The Golden Luger: A Gift Between Two Nazis Who Changed History

Lot 1489: Exceptional and Historic Nazi 1939 Mauser Factory Engraved and Gold Plated Presentation Luger Semi-Automatic Pistol Given to the Nazi Ambassador Franz von Papen by Foreign Minister of the Reich Joachim von Ribbentrop with Authentication from a Mauser Factory Consultant

History is a funny thing. As hard as we humans try to document it, the facts of the matter only occasionally prevail, rarely survive, and are often up to interpretation. Much like human memory itself, we often serve as storytellers, making our own omissions and exaggerations instead of acting as stern and fact-obsessed archivists. Each camp has its own validity. The "archivists" often state that the history speaks for itself and needs no embellishment, while the "storytellers" often excuse their inaccuracies by saying it makes the history approachable, relatable, and easier to imagine those fantastic moments that stitch together the tapestry of our past.

Knowing what we do about the human memory, and our suspect ability to accurately document history, it should come as no surprise that history is often told selectively. Things are attributed to more famous names in history, while lesser known names lie in their wake, largely forgotten. This is an article about two of those lesser known names and a brilliant Luger pistol that passed between them.





The Luger itself is a Mauser manufacture pistol that began its life rather uneventfully. According to accompanying documents written by Dr. Rolf Gminder, a consultant to the Mauser-Werkes factory who had personally viewed the pistol, it was originally one of any number of Lugers in the existing stock of police guns. However, this gun was selected for something more. It began with the highest quality engraving Germany had to offer. The typical "oak leaf and acorn" pattern takes on a distinct variation with more flowing vinous scroll work and geometric shapes than typically seen on the more deep relief engraved Walther PP and PPK pistols that often served as Nazi presentation pistols.

The dark walnut grips have also been carved with the oak and acorn pattern, but while the right grip shows fine checkering in its center, the left grip bears a presentation plaque that reads,

Seiner Exzellenz

Herrn Botshafter Franz von Papen

in tiefster Verehrung
am 11ten November 1940

überreicht von Joachim von Ribbentrop

Aussenminister 
des Deutchen Reiches

That translates to:

His Excellency

the Honorable Ambassador Franz von Papen

in deepest dedication
on 11th November 1940

given by Joachim von Ribbentrop

Foreign Minister of the German Reich

Many presentation arms leave a mystery about who presented the gun and who received it. Sometimes they are decorated with no inscription at all, while others only bear the cryptic monogram of their recipient. This pistol leaves no such riddles and instead offers us an excellent starting point to explore who these men were, what they did, and the background of this extravagant Luger.

Franz von Papen

1936 portrait of Papen

Thankfully, Franz von Papen is not one of those names lost to time or a German military man of whom little information remains. That said, his deeds place him far from a spot of honor in history. In the simplest terms, Papen was a politician. Born in 1879  to a wealthy family, he entered the military early on, and by the Great War was already a military attaché in Washington. However, at the behest of the U.S. Government he was recalled in 1915 after being implicated as a spy and saboteur. After serving the rest of the war for Germany, he entered politics and found his true calling. He served in the Prussian Parliament for 11 years, before being surprisingly appointed Chancellor in 1932 by President Paul von Hindenburg, who had been undeniably influenced by General Kurt von Schleicher, an old friend of Papen's who had great influence with the German president.

Once in a position of power, Papen achieved some impressive feats considering the near-complete lack of support he had within the Reichstag. Instead he achieved his changes through authoritarian rule. In an effort to gain the support of the Nazi party, he repealed the ban on their paramilitary Sturmabteilung (SA). He also had Germany's debt under the Treaty of Versailles essentially erased. In this trend of removing previous laws, Papen also staged a coup and deposed the Social Democratic government of Prussia using police, and declared himself its leader. These authoritarian measures are marked by many as setting the stage for the rise of the Third Reich, a charge echoed in his Nuremberg trial.

Taken from a larger photo, Papen can be seen
sitting in the back seat of Hitler's vehicle.

After the coup, he called for a national election and was surprised when he still had no support from the Reichstag. Instead, the Nazis seized the moment and gained 123 seats, giving them a majority in the governing body. Papen planned to dissolve the democracy, and even had advance permission from Hindenburg. However, the Nazis had other ideas. Rolling with the tide, Papen then tried to work with the Nazis, but found them unbending and so resigned as chancellor after the November 1932 elections. After some major politicking and maneuvering between President Hindenburg, Gen. Schleicher, and Papen, with no one able to firm up support from the Nazis and the Social Democrats, Papen worked relentlessly to undermine his former friend Schleicher to give Adolf Hitler the chancellorship while he served as vice chancellor. It would not take long for Hitler and new Reichstag President Herman Göring to marginalize Papen and his office, eventually executing "The Night of Long Knives," a purging of opposing political and military ideologies that threatened Hitler's new found power. Papen would survive the event, later serving as an ambassador to Austria and Turkey before being captured by the Allies in April of 1945. He was prosecuted at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial, found not guilty of the charges of "conspiracy to prepare aggressive war" and "conspiracy to commit crimes against peace," served eight years hard labor by a West German court, and was finally released & fined in 1949 on appeal. His memoirs were published in 1952 and he died in 1969.

