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LOT 1470
Excellent and
Incredibly Rare
Savage Prototype
Semi-Automatic Pistol
in .25 ACP - NSN, 25 ACP cal., 2
1/2 inch round bbl., blue finish,
hard rubber grips. Development of
these scarce pistols began in 1912,
with Savage feeling a need to make
a pistol to compete with the .25 ACP pocket
automatics offered by both Colt and FN/Browning.
These pistols, loosely termed the Model 1912, never
made it to full production, making them incredibly scarce.
This example appears to be from near the end of the first of
two fairly distinct phases of production, pistols from which are
believed to have been manufactured in 1914-1915. These pistols
are discussed on p. 133-136 of “Savage Pistols” by Bailey Brower
Jr., and similar examples to this pistol are pictured on p. 135 and
137. Unlike the examples pictured, this pistol bears no serial number
and no slide legend, meaning it is likely a transitional prototype, as
the other serial numbered examples are noted as being prototypes
themselves and having a slide legend. This example has the distinct “first phase” wide serrations on the slide, similar to the Model 1907. Interestingly, the pistols in the “second phase” of development are noted for having no slide legend, like this example, but also feature narrower slide serrations, lending credence to the theory of this being a transitional prototype. These pistols were a straight blowback design with a slide much the same shape as the Savage Model 1907, a grip safety, and a magazine capacity of six rounds. It is fitted with blade and notch sights and a pair of checkered hard rubber grips with “SAVAGE” at the tops and the Savage logo at the center.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 95% plus of the bright original blue high polish finish and 75% nitre blue on the trigger with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina, primarily on edges and at the muzzle. The grips are also excellent with a few scattered light handling marks, a hairline crack in the bottom of the left panel, and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. One will wait a long time to find another one of these in excellent condition!
Provenance: The Bailey Brower, Jr. Collection, author of “Savage Pistols”. Estimate: 10,000 - 18,000
SIMILAR EXAMPLES PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK SAVAGE PISTOLS BY BROWER
THIS RARE SAVAGE PISTOL IS A TRANSITIONAL PROTOTYPE, HAVING THE WIDE SLIDE SERRATIONS OBSERVED IN "FIRST PHASE" PISTOLS, WHILE ALSO HAVING THE "SECOND PHASE" FEATURE OF HAVING NO SLIDE LEGEND
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