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LOT 435
Extremely Rare DWM Imperial Russian Contract
1906 Luger Semi- Automatic Pistol -
Fewer than 1000 DWM Model 1906 Luger pistols were manufactured for delivery to Imperial Russia.
Serial no. 345, 9 mm cal., 4 inch round bbl., blue finish, hardwood grips. One of the rarest of the foreign contract Luger pistols, reportedly 1000 1906 pattern Lugers were manufactured for delivery to Imperial Russia, and very few made it back out again. Details on the exact destination or intended use of the pistols is under debate; some
hold that it was a commercial contract piece, others that it was an explicit government contract. Either way, they went to Russia and for the most part stayed there, not being exported back out or released for surplus sale in any
notable quantity, leaving only a scant number (possibly low double digits) available on the American market. Overall mechanical features are typical for the 1906, with a set of fixed sights, thumb and grip safeties (safe in upper posit
and a smooth back strap, along with the “DWM” marking on the front toggle link and serial numbering in the “commercial” pattern. Most of the distinctive features relate to the
markings, particularly the chamber crest of a pair of crossed Mosin-Nagant rifles, Cyrillic markings are present on the extractor (“Charged”) and the upper safety position (“Fire”), in place of the “GESICHERT (safe)” and “GELADEN (loaded)” indicators on the upper safety position and left
side of the extractor, respectively, and an engraved five-pointed crown over an “AF” monogram on the
backstrap below the grip safety; the recipient has not been identified, but the crown pattern is suggestive
of unknown nobility. The grips are checkered hardwood, with straw and niter blue finished small parts and a nickel
finished magazine with a hardwood base.
CONDITION: Fine, with 60% of the original blue finish, showing areas of brown and gray patina, scattered pitting on the barrel
and receiver, and mild handling marks overall. The grips are very good, with a chip absent from the left side near the safety switch, and mild dings overall. The grips panels are
numbered “47”, 2 digits off from the primary serial number, the magazine base “814”, and the takedown latch is unnumbered, otherwise visible numbers are matching. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 9,500 - 16,000
LOT 436
Desirable DWM
Model 1900 U.S. Army Test-Trials American Eagle Luger
Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 6335, 7.65 mm Luger Auto cal., 4 3/4 inch round bbl., blue finish, checkered walnut grips. This is a solid representative example of a historic DWM Model 1900 American eagle
test Luger that was purchased in August 1901 by the U.S. Ordnance Department for troop trials with the U.S. Cavalry. In April 1900 the Ordnance Board authorized an order for 1,000 DWM model 1900 Luger pistols, which were
delivered in two separate lots. Approximately 800 were shipped 26 October 1901 (serial numbers approximately 6,100-
7,100 range) and the remaining 200 shipped on Oct 29 1901 (serial numbers in the 7,200 range). This pistol falls well within the
known U.S. “Test Eagle” serial number ranges. These early American eagle test Lugers were developed expressly for the U.S. military when they were interested in selecting a replacement pistol for Colt 1894 revolver chambered for the anemic .38 caliber. There were
only a total of 1,000 of this model ever manufactured as standard 1900 commercial Lugers with all of them being hand selected at the DWM factory for shipment to the U.S. Army. These Lugers are highly sought after by both German Luger collectors and U.S. martial handgun collectors. The distinguishing features of these rare “Test/Trials” American eagle Lugers are: 1) there are no German acceptance proofmarks, 2) they lacked the
typical Germany export markings usually found on the front of the frame or under the barrel, 3) some but not all had a small German ordnance proof that resembled the U.S. Ordnance bomb proof located either inside the front frame recess area, or in front of the recoil lug located on the underside
of the barrel extension (this example has both), and/or on the bottom of the wooden magazine base (this magazine is not marked) and the last two digits of the serial number were stamped on the rounded portion of the opposite side of the takedown lever, (which this example has). At the conclusion
of these tests all these Lugers were deemed inadequate for U.S. military use and they were all later sold to Bannermans for resale. The top of the chamber area is correctly marked with the “American Eagle” seal of the United States and
are correctly serial numbered in the commercial fashion. They have the early grip safety, recessed breech bolt, dished
toggles with toggle locks on the side, and were numbered with the full serial number located on the front of the frame
and underside of the barrel with the last two digits of the serial number on the face of the recoil lug, take down lever, side
plate, breech bolt, toggle assembly, side of the grip safety and the back side of both grip panels. Originally these pistols
had a deep rust blue finish with the heat blue grip screws, front sight blade, and connecting pins. The ejector, toggle link,
ejector, takedown lever, trigger, magazine release, and thumb safety lever have a straw color finish. It is fitted with walnut checkered
grips and it has a nickel plated magazine body with an unmarked wooden base.
CONDITION: Fine with 50% of the faded original blue finish with the balance turning a gray/brown patina color, cold blue on left side of frame, with
thinning on the front grip strap and left side of the frame. The grips are very good with nice distinct checkering showing honest wear across the tops of the checkering mixed with some
handling marks/pressure dents on the sides, with a small chip on the left grip in the upper rear corner under the safety lever. This example has all matching numbers, except for the magazine which is correctly unnumbered. Mechanically excellent. Most likely, this example was one of the 1900 DWM test Luger pistols that was actually used by the various cavalry units.
374 Estimate: 4,500 - 7,000
ion),