This is an exceptionally rare and uniquely personalized Underwood factory presentation grade M1 Carbine that during WWII was almost certainly presented to Morgan B. Brainard (1879-1957) of Hartford, one of the directors of the Underwood Typewriter Co. starting in 1916 and possibly a relative of founder John T. Underwood via his wife, Grace Brainard Underwood. Mr. Brainard was also a director or other officer at multiple other businesses in the northeast including president of Aetna. We have previously sold another Underwood M1 Carbine with the same type of three initials serial number. That one was presented to then president of the company, James L. Byron, upon manufacturing the "100,000th" M1 Carbine for the U.S. Army. It has the standard U.S. M1 Carbine front receiver markings, and the rear of the receiver is marked "UNDERWOOD" behind the rear sight over "M.B.B." which is the actual serial number. Most of the metal surfaces exhibit a nicely polished wartime parkerized finish. The barrel is marked: "UNDERWOOD/11-43" over the Ordnance Shell and Flame mark. The various parts were probably pulled from production as they retain their original wartime gray/green parkerized type finish. They are marked as follows, Blue Bolt: "WU", Slide: "U", Trigger Housing: correct brazed three piece design stamped with only a "3" on the left side, Hammer: "U", Sear: "U" with a blued unmarked push button safety, trigger and magazine catch, along with a type one barrel band and two position flip rear sight. It is fitted with an early two-rivet walnut handguard and low wood, oval cut walnut stock. The handguard is marked "Q-RMC" on the underside, and the stock is marked "M-U" in the sling slot. Both the stock and handguard exhibit slight amount of tiger-stripping in the wood grain pattern and a hand rubbed linseed oil finish. It is complete with one blued magazine marked "IU" on the spine.

Excellent with 98% plus of the original wartime gray/green parkerized finish and blue on the bolt. It shows light wear on the edge and high spots and finish loss on the right side receiver rail. The stock and handguard are both in excellent condition with only a few minor handling marks on the sides and some light pressure marks on the flat of the pistol grip. This is another beautiful Presentation Grade M1 Carbine we have for sale in this auction. Certainly it should be a centerpiece in any US M1 Carbine collection or even a U.S. Martial rifle collection.