Manufactured with an eye for the perpetually arms-hungry American market, the 1906 Luger was state of the art European military firepower in an eye pleasing package showing all the fit and finish one would expect of German craftsmanship. This particular Luger is fitted with the "fast taper" profile barrel and chambered for the 7.65mm Parabellum cartridge. With the exception of the markings on the left side, the overall features on this 1906 are all to factory specification, with fixed sights, the American Eagle on the chamber, "GERMANY" export mark on the front of the frame, the "DWM" monogram on the toggle, bright lower safety position and "LOADED" chamber indicator marking on the left side of the extractor. Parts numbering follows the "commercial" pattern and, except for the safety and the magazine, shows an external match. Finish is a high polish blue overall with straw colored controls, bright safety bar, and niter blue pins and screws. Fitted with a pair of sharply checkered walnut grips and a nickel finished magazine with an unmarked hardwood base. Professionally inscribed through the bluing on the left side of the frame is "THEODORE ROOSEVELT" in block lettering. Included with the pistol are two strands of documentation regarding its attributed history. The first is a written provenance statement by a Chester Silvernail of New Mexico. In Silvernail's statement, it is suggested that this pistol was part of the armament taken by Theodore Roosevelt and his son, Kermit Roosevelt on the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition of 1909-1910. An extensive and far ranging operation, the expedition was half safari, half scientific quest, resulting in over 11,000 animal specimens (dead and alive) brought back to the Smithsonian Institution for preservation and study, which took 8 years to fully catalog. At the end of the expedition, the party went on a tour of Europe, including a visit to Berlin. During this visit, Roosevelt visited with the emperor and reviewed the Imperial Guard, reportedly making a presentation of the Luger to one of the staff officers present at the review. This officer met an unknown, but presumed grim, fate in World War One, resulting in the pistol and other personal effects being placed in a pawn shop in Hamburg, Germany. At this pawn shop, it was spotted by a Lieutenant Commander Frederick Silvernail, officer of the United States Navy and father of the aforementioned Chester Silvernail. LTC Silvernail paid for the pistol with a mix of British currency and barter (a dozen bars of soap) and was related the story by the shop owner. The Luger was retained by the family at least until the time of the (undated) statement. The second strand of documentation is a set of photocopied correspondence between Chester Silvernail and Mrs. Harold Kraft, Curator of the Sagamore Hill National Historical Site; dubbed the "Summer White House" of the Roosevelt Administration, Sagamore Hill was President Roosevelt's residence from 1887 until his death in 1919. Having related photographs and "a copy of as much "history" as I have been able to assemble" (likely a copy of the aforementioned statement) to Mrs. Kraft in April of 1969, she sent two responses. The first notes that she was unable to find any records regarding the pistol but described the account as "an interesting story and certainly seems plausible" and stated her intention to contact Archibald Roosevelt, Theodore's son, regarding the subject. The second response relates her conversation with Roosevelt, who on review of the photographs and history was "impressed and said that it was not only possible, but probable", noted that President Roosevelt did own a personally inscribed Luger, and believed that his brother Kermit may have carried it as a sidearm on the expedition.

Excellent, with 98% of the original blue finish, showing some mild edge wear, light handling marks. The inscription is sharply executed and generally bright, with some spots of brown patina in the lettering. Sharp and strong niter blue is present on the front sight, screws and pins, and 95% of the original straw color is present on the small parts. The grips are also excellent, with some mild dings and spots of verdigris. Mechanically excellent.