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LOT 3385
Extremely Rare North American Arms Co. Model 1911 Presentation Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 444, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. This is an
exceptionally fine example of the rare and iconic North American Arms Co. Model 1911 presentation type pistol, that was produced around the end of World War I in 1918 in Quebec,
Canada. In early July 1918, the U.S. Government issued a contract for 500,000 Model 1911 pistols to the North American Arms Co., previously the Dominion (Ross) Rifle Plant. The company leased
the plant for manufacturing and as part of the contract, the U.S. Government was to supply all of
the raw materials necessary for production. However, due to material shortages during the war and
the time it took the plant to get tooled up for production, the Government was only able to supply
enough material to produce approximately 100 sets of initial start-up or prototype parts. Due to the
armistice of November 1918, the contract was canceled in December of 1918 with no examples of
completed pistols ever being accepted by the U.S. Government. As part of the contract termination
settlement, the U.S. Ordnance Board did eventually accept/reclaim a large portion of the manufactured
and completed parts and assemblies, most of which were later disposed of. Some however, were later
assembled into completed pistols. These pistols are typically seen numbered in 1-100 range, although there are a handful of noted examples with three or four digit serial numbers using the same number such as this one with serial number 444. Page 220 of “U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920” by Meadows pictures another example numbered 1111 and also mentions North American Arms Co. guns seen with serial numbers 111 and 222, with the reasoning behind their numbering mentioned as unknown. Rock Island Auction Company previously sold serial number 555. These uniquely serialized pistols were likely presented to both U.S. Army and North American Arms Company officials as gifts. The pistols were stamped with a controlling serial number in two locations, the left lower area of the frame under the grip panel, and the left upper rear corner of the slide, with this example numbered “444”. The left side of the slide is stamped “MANUFACTURED BY/NORTH AMERICAN ARMS CO. LIMITED/QUEBEC, CANADA.” (double stamped, seen on other examples) and “444” behind the serrations, which is repeated under the left grip on the frame, on the left of the trigger and right of the barrel lug. It is fitted with a serrated slide stop, checkered thumb safety, checkered magazine catch, short grip safety, wide checkered hammer, a smooth straight mainspring housing, checkered diamond pattern grips, and an unmarked, two-tone, pinned based magazine.