Manufactured by an unknown party, this pistol bears a strong resemblance to known "underground" pistols from the Indochina/Vietnam region. Such weapons were pressed into service for the First Indochina War against the French, and would continue to be used by factions on both sides of the North/South split after the French left. Such weapons are often associated with the Viet Cong, an example of a similar weapon is pictured on page 837 of "Small Arms of the World" by Ezell. Made mainly by hand in crude workshops, Ezell notes that these weapons have been seen with finish "surprisingly good considering the circumstances under which they were made". Clearly patterned after a Model 1911A1, this example appears to have been crafted by someone who had seen a World War II era pistol manufactured by Ithaca. The left of the slide is marked "ITHACACUN COINC/ITHACA - NY". The right side of the frame is marked with the serial number and dated "1953", making it likely it was manufactured during the First Indochina War. It is fitted with blade and notch sights, checkered slide catch, serrated thumb safety, non-functioning grip safety (possibly a later replacement), very slightly arched serrated mainspring housing with a lanyard staple on the bottom, and a pair of checkered hardwood grips. The magazine is absent.