This is an fine example of a WWI 1917 dated Imperial German Army Model 1908/15 Maxim heavy machine gun manufactured by the Erfurt Arsenal in 1917. The top cover is marked "4357/M.G.08/15/Gwf./Erfurt/1917" with a large silver number "37" affixed on the top of cover directly over the markings. It looks like its an original German rack number or gun mount number to specifically inventory this weapon. It has the original flip-up tangent style rear sight graduated from 400-2,000 meters, a simple inverted "v" front sight and retains its large steel water jacket and bipod. This beautiful weapon has some matching serial numbers. It has been deactivated by welding a plug in the chamber of the barrel and welding it to the receiver. The maxim machine gun was originally developed by Hiram Maxim in 1883-1884 and was one of the most influential weapons of the 20th century, as it was the first self-sustaining, heavy MG used by any country on the battlefield. It was adopted by the British Army in 1895 and then the Imperial German Army in 1899 and then the Russian Army in 1905. It was used by Imperial German Army throughout WWI as a ground mounted version in trench warfare. It earned the nickname the "Devils Paintbrush" due to the fact that during the large scale assault from the trenches, it could literally mow down hundreds of men in a single engagement. The large distinctive steel water jacket held seven quarts of water to cool the barrel which allowed it to have long sustained bursts of fire of up to 500 rounds before the water started to boil. At 2,000 rounds of sustained fire the water would all boil off and the jacket had to be refilled. This was quite an astonishing feat in 1915. It comes with its sheet metal bipod, one large drum magazine and its rubber water hose and German ammunition can with cloth belt.

Fine as deactivated with 50% of its original blue finish overall mixed with a brown patina finish overall showing a brown patina on the sides of the receiver and outside the water jacket. The water jacket does show several small dents on the outside; however, none have pierced the water jacket. The buttstock and pistol grip are both in very good condition overall. NOTE: This is a registered DEWAT weapon with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), as a National Firearms Act (NFA) weapon, that is fully transferable. It has been classified as a Curio or Relic as defined in 27 CFR, 478.11. These weapons are still subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478.