Developed by Issac Newton Lewis, a U.S. Army officer, the Lewis Gun was one of the lightest machine gun offerings of its era, coming in at 28 pounds with the distinctive barrel cooling assembly included. Unable to sell the gun to his superiors, Lewis resigned and took off for Belgium, where he made a tidy profit licensing the design to Birmingham Small Arms and Savage Arms. Among other distinctions, a Lewis Gun would be the first machine gun taken on a powered aircraft, and it saw very active use in World War I. This particular example was manufactured by Savage on order for the United States. Blade front and folding peep rear sights, steel barrel jacket, and aluminum cooling fins surrounding the barrel. Both the pistol grip and buttstock are smooth hardwood. The top of the receiver bears the U.S. nomenclature and a small "anchor" stamp, with the Savage address and caliber marking on the top cover and additional Savage markings on the right side. Included with the lot are three extra magazines, oilers, metal magazine case, bipod, wood transport case, and manual.

Very good, with about 30% of the original blue finish, with a mixed brown and gray patina and varying levels of oxidization; mild spotting out at the end of the barrel jacket, heavier pitting on the receiver. The wood is good, with scuffs and dents, and the accessories are fair. Mechanically very good. NOTE: This weapon is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) that is classified as a "Curios 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 479.