Largely due to his Nuremberg Trial, Papen is often remembered as paving the way for Nazi power, facilitating the annexation of Austria, and being well aware of Nazi ideology as he did so.

Joachim von Ribbentrop

If Papen paved the way for the Nazi party to take power in Germany, then Joachim von Ribbentrop turned that paved highway into the Autobahn. He too served in the Great War, as a hussar on the Eastern front, but afterward he resumed the relatively normal life of a sparkling wine (Sekt) salesman until he became independently wealthy by marriage. He met Hitler in 1932 as a businessman thanks to an introduction from a fellow former hussar, and shortly thereafter he and his wife joined the NSDAP (Nazi Party). He entered the political arena by offering to serve as a representative between Hitler and his old battle buddy, Papen. Ribbentrop was not liked by many Nazis: he was a flatterer, a yes man, had no political experience, married into his fortune, and even the nobility of his name (the "von") had come from an aunt that Ribbentrop had convinced to formally adopt him for that purpose alone. Despite his lack of the "proper" credentials in the eyes of many Nazis, Ribbentrop would serve as Hitler's chief adviser on foreign affairs, and would soon prove his worth.

In short, Ribbentrop would put into play numerous policies that placated the world and gave Nazi Germany numerous advantages in the years leading up to World War II. Here is a brief list of his diplomatic agreements and similar achievements.

• 1934 - Helped quell France's protests against Germany's request to re-arm itself after the Great War. He also visited England and Rome to hasten any sanctions from those countries. In turn, Hitler promotes him to "Reich Minister Ambassador-Plenipotentiary at Large."
• 1935 - Negotiates the Anglo-German Naval Agreement (AGNA), which permanently limited the Kriegsmarine to 35% of the total tonnage of the Royal Navy, far beyond the limits set in the Versailles Treaty. The British expectation was that this would limit German military capacity, while the Germans expected it to strengthen a desired alliance between the two countries and against France and the Soviet Union. Britain did not consult with France or Italy prior ratifying the AGNA.
• 1935 - Arranges for good will visits between groups of World War I veterans. By sending German veterans abroad and accepting foreign veterans on German soil, a "never again" spirit was portrayed and did much to alleviate suspicions against Germany and its wish to re-arm itself.
• 1936 - The Anti-Comintern Pact is signed with Japan, essentially forming an alliance between the two countries should one of them be attacked by the Soviet Union. Italy would join the pact in 1937, while Poland declined. This alliance was especially unusual given Germany's previous policies of allying itself with China and its general distrust of Japan.
• 1936-1938 - Spent time unintentionally and permanently fouling German relations with England. He was called by various Britains: pompous, conceited, stupid, impossible, not too intelligent, insufferable, absent (which also earned him the nickname "The Wandering Aryan"), a stupid ass, and also managed to personally insult King George VI.
• 1938 - Ribbentrop promoted to Foreign Minister, symbolizing a German shift from cautious diplomacy seeker toward an aggressive war-time nation.
• 1939 - Pact of Steel is made with Italy. The two will come to one another's aid in case of war.
• 1939 - The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Also known as the German-Soviet Non-aggression Pact, it assured non-aggression between the USSR and Germany. but broke the Anti-Comintern Pact of 1936 by signing a deal with the communists. In no uncertain terms, this was Ribbentrop's crowning achievement and left little standing in the way for Hitler to attack Poland. This was handy since Ribbentrop's extreme bullying of Polish foreign diplomats all but ensured that Poland would have to be conquered to relinquish the territories that Germany desired.
• 1940 - German-Japanese Pact is signed to replace the Anti-Comintern Pact. Ribbentrop sends a telegram to Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet Foreign Minister, stating that the alliance was for protection against the United States and from not the Soviet Union.

Despite being hated by his fellow Nazis and nearly every foreign diplomat he ever met, Ribbentrop
almost single-handedly managed to stall the entire world from acting against Germany as they prepared to conquer Europe. This is quite an accomplishment considering that the ink on the Versailles Treaty had only dried 20 years prior and the memory of the Great War still hung fresh in the mind of every nation it touched. After the war, Ribbertrop also was a defendant at the Nuremberg Trials, but unlike Papen, he was convicted on four counts and sentenced to death. He had been charged with crimes against peace, deliberately planning a war of aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Because Göring had committed suicide before he could be hung, Ribbentrop was the first of the defendants to have his death sentence carried out.

