Navy? Powder Measure

[villiers]

Have just purchased this powder measure at auction. Can´t imagine that the "GR" stands for "George Rex". It´s marked "Grammes" and "Plomb". Does anyone know where it came from?

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[browningautorifle]

I've seen this type from WW2 when a friends mom worked in the ordnance factory making rifle ammo. She had a full selection of them.

[Patrick Chadwick]

"Grammes" with .mme." and "plomb" (lead) sounds like French. The style is very common and not country-specific, so we need close-ups of the marking. BTW, the photos do not expand when I click on them! And although the measure looks silvery, I would expect it to be made from brass.

[villiers]

Although "Grammes" is legit Engl., the thing is definitely French. I`ve cleaned it up a bit. It can either be used to measure BP or lead shot, as there are deep indents in two rows facing each other and a claw can be slid into either one side or the other marked "GRAMMES PLOMB 20" or "GRAMMES POUDRE 3". The PLOMB is marked up to "50" and the POUDRE up to 6. The GR/anchor could be French Navy. Or just a maker´s mark.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Hard to imagine the French navy using muzzle-loading shotguns. I reckon it's a maker's mark.

[villiers]

Maybe they eat seagulls

[Patrick Chadwick]

Seriously now, it could be Belgian.

[villiers]

... or French speaking Dutch (or Swiss, or even Canadian. As browningautorifle said). I´ll just accept that it´s .... French. It´s going to get a polish, as I´ve started a small collection of old, brass BP loading bits and pieces