This incredible shotgun was manufactured in 1876-1877 in the famous Le Page shop then under the ownership of Emile Henri Faure Le Page (1840-1929) and continued the firm's production of fine arms and exhibition pieces, including winning a gold medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1878 and also became a chevalier de la Legion d'Honneuer the same year. This shotgun may well have been part of the 1878 display. It is certainly an exhibition grade piece from the early part of the Belle Epoque. It features exquisite relief engraved floral scrollwork at the breech end of the barrels and on nearly all of the visible surfaces of the remaining metal components along with gold inlaid accents and markings and wire, brass, and staghorn inlays on the stock. The concave rib has a bead front sight and "H FAURE-LE-PAGE A PARIS" in raised gold lettering. The Underside of the rib has "27073 - 1876," and the underside of the barrels have "LEOPOLD BERNARD A 1877" (right) and "CANONNIER-A-PARIS N 322"along with Bernard's maker's marks. The watertable has "A 1877" (right) and "N322" (left). The scroll at the front of the trigger guard is the action lever, and the tip of the forend cap includes the forend release. The stock has a 14 1/4 inch length of pull.