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One aspect of the relationship between these two comrades in arms remains for a dedicated collector or historian to investigate. This pistol is dated on the grip as presented on the November 11, 1940. However, there is a documented squabble between the two men that took place sometime in, or just after, April 1939, when Papen was the newly appointed Ambassador to Turkey. It turns out that Papen, the former Chancellor, felt he should be able to take his communications directly to Hitler instead of through Ribbentrop, something he was accustomed to when he served as Ambassador to Austria. It has been written that this spat ended the friendship that extended back nearly two decades.

Had the two men reconciled by 1940, even if only out of political necessity? Was their falling out misrepresented as more serious than it was? It is possible, though not entirely plausible, that the pistol was already in the works when Papen was Ambassador to Austria. After all, even though he was dismissed as the Austrian Ambassador on February 4, 1938, he had arranged the February 12 meeting at Berchtesgaden between Hitler and Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg that eventually led to the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria by Germany, which was signed into law on March 13. This event pleased Hitler greatly.

However, from just prior to the 1938 Anschluss until the 1940 presentation seems like an exceptionally long turnaround time for a standard police pistol that had only to be embellished. It is perhaps more likely that the pistol was ordered to commemorate Papen's new position as the Ambassador to Turkey which he assumed on April 29, 1939. This makes much more sense since it is also known that Ribbentrop had been lobbying for Papen to receive that position since losing the Austrian ambassadorship. Given the dates between Papen's new position and timeframe of the fight, he could not have held the position long prior to their rift.  Six months is a much more plausible timeframe for a finely embellished, presentation Luger.

Despite being two men rarely heard of outside of German history or World War II educational settings, they had quite a profound impact on their country and the world. One paved the way for the Nazis to come to power, while the other pacified country after country in the name of peace, all the while preparing for war. The fact that these two men were brothers in arms who went on to be high ranking Nazis is fascinating enough. When you consider that these same individuals played huge roles in amplifying the power of Nazi Germany, and are both listed on the same classic German pistol, a true treasure of history exists. Their names may not be as infamous, but their significance cannot be discounted.

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This historic well-preserved German artifact is just one of the dozens of incredible German military pieces in our April Premiere Firearms Auction. From the incredible rarities, prototypes, and high condition arms from The Robert "The Bear" Bretherton Collection (please see below video), to the incredibly well preserved uniforms and helmets in the Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection, this auction will have it all.  Other highlights include a Krieghoff Second model FG42 machine gun, an extremely rare M.Kb.42(H) assault rifle - a predecessor to the StG44, a cased presentation copy of Mein Kampf covered completely in Amber tile and silver furniture, an authentic, original uniform from the Fallschirm-Panzer "Herman Göring" Division, a Nazi Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (with oak leaves) war medal, the entire evolution of the Walther P38, and a presentation Walther PP given to SS Untersturmfuhrer Maximilian Grabner. It's a fantastic time to be a collector!








-Written by Joel R. Kolander




SOURCES:


Bloch, Michael. Ribbentrop. New York: Crown, 1992. Print.

http://www.britannica.com/biography/Franz-von-Papen

http://www.britannica.com/biography/Joachim-von-Ribbentrop

http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/67/lid/1489

Good Things Come in Pairs: German Rarities

Thanks to two studious German military collectors, Rock Island Auction Company has amassed a German Military arms collection that will stun enthusiasts, collectors, and investors of the genre, as well as more than a few curious spectators.  These collections are the illustrious Gene Smith Collection and Part II of the meticulous Von Norden Collection.  As many collectors saw previously in our May Premiere Firearms Auction, the Von Norden Collection is a comprehensive study into German arms and what at times seems like an endless list of variants.  The Gene Smith Collection, on the other hand, while also filled with many excellent quality and rare firearms, showcases the labor of love over several decades in its abundance of prototype and rare German arms.

Today's story is going to cover two supremely rare German military arms from the Von Norden Collection.  Specifically, they come from a portion of the Collection so thorough and impressive it nearly warrants its own collection.  The congregation of World War II German Machine Guns in the Von Norden Collection defies belief.  This will stand as the finest and most significant compilation of World War II German Machine Guns ever before offered.  With a claim like that, let's show you a pair of items that can help prove it.

