K95 L'histoire francaise
A K95 that tells a story. The history of France at the end of the 18th century, when revolution and upheaval swept across Europe. The elegance and sophistication of this break-action rifle provide the perfect backdrop for this one-of-a-kind piece.
The first scene of L'Histoire Française unfolds on the left side plate. Inspired by Eugène Delacroix’s famous depiction of the French Revolution, Marianne – France’s national symbol – takes center stage. With the tricolor raised high, she embodies liberty and the Republic. Behind her stands the armed people, whose storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, ranks among the most defining events of the Revolution.
The first scene of L'Histoire Française unfolds on the left side plate. Inspired by Eugène Delacroix’s famous depiction of the French Revolution, Marianne – France’s national symbol – takes center stage. With the tricolor raised high, she embodies liberty and the Republic. Behind her stands the armed people, whose storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, ranks among the most defining events of the Revolution.
The scene was engraved as a relief in steel and framed with Biedermeier foliage and a fine gold thread. The period-inspired scrollwork was designed by Master Engraver Sebastian Weiss in collaboration with the Blaser Custom Shop team.
Napoleon Bonaparte I adorns the right side of the system. Seated on his warhorse, he stretches his left hand toward the sky with a raised finger, pointing the way forward for his nation. Here, as in the famous painting by Jacques-Louis David, he is depicted in a general’s uniform and a wind-tossed, Caesar-like imperial robe to emphasize his status as Emperor of the French. The underside of the pistol is adorned with the Napoleonic heraldic eagle, surrounded by Biedermeier-style foliage.
The locking lever and the pistol grip cap of the K95 L'Histoire Française are among the pistol’s most distinctive features. The pistol grip cap features an original 20-franc gold coin bearing the image of Napoleon. Set into the locking lever is a carmine-red garnet, known as the “King’s Stone,” in a crown setting and surrounded by an engraved golden victory wreath.
The fluted octagonal barrel of the K95 is engraved at the base with the same inlay as the receiver, as well as a circumferential gold fillet. On the top, two intersecting cannons inlaid with real gold adorn the barrel breech and the chamber below it. Above this, the number 1 is also rendered in gold. It refers to the regimental insignia of the “1er Train d’Artillerie de la Ligne.” These units formed an important logistical backbone of the Napoleonic Army and ensured the supply of ammunition to the artillery.
Napoleon Bonaparte I adorns the right side of the system. Seated on his warhorse, he stretches his left hand toward the sky with a raised finger, pointing the way forward for his nation. Here, as in the famous painting by Jacques-Louis David, he is depicted in a general’s uniform and a wind-tossed, Caesar-like imperial robe to emphasize his status as Emperor of the French. The underside of the pistol is adorned with the Napoleonic heraldic eagle, surrounded by Biedermeier-style foliage.
The locking lever and the pistol grip cap of the K95 L'Histoire Française are among the pistol’s most distinctive features. The pistol grip cap features an original 20-franc gold coin bearing the image of Napoleon. Set into the locking lever is a carmine-red garnet, known as the “King’s Stone,” in a crown setting and surrounded by an engraved golden victory wreath.
The fluted octagonal barrel of the K95 is engraved at the base with the same inlay as the receiver, as well as a circumferential gold fillet. On the top, two intersecting cannons inlaid with real gold adorn the barrel breech and the chamber below it. Above this, the number 1 is also rendered in gold. It refers to the regimental insignia of the “1er Train d’Artillerie de la Ligne.” These units formed an important logistical backbone of the Napoleonic Army and ensured the supply of ammunition to the artillery.
In addition, a quote from Napoleon was inlaid in gold on the top of the barrel: “La victoire appartient aux plus opiniâtres” – victory belongs to the most tenacious. A matte finish on the barrel was deliberately omitted, as this process was not yet known at the time. To ensure the greatest possible historical authenticity, the barrel was instead hand-finished.
