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LISTED BY SERIAL NUMBER IN THE BOOK U.S. MILITARY AUTOMATIC PISTOLS BY MEADOWS
346
LOT 430
Exceptional Documented DWM Model 1900 U.S. Army Test Luger Semi-Automatic
Pistol with Original U.S. Rock Island Arsenal Holster - Serial no. 6413, 7.65 mm Luger Auto cal., 4 3/4 inch round bbl., blue
finish, checkered walnut grips. This is an exceptional example of one of only 1,000 Model 1900
American Eagle Lugers purchased by the U.S. Ordnance Department for troop trials with the U.S. Cavalry
in August 1901. This scarce pistol, serial number 6413, falls well
within the known approximate 6100-7100 serial number range (per Edward Meadows) for U.S. Trial Lugers. It comes with an outstanding and rare Rock Island Arsenal manufactured test holster,
and is documented to a U.S. officer. The pistol has an overall deep rust blue finish, and the small parts such as the extractor, toggle link pin, ejector, lock bolt, trigger, magazine release, and thumb safety lever have a straw finish. The grips are finely checkered European walnut. The magazine has a plated body with wooden base. The receiver has the Great Seal of the United States on the chamber. The script “DWM” monogram is located on the front toggle link. Small bursting bomb DWM inspector’s stamps are located in front of the barrel lug and in
the frame well. An “F” inspection mark is located on the left side of the barrel lug, and a “2” is stamped on the right side of the lug. The pistol, correctly, does not have the “GERMANY” export stamp applied to commercial Model 1900 American Eagle Lugers. The full serial number is located
on the bottom of the barrel and in front
of the receiver. The last two digits of the serial number are stamped on the lock bolt, trigger, grip safety lever, both grip panels, barrel lug, side plate, breech block, and both toggle links. The holster has “US”
embossed in an oval on the center of the flap and a faint three-letter inspector’s stamp on the bottom on the flap. The rear of the holster flap is marked “ROCK ISLAND/ARSENAL” above
the final inspector’s initials “E.H.S.” (E.H. Schmitten). Includes a hobbyist display
case and a brass American eagle pin.
The pistol is listed by serial number in
Edward Meadows’“U.S. Military Automatic Pistols” on page 387 as one of the known surviving examples of the Model 1900
U.S. Military Test Lugers. Includes a
signed copy of Michael Reese’s “U.S.
Test Trials 1900 Luger.” Reese signed the
book to Dr. George Esker III and added, “Congratulations on owning test Luger
#6413 with a mint test holster. Your rig
is the finest I have ever examined.” In
August 1901, the U.S. Secretary of War approved $15,000 for the allocation
of 1,000 Lugers with spare parts and
200,000 cartridges for Army testing. All
1,000 pistols were received by the end
of October. In November, it was decided
that five Luger pistols were to be issued
to each Troop of Cavalry, including
the 11th Cavalry, Troops E, F, G, and H
stationed at Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont.
While not independently verified,
consignor states U.S. test Luger report
No. 9242 references this Luger, serial
number 6413, as being one of five
issued to Captain Herbert A. White
(1870-1947) of the 11th Cavalry,
Fort Ethan Allen. The following
information was obtained from
the accompanying extensive
archive of White’s military service
records and is only meant to be a
snapshot of his several decades of distinguished service. Iowa native
Herbert Arthur White graduated
8th in his U.S. Military Academy class
of 1895, and was appointed as a second lieutenant with the 6th Cavalry.
"Congratulations on owning test Luger #6413 with a mint test holster. Your rig is
the finest I have ever examined."
- Michael Reese, author of "U.S. Test Trials 1900 Luger"