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One of a Kind Display Illustrating the Evolution and Development of the Guide Lamp Liberator Pistol from Pre-Production Through World War II and the Later C.I.A. Deer Gun
LOT 1328
Historical, One-of-a-Kind, Significant Display of Ten Important Documented World War II Developmental FP-45 Liberator Pistols, Including the 1,000,000th Liberator Pistol, a C.I.A. Deer Gun, and Accessories - It is a privilege and an honor for Rock Island Auction Company to be able to offer the most significant, irreplaceable, one of a kind display that illustrates pre-production through production models of the historic World War II Liberator pistol through the C.I.A. Deer Gun, the successor to the Liberator pistol. This is the only display of its kind extant containing the most desirable evolutionary examples on the planet of ten different Liberator pistols, accessories and a C.I.A. Deer Gun contained on
a rotating circular platform with three columns of acrylic, allowing viewing of every example from all angles. This well constructed display would make a fine centerpiece in any prominent military firearms collection, and would add immense value to any collection as a whole. The ten Liberators include an incredibly rare example, what is possibly the very first prototype,
through the 1,000,000th (last) Liberator made, and a complete evolution of extremely rare pre-production and production models in between. Once a part of author Ralph Hagan’s collection and assembled by him, this display was awarded “One of The Ten Best Arms Exhibits” at an N.R.A. meeting, number 407, and proudly exhibits its included NRA silver medal. Where would one go to find another one of these?
Ralph Hagan had an interest in pistols since childhood. He started collecting World War II pistols in 1970 and purchased his first Liberator in 1975, prompting his wife, Marilyn, to say “That’s the ugliest gun I’ve ever seen, but I like it”. The hunt was on for more Liberators and Mr. Hagan eventually specialized in the Liberator pistol. In 1988, his World War II pistol collection was completed and he later wrote the book “The Liberator Pistol” to share his important findings. Mr. Hagan passed away in 2006, and his book still stands today as a go to reference for the
FP-45 Liberator pistol.
Conceived, developed and manufactured in 1942, the “Flare Projector, 45 Caliber” (FP-45) pistol, named as such in order to hide its real purpose, was intended to be a cheap and easy way to produce a small and concealable single shot pistol that could be dropped behind enemy lines to resistance, SOE and OSS forces that would enable them to kill an occupying enemy soldier and capture their rifle. They were made cheaply as constructed from sheet metal stampings (excluding some of these prototypes offered) that were spot welded together with a smooth bore barrel and used a single shot firing mechanism which is located on the rear of the pistol. The Guide Lamp Division of General Motors was tapped to produce the firearm. While inexperienced with arms production, Guide Lamp stepped up admirably and cranked out 1,000,000 of the deadly little contraptions in a matter of a few months. Oh by the way, the one and only real deal, documented, 1,000,000th Liberator pistol is included in this display.
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