Manufactured in the 1930s with the early 90 degree safety, "crown/N" proofs, and a matching hand-numbered slide. The standard markings and external serial number are gold filled, with the inscription "Walter Herrmann/Uelzen/Han." on the right side. Uelzen is a small town in Hanover, formerly part of the Hanseatic League. Herrmann has not been positively identified, though there was a Nazi nuclear scientist by that name. Seeking both nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons, the Nazi program was hamstrung on multiple levels. Even before it began, many of Germany's brightest minds had fled from a regime that was either hostile against them in a generic fashion (the party being generally anti-intellectual and belligerent) or in the case of the Jewish contingent of the universities directly wished them ill. Then, when the program was underway, efforts were divided, competing for attention and resources, in contrast to the unification of Britain's early "Tube Alloys" work with the centralized American "Manhattan Project". In the aftermath of WWII, much of Herrmann's work wound up captured by the Americans, while the man himself wound up in Soviet hands. Like several other German scientists, he found himself in the custody/employ of the Experimental Design Bureau, a set of secret R&D establishments maintained as part of the Soviet gulag prison system, working with a mix of "recruited" Nazis and Soviet intellectuals who found themselves on the party's bad side. Later released to East Germany, he spent time in academia while also actively working in the field of steam power. Two magazines are included, one flat base and one with an extension colored to match the grips. The included holster is unmarked and the closure strap and belt loop are made from leather, and the body and magazine pouch are constructed from an unidentified material, possibly plastic. These sort of "ersatz" (substitute) holsters became increasingly common as World War II made resources like leather scarce.

Fine, with 60% of the blue finish, showing areas of brown touch-up, bright edge wear and scattered handling marks. The grips are very good, bending slightly at the top edges, with a few light scratches and dings. The holster is very good, with a tear in the edge of the flap and some mild scuffs and stains overall. The follower in the extension base magazine has been altered to not engage the hold-open; otherwise, the pistol is mechanically excellent.