Super Rare Original Fully Automatic Class III/NFA World War II German C.G. Haenel Manufactured Mkb.42(H) Assault Rifle with Original Sheet Metal Sniper Scope Mount and ZF41/1 Sniper Scope

The gun you see above is the ONLY known one in private hands - making it a top collectible even were it without its superb condition.  It is an MKb.42(H) ("MKb" is an abbreviation of "Maschinen karabiner"), the grandfather of all German assault rifles.  Around 1935-1937 a contract was issued from HWaA, the weapons agency of the Wehrmacht, to C.G. Haenel Waffen und Fahrradfabrik to develop a short-range intermediate round that would eventually become the 7.92x33 Kurz (short).  That was finished in 1938 and with their new cartridge the HWaA then tasked them in 1939 with building a prototype, fully automatic rifle to fire the new round.  Walther also submitted a prototype to compete for the eventual contract, but the Haenel design won out.  Working for Haenel at that time was renowned designer Hugo Schmeisser who borrowed from the already successful MP-40 design to ensure the rifle could be constructed almost entirely of sheet metal stampings instead of machined parts, resulting in a cheaper and more quickly produced gun. The design was a success and the MKb.42(H) would begin to make its way to the front lines in late 1942.  As with all initial designs, it would eventually be improved upon and in 1943 its improvements would be released in a new rifle, the MP-43.  The switch from MKb to MP came in 1943 when Hitler decreed, due to infighting, that all rifle development programs were to cease so that additional newer submachine guns could be produced that utilized existing ammunition.  Since the MKb wasn't something Hitler wanted developed, it was simply given an MP moniker, the MP-43, and development continued.  Unfortunately, the trick was discovered by the führer who stopped that program yet again, only to allow it continue later solely for evaluation purposes.  The gun's performance and superior results saved it from history's dust bin.  Hitler approved continuation of development and eventually distributed the first MP-43s to the Waffen-SS.

The exact scenario of Hitler and his Minister of Armaments Albert Speer is unknown, but Hitler appears
less than pleased with the weapons lain before him.  On the left appears to be the MkB.42 and on the right a more finalized version of the weapon.

Making the earliest predecessor of the MP44/StG-44 even more exceptional is World War II sheet metal sniper scope mount and the ZF41/1 sniper scope that it holds.  Only a handful of these original stamped metal mounts are known to exist today!  Together, the rifle and the scope mount arguably mark two of the most scarce pieces of the genre.  As if this lot could not get any more desirable for collectors, the rifle comes with an original leather sling and an original magazine with the "MKb.42" marking.

Exceptionally Rare Original World War II German STG-44 Assault Rifle with the Ultra Rare Experimental Krummlauf Curved Barrel and Optical Sighting Device

The second gun we'll look at today is already a rare gun, but its ultra rare attachment is what pushes its appeal to a fever pitch.  Well out of the early developmental stages of the previous gun, this World War II StG-44 assault rifle is a solid representation of those that saw widespread use in battle.

A total of 425,977 StG-44 assault rifles and all its variants were produced by the end of the war and development had already begun on an StG-45.  One of those aforementioned variants that remains in ultra rare status to this day is the Krummlauf, a bent barrel attachment with its special optical sighting device.  Working much like a periscope, the optics allowed the user to see "around corners," though they were originally designed for use by troops in armored vehicles so they could effectively defend the "blind spots" that occurred in close range around the vehicles.

The Krummlaufs came in several variants and angles.  There were versions with 30°, 45°, 60°, & 90° bends, an "I" version for infantry, a "P" version for tanks, one for the StG-44, and one for the MG-42.  This particular model is the "V" version, the final one ever produced.  It utilized a series of vent holes along the top rear portion to help relieve excess gas to help keep the barrels from bursting.  The 30° "I" version is the only one produced in any significant number, though even that number is small - while 20,000 units were ordered only an estimated 500 were ever delivered.  Making these low numbers lower still are the incredibly short life spans of these devices.  Due to the redirection of gases and the high resultant friction from the bullet, the 30° version could fire roughly 300 rounds and the 45° could handle even fewer, 160. That huge amount of friction also affected the speed of the bullet, again in varying amounts depending on the angle of the Krummlauf.  Some reports indicate muzzle velocities as low as 300 meters per second, but this was not listed as a problem for the Wehrmacht since they intended the attachment to be used primarily for short-range combat.

Looking through the optics and seeing the front sights (barrel is lowest object in photo).
Note the different angles for where the device attaches and the muzzle.

While these two fully automatic German  firearms easily qualify as the type that collectors dream about, they do not come close to showing the full selection present in the September 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction at Rock Island Auction Company.  Not only will there be additional Stg-44 rifles, but also MP-40 submachine guns, two MG-34 machine guns, an MG-42 with its accessories, an MP43 from Steyr-Solothurn, a Mauser Model 1932 Schnellfeuer machine pistol, a DWM World War I 1908 heavy machine gun, and the finest known FG-42 paratrooper rifle in existence!  And those are just from the German class III weapons.  We haven't even started on the American models or those from other European countries!  If you ever considered collecting or investing in foreign military arms, this is an auction you can't afford to miss.  If these two astounding collections had machine guns of this rarity and high quality, imagine what else they contain.

70th Anniversary of D-Day

By the time you read this, much will already have been published about the men who landed in Normandy, France on what will be forever remembered as D-Day.  This 70th anniversary of that history altering occasion (labeling it a simple "military operation" seems cold) should stir the emotions of people in many nations; sadness and solemnity for those lost, pride and gratitude for their sacrifice, and joy because that sacrifice which would eventually lead to the downfall of the Axis powers and the end of a worldwide calamity.

