IN 1948 ITALY WAS A NATION THAT NEEDED TO REDISCOVER its identity. Amid this backdrop Stefano Fausti founded the “Fausti” factory and brand in Brescia, a city that had become famous for the production of firearms the world over.
Armed with a file and a chisel Stefano crafted his first traditional hammer side-by-side shotguns. Not only did the Fausti name become popular in Italy, but it soon attracted the interest of European clients and American hunters. By the 1960’s Italy’s economy was booming once again and Fausti’s Gardone Valley factory was expanded to its current size – soon becoming a workshop that balanced centuries old traditional craftsmanship with cutting edge manufacturing techniques.
Stefano Fausti’s labour of love was awarded with the special Title of “Cavaliere del Lavoro” (Order of Merit for Labour).
These high standards have now been passed along to Stefano’s three daughters; Elena, Giovanna and Barbara. With the custom gun designers marking their 70th anniversary, it was the perfect opportunity to exhibit at the Game Fair along with a cross section of their prestigious range.
The Italian Job
Barbara Fausti said: “We have several new models on display, and we have created two special models for the anniversary. One is a round-body over-under and the other a round- body side-by-side, both with engraved side plate. These two models have very fine engraving on them and a very gorgeous stock.
“They are, of course, limited editions and we have made just 70 pieces. These guns can come with the customised stock dimensions to suit the clients. All of our pieces come from solid material so we don’t have any casting. That’s very important in terms of quality.
“They haven’t sold out yet because they aren’t a cheap gun. Its not so easy to sell 70 pieces but we have sold many of them while they are still in productions as they do take nearly a year to make.”
Due to the dynamism and entrepreneurship of Barbara and her sisters, the brand is also responsible for successfully promoting small calibres and invoking a universal appeal. By offering lighter and more functional firearms,Fausti has aimed to rekindle the connection between women and young people and the countryside, and helped them to rediscover hunting in an enjoyable way.
Over the years the company has become a destination for many European and American shotgun connoisseurs who want to see where Fausti custom guns are manufactured. When in 2009, the owners became fully aware of the international appeal the brand was nurturing, they understood the need of founding Fausti USA in Virginia, followed by Fausti UK in 2016.
Fausti UK has been established to provide a Great British base for fine Italian shotguns and to develop a quality dealer network across the UK. The aim is to support the brand’s existing customers and also attract new UK clients through a unique blend of good old fashioned service, expert advice and the value of their uniquely positioned products.
On Days Like These
“For the UK market we opened two years ago with Fausti UK in North Yorkshire, and we are doing very well because the customer likes to know that we have the service point here,” added Barbara, “We are very satisfied, attending a lot of shows during the year, showing off our products and they are very well accepted.
“The UK clients really like our shotguns; they pay a lot of compliments and they buy them so we are doing very well. Last year I was here at the Game Fair and did some shopping around, its a great spot and a great location. We have our other shop in Italy, of course, where we also do the production and we have two shops in the USA.”
Fausti’s first venture into America almost ten years ago has been a huge success. Their showroom in Fredericksburg, Virginia, has even encouraged more investment. Barbara explains: “Because business was so good, we opened a second location in San Antonio, Texas, at the beginning of July.
“We are going to make a trip there in October to mark the 70th anniversary with the American clients”
Taking the opportunity to thank UK clients, Fausti also laid on a celebration at the Game Fair. They honoured their milestone by adding new and remarkable creations like the round body side-plated side by side shotgun model “Dea Luxury” and the new competition over and under model “Xf4” to best sellers like the over and under model “Italyco” and the sidelock side- by-side model “Senator”.
“With us here at the show, we have the Xf4 which is our sporting model. However we also do other versions for skeet, trap and sporting – competition models. It is a very nice model, very simple, but people really like it. We are also displaying the Dea Luxury.”
Whether over-and-under or side-by-side, shotguns are individually designed to meet the specific needs of hunters and shooters who demand the highest quality. The Xf4 in particular is an ideal shotgun for shooters who want to compete but with elegance and style.
Renowned for their high standards, intrinsic beauty and impeccable finish all over the world, Fausti not only stock dimensions but also many technical features, from barrel length to bore diameters, and finishing details, from engraving patterns to initials. With technical and aesthetic features that represent a milestone in time, their guns are also recognised as collectors pieces in their own right. Worth mentioning is a superb selection of watches designed by Fausti in cooperation with renowned Swiss watchmaker, Paul Picot.
Customisation can be ordered on all Fausti field and competition shotguns. These options and attention paid to the utmost details are what have allowed Fausti shotguns to stand apart for the past 70 years.
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