Page 384 - Auction84-Book1

LOT 648
Scarce and Desirable “Shansei Arsenal”
45 ACP Broomhandle Semi-Automatic
Pistol with Stock and Harness - Serial
no. 4452, 45 ACP cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., blue finish,
hardwood stock, hardwood grips. A scarce Shansei Arsenal manufactured variant of the Model 1896 Broomhandle Mauser pistol. At that time the
Chinese Army was intrigued with the 1896
Broomhandle Mauser pistols that had been
purchased earlier from Germany. So in the early 1930s they set out to develop that design only chambered
in the larger 45 ACP cartridge. It is estimated that approximately 8,000 were manufactured in the 1929/30 time frame with
s c T o fr a t s
everal hundred actually imported in the 1980s. They are an almost identical copy of the original Mauser model in a much larger
onfiguration. A combination of semi-automatic pistol with the heavier 45 ACP cartridge was heavily used by both Nationalist and Communist soldiers. he right side of the frame has the Chinese markings indicating adoption in 1930 with the left side having the Chinese factory markings and the left side f the chamber area stamped with the serial number. It has the same standard barrel mounted blade front sight and the tangent rear sight graduated
om 100-1,000 meters. It has the late style small ring hammer with the old style safety lever. It has crudely stamped exterior markings and serial numbers, nd it is fitted with the Chinese manufactured grooved hardwood grips. The exterior numbers are matching. The underside of the butt has the stub for
he lanyard loop, and it comes with an original lanyard ring. This pistol is also accompanied with one of the larger Chinese manufactured hardwood
houlder stock/holster imported in the early 1980s. The attaching iron is unmarked and the stock is fitted with one of the late green canvas stock covers with a green web sling attached.
CONDITION: Very good with 40% of the thin faded original blue finish still remaining overall with the balance a gray patina. The grips are fair plus showing original, honest finish, albeit heavy on the sides of the grips, mixed with numerous light pressure dents in some area. It has a replacement floorplate that is in the white. Mechanically very good. The correct replacement wooden shoulder stock is very fine with a nice original oil type finish overall with only a couple minor handling marks on the sides. The canvas stock cover and shoulder straps are excellent. Estimate: 8,500 - 12,000
LOT 649
Unique and Very Scarce North Vietnamese/Viet Cong Copy of a Model 1911A1
Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 6764A, 45 cal., 5 inch round bbl., grey finish, hardwood
grips. 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, and a very similar weapon pictured on page 837 of “Small Arms of the World” by Ezell is identified to the “Cao Dai’ religious sect from the
South. 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”. Made in direct emulation of the 1911A1, the left side of the slide is marked “VICTOY/A1001001A” and “6764A”, which is repeated on the left of the frame. Fitted with a blade front sight and absent rear sight, hand-filed slide serrations, checkered narrow hammer, functioning grip and thumb safeties, checkered hardwood grips, serrated mainspring housing with lanyard loop, and a poorly fitting replacement full blue magazine.
CONDITION: Good, showing mostly a smooth dark grey patina with some scattered patches of light pitting overall with mostly crisp markings. The grips are fair with moderate wear, a few minor cracks and chips, and mostly well-defined checkering. The magazine catch is loose/detached, otherwise mechanically fine.
Estimate: 6,000 - 8,500
LOT 650
Unique Chinese Copy of a Fabrique Nationale Model
1900 Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 618, 7.65 mm auto cal., 4 inch round bbl., bright finish, hardwood grips.
Patterned after the Fabrique Nationale Model 1900, this pistol is marked with Chinese characters on both sides of the frame. These copies of popular European
pistols were manufactured at a variety of workshops and arsenals in China, with this
example being attributed to Jinling Arsenal. The right side of the slide is numbered “4480”, with
“618” on top and repeated faintly on the rear of the frame. It is fitted with blade front and notch
rear sights, with a cocked indicator which blocks the rear sight when not cocked, and a pair of hardwood checkered grips. Pistols such as this saw hard use during both phases of the Chinese Civil War and Japanese invasion.
CONDITION: Fair, showing mostly a bright grey finish with mild pitting scattered throughout and mostly legible markings. The heavily worn grips are also fair with some minor dings and scratches and mostly well-defined checkering. Mechanically fine.
Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
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