This humble weekly column cannot hope to provide in one week what some scholars have dedicated decades of their lives to studying.  Much more thorough sources are available and should be consulted by the dedicated military history enthusiast.  Nor can we hope to provide a more vivid depiction of combat and all its resultant emotions than has already been done in war films such as The Longest Day, Saving Private Ryan, The Big Red One, or the Band of Brothers series.  However, perhaps we can provide an interesting "order of events" containing some details not commonly encountered in regular D-Day remembrances.  To that end, this article will try to delve beyond the courageous men who fought on the beaches and attempt to shine a light on the lesser known facets of the largest seaborne invasion in the history of man.

Before the Invasion

Operation Overlord, the code name for the land invasion of Normandy, obviously began many months before D-Day took place.  Months of planning were involved in an undertaking whose complexity the world had not seen before nor since.  The logistics and planning were one thing, but the first steps of the actual invasion were truly taken in the subterfuge known as Operation Bodyguard, an overarching campaign of misinformation.  Under Operation Bodyguard was Operation Fortitude North, a misinformation campaign designed to fool German military intelligence that an invasion would take place in Norway, and Operation Fortitude South, a similar campaign which also used false radio communications to lead German intel to believe that an attack would take place in Calais, a major French port.  There were also the lesser successful Operations Copperhead, Graffham, Ironside, & Zeppelin. Given that a large invading force was presumed to need a large port to provide support via sea (and the fact that it was one of the shortest routes from England to France), the Germans heavily fortified Calais for some time and anticipated its importance in any Allied invasion.  To prey on these assumptions, Allied forces would regularly broadcast their false transmissions from Kent, just across the English Channel from Calais, and had Patton himself stationed in England until July 6 to continue the ruse and keep some of the German forces there.  

In addition to the radio traffic, the Allies would utilize a number of other different methods to confuse the Germans.  False intel was also given to known spies and double agents.  Other misinformation was spread through diplomatic channels with the hopes it would be shared with Germany.  Even physical deceptions were employed, such as fake landing craft, airstrips, and decoy lighting (These physical deceptions are not to be confused with those of the U.S. Army's 23rd Special Troops or "Ghost Army" which often used inflatables, sounds, etc.  Their contribution came later and continued as the Allies moved east through Europe.).  In a final act of subterfuge strips of metal foil called "window" were dropped by British RAF pilots (Operation Taxable).  Window showed up on radar and was intended to be interpreted by German radar operations as invading ships.  It was supplemented by small ships towing around barrage balloons.

An inflatable tank used to trick the German recon.

Earlier still than all the counterintelligence, targeted bombings were happening in France earlier than the Fall of 1943, when the number is noted to have increased significantly.  Infrastructure as well as military targets were hit including radar stations, roads, bridges, railways, train stations, industrial and manufacturing facilities, harbors, coastal artillery, and fortifications of the Atlantic Wall.  Combined with the brave and disruptive activities of the French Resistance such as cutting telephone lines, destroying railroad tracks, and placing anti-tank mines on incoming roads, German transportation, communication, and defense capabilities were strongly compromised before the invasion started.

June 5 provided the Allies one final opportunity to make a feint at the German defenses in Calais.  Air raids are performed in the north of France, dropping thousands of tons of bombs in the Pas de Calais region.  Ships performed maneuvers to indicate an imminent attack.  Again a small fleet of boats is used to mimic a larger attacking fleet, making radio transmissions like larger ships.  More "Window" is dropped by planes to give the appearance of an even larger fleet.  German radio and radar operators take the bait and sound the alarm for an invasion at Calais, believing the other alerts coming from Normandy to be a diversion.  This held a bay 19 divisions of the German army, including panzer tank divisions, either of which could have gone a long way to pushing the Allies back into the sea.

Crossing the Channel

The physical crossing of the channel and resultant actions could have began on several different days.  In fact, most preparations were nearly finished on Saturday, June 3, to the extent that many men were already on their ships, but a storm arose and the English Channel could not be crossed.  On June 4, bad weather forced the fleet to turn around.

Gen. Eisenhower then sent a communication that read, "Overlord will take place tomorrow, June 5."  The date would have provided an advantageous full moon to help pilot visibility as well as tide conditions that would have helped the landing craft avoid the obstacles and fortifications meant to impede or destroy them.  However, Eisenhower is convinced on the evening of June 4 by his chief meteorologist, Group Capt. James Martin Stagg from the U.K. Met Office, to postpone yet another day.  It is a fateful and fortunate decision for the future president, as weather on June 5 was still atrocious and the weather on June 6, while far from perfect, was adequate to carry out the invasion.  Other alternative dates in the future, such as June 18-20, not only would have given the Germans additional possibilities to discover the invasion fleet, but were also subject to a major 4-day storm that would have single-handedly derailed the operation.

