This is a fine example of a WWI era British Vickers/Maxim type machine gun as assembled by the "VSM" Company of Cincinnati Ohio using an original set of British Vickers machine gun parts with a newly manufactured side plate. The Vickers machine gun was basically an updated and improved version of the original German Maxim that was introduced in the late 1890s. Great Britain was the first country to recognize the importance and battle advantage of the machine gun and was also the first country to introduce it into their inventory in 1889. These Maxim machine guns were be dubbed the "Devils Paintbrush" as they would produce huge numbers of casualties during the mass charges from trench to trench during WWI. The original version held approximately 7 quarts of water in the barrel jacket and could fire long intermittent burst of fire for the first 500-800 rounds after approximately 2,000 rounds of fire, the water would boil off and they had to reduce the firing rate. This example is also equipped with a very rare side mounted MKIII optical sight in its original side mounted receiver bracket. This is a very complicated and precise optical sight that can be adjusted for extremely long ranges as the range wheel is calibrated from 1-44 (100-4,400 meters), and it is also fitted with a fine tune elevation wheel next to the coarse elevation adjustment wheel to precisely set the elevation. The sight is also fitted with a fine tune, dual adjustment windage wheel that has two knobs one on each sides (L and R), and it is calibrated in MILS on the base of the windage dial. All of this was necessary when setting up your firing range card that was so effective used during trench warfare where they could just dial in the range and elevation coordinates during the night to pin-point preset targets, defilade positions and trenches. The top of the sight is marked "Dial, Sight, MK. MKIII/PL 1965 1941". The top rear section of the water jacket is stamped "VSM/H1941" with various British acceptance proofs. The top of the feed tray mechanism. Side of the lower receiver area and various other parts are all stamped with "1941". The top of the lock assembly (breechblock) is stamped "1437 B", along with various "VSM" proof marks. This desirable example comes complete with an original and correct "MKIV tripod" and cradle that is serial numbered "H1941" on the identification plate, a "VSM MKII" marked spare barrel, three cloth ammunition belts, a heavy, brass table mounted hand crank, belt loading machine, in its original wooden storage box, an original green water can and an original wooden spare box (which is empty).