This is an example of a pre-war Japanese Baby Nambu pistol that was manufactured by the Tokyo Koishikawa arsenal. These pistols were never officially adopted by the Japanese military but were intended as private purchase sidearms by high ranking Japanese officers of both the Army and Imperial Navy. This pistol has the high quality rust blue finish and straw colored trigger, magazine release, sear pivot pin and bolt lock with a bright finished bolt, and checkered mahogany grips. The magazine has a nickel plated body with an aluminum base. The top of the chamber area bears the four intertwined cannon balls of the Tokyo Arsenal and the right side of the receiver has the Japanese Kanji markings over the serial number "997". The matching serial numbers are also visible on the underside of the bolt, back side of the cocking knob, spine of the magazine, and the backs of the grip panels. The "Baby" Nambu pistol is perhaps the most desirable early issue Japanese semi-automatic pistol.