With his now famous order of "OK, we'll go," Eisenhower started the fleet on its journey to France shortly after 0400 on June 5.  It is comprised of ships from 8 navies and consists of 6,939 vessels, including 1,213 warships, 4,126 landing crafts, 736 support ships, 864 cargo/freight bearing ships, and around 195,000 soldiers.  Minesweepers had begun sweeping the path around midnight and encountered no enemy activity.

Little known facts:

• To protect the convoy, orders had been given to shoot down ANY plane flying over the fleet at low altitude.
• The purpose of the balloons often seen flying over the boats in the armada were to discourage low strafing attacks on the ships.  The balloons were attached with steel cables, which would damage the wings of low-flying fighter planes that might attack the ships.  Those planes never came as the Allies had launched an aggressive air campaign in the prior 6 months, greatly weakening Nazi strength in the air.
• The BBC broadcast hidden messages to the French Resistance so they could perform their tasks prior to the invasion.  The week of the invasion the first three lines of the Verlaine poem "Chant d'automne" were broadcast.  When the next three lines of the poem were broadcast, it was understood by the Resistance that the invasion would start in 48 hours and they were to begin their sabotage operations.
• A smoke screen was placed in front of the armada by Allied speed boats.  Just off of Le Havre, four German S-Boots (Schnellboots or "fast boats") came across the armada through the smoke and stared face to face with the section of the fleet reserved for Sword Beach (S Force).  The S-Boots unloaded their torpedoes and wisely hightailed it home.  The torpedoes claimed the Norwegian warship, the Svenner, but the survivors were rescued by neighboring ships.
• Gen. Eisenhower penned a note in the event of Overlord's failure accepting full responsibility (see photo below).  

It reads,
"Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that Bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone."

Superiority in the Air

As the fleet conquered the rough seas en route to France, American, British, and Canadian paratroopers had already been deployed, the earliest of which began their assault just after midnight.  For the invasion to succeed, two things would have to happen: (1) the Allies had to secure the beaches to ensure the arrival of supplies of men to continue to press further inland and, (2) the Allies would also have to prevent a quick German counter-attack which could push them back into the sea before they'd have a fighting chance.  To satisfy the second of those objectives, the paratroopers dropped into enemy held territory were to do as much as possible to impede the inevitable German assault on the invasion force.  This involved securing or destroying bridges, setting up beacons for future paratroop drops, destroying artillery and anti aircraft guns capable of firing on the invasion forces, disabling radar stations, securing crossroads and towns, destroying obstacles on the ground designed to prevent glider landings, and similar tasks.  The troubles of the paratroopers to land on or even next to their designated targets are well known, however their wide dispersal also helped confuse the Germans who did not know where to focus their forces.  Other missed landing zones resulted in paratroopers falling into swamps or fields the Germans had previously flooded.  Many men drowned before they could start the fight.

Also around midnight is when the 300+ heavy and light bombers made their way to the Norman coast and began releasing their deadly payloads onto the coastal defenses, radar stations, troop concentrations, and railroads near the Atlantic Wall.  Many of these had their intended effect, but as is well documented, the fortifications at Omaha Beach remained nearly untouched due to cloud cover and pilots who did not want to hit their own troops or landing craft.  It would prove to be a fatal misstep for thousands of Allied servicemen charged with taking the beach.  Despite these missteps and the loss of 127 Allied aircraft, the paratroopers successfully carried out a number of their missions (though some would still not be completed for days) and the bombings softened up the German defenses.  It was time for the landings to take place.

Taking the Beach

The Naval bombardment of the French coast began just after dawn at 0550.  Designed as much to further soften defenses as it was to eliminate German minefields, it was a necessary precursor to the landings.  With landing craft beginning their journeys from 10 miles out in choppy seas, it would take them longer to find their destination then originally planned upon.  It was a small delay, only around 30 minutes, but enough to give the Germans a small window in which to regroup before Allied troops began landing.  Many of the supporting amphibious tanks also had troubles. Launched from as far as 6,000 yards from shore they were to lead the assault and provide some much needed firepower, but the Duplex Drive tanks or DD tanks (nicknamed "Donald Duck" tanks as much for their amphibious nature as their cantankerous dispositions) were not accustomed to the rough waters.  Many were swamped, but others encountered calmer waters, few issues and were able to make viable contributions to their objectives.  Of the tanks dedicated to providing firepower at Omaha Beach, nearly all were lost - another contributing factor to the heavy losses and sluggish progress at that beachhead.

