jarry as a dealer in armes de Liège et de St-Étienne and a purveyor of articles de chasse, including accessories and cartridges specifically noted as being “pour fusils Lefaucheux.” The sale is recorded as a cash transaction, paid in full on the date of issue.

The inclusion of Lefaucheux-specific ammunition on the printed masthead signals the continued commercial prevalence of Lefaucheux pinfire systems in France at this time, particularly in civilian hunting markets. Though the line item does not specify pinfire directly, the firm’s promotional language positions it clearly within that technological context. The mention of douilles, amorce, and balles (cases, primers, and bullets) affirms the firm's specialization in both complete cartridges and component parts, a common feature among late 19th-century provincial arms merchants.

This invoice reflects how pinfire ammunition, originally developed by Casimir Lefaucheux in the 1830s, remained in regular use for at least four decades. It also demonstrates the regional arms trade network’s reliance on a combination of Liège manufacturing and Saint-Étienne distribution, offering insight into how post-patent Lefaucheux systems were sustained and supplied well into the early 1870s.