This is an excellent Japanese Baby Nambu pistol that was manufactured by the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal in Koishikawa Tokyo. These pistols were never officially adopted by the Japanese military, but were intended as private purchase sidearm by high raking officers of the Army and Navy. Only a total of 5,900 examples of these finely finished, "Baby" Nambu pistol were manufactured before production ceased. The "Baby" Nambu is perhaps the most desirable Japanese semi-automatic pistol. This pistol has the original high quality rust blue finish and straw colored trigger, magazine release, sear pivot pin and bolt lock with a bright finished bolt. The magazine has a nickel plated body with an aluminum base. The grips are finely checkered hardwood. The top of the chamber area bears the four intertwined cannon balls of the Tokyo arsenal and the right side of the receiver has the Japanese Kanji markings over the serial number "1459". The matching serial number is also visible on the underside of the bolt, the cocking knob, the firing pin, the back of the magazine and on the inside of each grip panel. With a dark russet brown reproduction leather contract holster, equipped with the double "D" shoulder strap rings on the back side.

Excellent with 98% of the original blued finish with just a hint of wear on the edges and high spots overall with some actual blue loss on the very front edge of the recoil spring housing, the edge of the muzzle with some very light spotting on the back strap. The grips are also in excellent condition overall with nice original well defined checkering on both sides showing only minor wear across the tops of the actual checkering, with only a couple of minor nicks on each side. The various small parts retain about 25% of their straw colors overall with the extractor having the most color. The incorrect reproduction contract holster is in very good condition with nice tight stitching and a nice even dark russet color overall. A scarce and desirable Baby Nambu pistol.