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LOT 531 Very Rare Imperial Japanese “North China” Type 19 Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 22, 8 mm Nambu cal., 4 1/2 inch round bbl., blue finish, hardwood grips. Produced in very limited quantities at the tail end of the war, the “North China Type 19” was an attempt to make a streamlined substitute for the Type 14 Nambu pistol for Japan’s occupation forces in China. There were a number of factors underpinning this decision; the occupation was in constant need of fresh weapons to deal with the Nationalist and Communist Chinese forces, resources from the Home
Islands were tight due to the pressure applied by the Allied “island hopping” campaign, and any shipment of supplies was in danger from air or submarine attack. Chinese industry was used to arm auxiliary units, and using it to arm main-line troops was a logical next step. Believed to have been made
in or around either Beijing or Shanghai, the Type 19 closely follows
the basic mechanism and general shape/ergonomics of the Type 14, though with a number of changes. The safety has been relocated and redesigned, being a simple thumb lever towards the rear; in addition to being easier to make, this safety is easier to operate with the shooting hand, a complaint expressed in some quarters against the Type 14. The trigger guard is a solid, integral frame component, and does not need to be manipulated to disassemble the pistol,
with a spring-retained lever on the front right serving to secure the upper assembly to the frame. The barrel and bolt assembly are very close to the Type 14, as is the magazine, though
there is no provision for a magazine well safety or a retention spring. Blade and notch sights, with the one-line Japanese nomenclature on the
left side over a concentric circle
stamp and the number “22”, with a different number “21” appearing on
multiple components, including the bolt, locking block, frame interior and magazine. The grips are ribbed hardwood. Quantities
of this pistol on the American market are extremely limited; as they were made in China for use in China, few made it elsewhere in the Pacific Theater where a trophy-hunting GI would have the chance to claim one from a downed enemy or a cache of surrendered arms, versus the wave of Type 14s, 94s, 99s and swords that came home when demobilization began. Per Harry Derby in “The Hand Cannons of Imperial Japan” (page 202), “possibly 50” of these handguns were manufactured and this example is one of only 4 known (5 reported). CONDITION: Very fine, with 80% of the original blue finish, showing patches of rust on the rear of the frame and in scattered spots elsewhere, bright edge wear, and scattered handling marks. The otherwise fine grips show some light dents and scuffs, along with a few small chips in the edges and serrations. Mechanically fine. Estimate: 7,500 - 12,000
LOT 532
Exceptional and Scarce Japanese Tokyo Arsenal Baby
Nambu Semi-Automatic Pistol with Matching Magazine
and Original Ammunition - Serial no. 845, 7 mm Nambu cal.,
4 5/8 inch round bbl., blue finish, mahogany grips. This is an
excellent example of an early pre-WWI Japanese Baby Nambu
pistol. They were authorized for private purchase as a semi-
official Japanese officer’s pistol for both the Japanese Army and
Naval forces. It has the intertwined cannon balls logo on top of
the chamber area indicating manufacture at the Tokyo Arsenal
with the right side of the upper slide area having 3 Japanese Kanji markings for the Nambu nomenclature under the Army contract. Below that is the serial number “845”. It has the high polish blue metal finish and straw colored small parts. It has checkered mahogany grips and comes with one matching nickel-plated magazine numbered “845.” on the spine and one spare non-matching magazine numbered “1633” on the spine. Also included are 34 rounds of original Japanese Baby Nambu 7 mm ammunition.
CONDITION: Excellent with 98% plus of the original blue finish overall, only minor edge and high spot wear, and a very, very minor corrosion spot on the very front edge of the recoil spring housing. The small parts retain 50% plus of their straw colors overall. With most of the finish loss on the face of the trigger. The grip panels are in excellent condition with nice distinct sharp checking overall. It has all matching numbers except the firing pin which is unnumbered but correct. The spare magazine is also in excellent condition
and so is the scarce ammunition. Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
SIMILAR EXAMPLE PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK HAND CANNONS OF IMPERIAL JAPAN BY DERBY
Collector’s Fact
According to author Harry Derby, approximately only 50 North China Type 19 pistols were produced, with fewer than 5 known to exist.
SERIAL NUMBER 22
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