A "Donald Duck"

The beaches from west to east were: Utah (to be taken by the Americans), Omaha (Americans), Gold (British), Juno (Canadians), and Sword (British and Free French forces).  In between Utah and Omaha was what many recognize as an additional landing site, Pointe du Hoc: a vertical cliff of some 25-30 meters crowned with 6 French 155 mm howitzers.  Utah was a last minute addition by English General Bernard Montgomery because it would help capture a deep-water harbor, in turn allowing easier importation of additional troops and supplies.  It was a wise decision, providing the Allies a great advantage and coming at the relatively small loss of 197 casualties out of nearly 21,000 troops.  Strong currents at Utah also provided benefits.  It pushed landing troops about 2,000 yards south, putting them in front of only one German defense point instead of two.  The currents also washed away many of the obstacles stationed there.  These factors combined with the high percentage of tanks that reached the beach (28 tanks in all) aided the success at Utah, the most easily taken of the beaches.

Other beaches would not fare so well.  The woes and heroic efforts of those at Omaha beach are well known and rightfully so.  Over 2,000 casualties were suffered on that stretch of sand, nearly double that of any of the remaining beaches, most of which would see casualties around 1,000.  To read the experiences of the men on those beaches, even in the most dry and scholarly texts, is simply terrifying.  The predicament they were placed into against such damning odds, renders many who read or study the event left speechless.

Many medics also performed selfless acts of courage by working under the deadly interlocking fields of German fire and by braving those killing fields to rescue wounded men from the beaches who would have otherwise drowned in the rising tides.  Engineers are also an oft unsung hero of the day.  Working under the same relentless German fire, their work forcing them to remain stationary at a time when to do so placed even greater risk on their lives, engineers were responsible for removing many of the German obstacles so that additional friendly armor and landing crafts could reach the shore and continue their advance.  Many also continued to serve as infantry in between their engineering duties.

The objectives of many landing forces on D-Day would not be complete for days (and a few even longer), even though the beaches themselves would fall by that afternoon, even Omaha.  While their task was far from over, the invasion was a success albeit a fragile one.  With the beaches secure it was now a race to import as many men and supplies as possible before the Germans could counter.  By evening the Allies casualty count reached around 12,000 with 4,414 confirmed KIA, but over 100,00 men now occupied the beaches and surrounding countryside.  Brits had yet to take cities such as Caen, and the Americans had yet to clear the German guns still capable of touching the newly established loading zones, but the footholds had been dug for further Allied supplies and fighting men.  By the end of the month, Omaha and Utah beaches were averaging 20,500 tons of supplies per day!  July 1st reports show the Allies controlled a beachhead 70 miles wide used to bring around one million men and over 177,000 vehicles to the war.

The Allies' ability to adapt to the chaos of the battle, combined with the rigorous misinformation campaigns, decent weather, air superiority, and the delay of a counterattack caused by the German chain of command, were all keys to the operation's success.  The collaboration of American and British leaders was well-communicated and, although far from perfect, accomplished its goals in due time.  The German losses were staggering as they were pushed out of Paris and back across the Rhine.  Gen. Erwin Rommel, in letters to his son Manfred, talks of the German losses and says, "It was casualty reports, casualty reports, casualty reports wherever you went... I have never fought with such losses... And the worst of it is that it is was all without sense or purpose."  He goes on to state that some days resulted in the loss of what what would equal an entire regiment of men, more than he had lost in an entire summer while in Africa in 1942.   Allied losses were significant, but far less than planners had estimated; not only had they achieved what they wanted, they did it at less of a cost than anticipated.

It is another testament to the soldiers and sailors who fought for the man next to them.  That despite their challenges, heavy tolls, and a mighty foe, they persevered and brought about what Eisenhower phrased as, "the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed people of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world."

Ike had painful memories of that death-filled day. His command placed the unfathomable burden of thousands of young men's lives on his shoulders and despite that fact, he only wept openly on a pair of known occasions.  One time during his presidency when speaking to a group of World War II veterans about the soldiers of D-Day, grief gripped him so tightly that the military man was forced to cover his face with a handkerchief.  Perhaps it is this internal agony that only let the general and 2-term president make a single visit to the American military cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy.  In 1964, five years before this death, he visited those hallowed grounds and said,

". . . these men came here - British and our allies, and Americans - to storm these beaches for one purpose only, not to gain anything for ourselves, not to fulfill any ambitions that America had for conquest, but just to preserve freedom. . . . Many thousands of men have died for such ideals as these. . . but these young boys. . . were cut off in their prime. . . I devoutly hope that we will never again have to see such scenes as these. I think and hope, and pray, that humanity will have learned. . . we must find some way . . . to gain an eternal peace for this world."

- "Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life" by Carlo D'Este, p. 705.

