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LOT 432
Rare and Significant Documented German Walther Model AP (Armee-Pistole) Semi-Automatic Prototype Pistol Serial
Number “045” with Extensive Letters of Provenance and World War II Bringback History - Serial no. 045, 9 mm Luger cal., 5 inch round
bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. This is an extremely rare second developmental stage Walther Model AP (Armee-Pistole) prototype pistol serial number “045” as produced
circa 1932-1934; with this being the only surviving example with provenance linking it as captured in action off of a German paratrooper in the European Theater by an American
soldier by the name of Sergeant Lester M. Hicks (later Sergeant Major) who traded it to his friend Sergeant Arden A. Adams (later Sergeant Major), who carried the pistol for the remainder of the
war and brought it back home; both were part of the 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion, 4th Armored Division.
This pistol includes World War II photographs and extensive correspondence between noted author Warren Buxton and Arden A. Adams indicating they also had multiple verbal communications as well,
and a highly detailed six page detailed letter of provenance based on an interview of Arden Adams as written by Warren Buxton and dated September 19, 2005 that states, “This pistol serial 045 is extremely unusual due to
the following. All of its exterior marks have been professionally machined off leaving bright slots in the place of the marks. The removed marks included the exterior serial number but some of the small parts and interior of the frame, barrel, slide and grip panels have the number 45 stamped on them so
from that it is known that the gun’s serial number was 045. The pistol was taken off the body of a German Fallschirmjaeger (paratrooper) in the area of the Rhine river in Germany in approximately February or March 1945. All the marks were already machined off, i.e. the gun appears exactly then as it does now,
when the gun was taken from the paratrooper’s holster by Sgt. Lester M. Hicks and Sgt. Arden A. Adams of the 4th Armored Division, 704 Tank Destroyer Battalion. Both men realized the gun was quite unusual with its concealed hammer and machined off marks but had no idea what it was or who had made it.
Sgt. Adams had little interest in the gun so it became property of Sgt. Hicks. With its concealed hammer he thought it would be an excellent weapon to carry in the confines of a tank destroyer or Sherman tank. He carefully hand made a leather shoulder holster [not included] for his Mod. AP and photographs [included]
showing him or Sgt. Adams carrying this Mod. AP in that holster are part of the provenance documents folder [included]. Unfortunately, as this is written, the holster has been separated from the pistol and its whereabouts is not known. Sgt. Hicks carried this Mod. AP in combat zones for a number of weeks and it was
shot many times for recreation by Sgt. Hicks and Sgt. Adams and possibly by Sgt. Hicks in some combat situations. This Mod. AP is the only one known to have the following attributes to its history. The only specimen known to had been outside the factory. The only specimen known to had been brought back by an average
GI. The only specimen known to had been issued to a German soldier and one belonging to an elite unit, the paratroopers. The only specimen known to had been carried in combat by a German soldier. The only specimen known to had been carried in combat by an American soldier.” The provenance letter further describes that Sergeant Hicks traded this pistol to Sergeant Adams in exchange for a camera, which captured the array of included photographs showing this pistol carried in action. Arden Adams used this Model AP as his car gun throughout his lifetime until he sold it in 1995.
It is estimated that less than 20 of these early Walther prototypes exist today. This series of pistol was Walther’s continuing attempt to develop a suitable semi- automatic pistol for military sales to the German Army, and was produced in two serial number ranges, with the second group using the “zero-prefix” serial
numbers, like this example. This model is noted for having a “concealed hammer” design and it does not have any provisions for a shoulder stock. These are
considered early engineering design or development models, with no two alike, so each can have some unique and innovative features. Most of these features were later incorporated into standard Walther HP and P.38 production pistols. This example has the standard swinging locking block, along with twin recoil springs
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to it featuring a concealed hammer.
(one on each side) of the frame, a 5 inch barrel, with two separate, fully machined takedown and slide release levers. The takedown lever is the early model that still retains the larger checkered head. The slide also has the large, single reinforcing rib on each side of the slide along with the noted concealed internal hammer, that is characteristic of the early Walther Model AP pistols. This example has an all steel frame with the longer rear area (below the slide serrations). The slide has neatly
machined cuts, presumably factory performed, where its original Walther, model markings and matching serial number would have resided; the reasoning for the markings being removed unknown. The matching serial number “45” is located on the inside rear cut out area of the slide, inside cut out area of the frame,
one of the inside cut out areas of the barrel, the underside of both grip panels, and the pistol is accompanied by two modern professionally made magazines in total, with one marked “045-89” and the other marked “045-90”. Original Walther factory wrap around two-piece grips with full checkered panels on each side,
and a lanyard loop protrudes from the lower left.
As spelled out in author Warren Buxton’s provenance letter, one of the theories as to why the markings were removed are that the Walther factory wanted no responsibility as to allowing this prototype pistol to be issued due to possible safety concerns, and “sanitized” it by removing their name from it. Whoever
the unknown German paratrooper was, that individual likely had above average influence due to their military rank, political connections and/or knew someone within the Walther factory, and either convinced them to allow use of the pistol or received it as a gift, and likely preferred it for combat use due