SOURCES:

http://www.dday-overlord.com/eng/index.htm

http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/normandy/nor-pam.htm

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-A-Omaha/index.html

1911s of the Second World War

As we all know, when American decided to enter World War II after the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor it was "all hands on deck."  Everyone in the nation was contributing through whatever means necessary: rationing of goods, rubber drives, saving fats, Victory gardens, nylon drives, tin can collection, carpooling, blackouts, women joining the workforce en masse, and hundreds of thousands of War Bonds were sold.  However, John and Jane Q. Public were not the only ones to contribute to the war effort.  Corporations across America were tooling up to help meet war needs and to beat back the Axis powers.  The Kaiser Corporation, which had seen great growth in the 1930s building dams under federal contracts, began building ships, planes, and other vehicles.  Ford Motor Company has been producing airplane engines for the British before America entered the war, but soon switched over to full-time military production making B-24 Liberators, superchargers, generators, military gliders, tanks, armored cars, jeeps, grenades, bombs, landing crafts and more.  Chrysler was making tanks, anti-aircraft guns, the Martin B-26 bomber and B-29 Superfortress, fuses, shells and more!  Countless companies dropped what they were doing before the war, refocused, and turned the full industrial might of a nation on toward the war effort.

If a country is saving its pan drippings to beat you, that's a bad sign.

The 1911A1 was not immune to this boost in production from multiple sources.  Part of this precipitated thanks to the War Department not allowing many contractors to finish their World War I contracts.  By cancelling those productions, the United States found itself short of sidearms, much like it did at the beginning of World War I.  This lack of produced firearms was exacerbated by the slashed military funding after WWI.  Since soldiers were not needed in their WWI quantities, the government limited the Army 144,000 officers and men!  If that's the limit they placed on personnel, you can imagine the financial restrictions placed on munitions, arms, parts, repairs, and other military essentials.

With multiple manufacturers required to build the United States' arsenals to appropriate levels for war, it would give collectors of the legendary pistol quite a bit to focus on in future decades.  1911 production models during World War II were manufactured by five different companies - ALL of which will be appearing in Rock Island Auction Company's May 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction.  1911s will be generously represented as will many of the U.S. military arms, Class III firearms, and an extraordinary collection of German WWII military items known simply as The Von Norden Collection.

We will also be auctioning M1911 pistols from every manufacturer during the first World War, but that's an article for another week.  Back to the topic at hand.  It was the aforementioned shortage of military funding that led to the most desirable of all 1911A1s: the Singer.


Singer
The Army's cash shortage was notable.  Then Captain George S. Patton is said to have used his own funds to pay for parts to keep his successful tank brigade up and running.  The M1 Garand, while still adopted, had to compromise and be made in the existing .30-06 cartridge instead of the superior .276 Pedersen round.  The new round would have taken massive funds to be developed and produced as well as required the conversions of vast amounts of the Army's machine guns.  To help its financial burden the Army had to get creative as is best described in Patrick Sweeney's book 1911: The First 100 Years.

"Despite this situation, the Army was able to make some progress in the late 1930s and early 1940s before Pearl Harbor.  They were able to issue "educational contracts" to manufacturers, contracts that paid for the costs of setting up to make small arms, and to produce a small run as proof of performance.  One such contract went to the Singer Sewing Machine Company in April of 1940.  Singer was able to produce the 500 test pistols required.  but with delivery of the 500 right at Pearl Harbor time, the government's contract offering of 15,000 more pistols was turned down, Singer's board of directors feeling that their company's skills, knowledge, and factory were better put to use manufacturing ship and artillery fire control directors.  So the 1911A1 tolling was boxed off to Remington Rand.  Those 500 Singer 1911A1s are the perhaps the Holy Grail of 1911 collecting." 

Those original 500 pistols were distributed to Army Air Corps personnel.

Rare World War II U.S. Singer Manufacturing Company Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Remington Rand
Remington was so busy making rifles, that they really didn't have a lot of time to dedicate to side arms.  This despite the fact that they had already made about 22,000 pistols during WWI before the government shut down its production line, due to interchangibility issues with the pistols made by Colt and Springfield (however, it was this issue that led to Colt producing a new set of production specs in 1936 which would greatly aid production in WWII).  Perhaps it was a still a sour taste in their mouth from that previous wrist-slapping that led Remington-UMC to send their government contract to their subsidiary formed in 1886, Remington Typewriter.  The spin-off's merger with Rand Kardex and Powers Accounting in 1927 left it renamed Remington Rand, but they soon began manufacturing 1911A1s in addition to the glut of typewriters that were also needed for the war.  After some brief production issues that required the attention of President James Rand, Jr. to fix, Remington Rand manufactured slightly less than 878,000 1911A1 pistols between the years 1942 and 1945, making them the leading wartime manufacturer of the pistol.

Side note:  Remington Rand received part of their tooling from Singer, who declined their government contract, but they also received tooling from Harrison & Richardson.  H&R at that time was going through a bankruptcy was only able to produce 20 pistols, not even enough for a successful "test batch" as Singer had produced.  None of H&R's 20 pistols were accepted and the government rescinded their contract in June 1942.  Some of the 1911 tooling at H&R went to Remington Rand, but most of it went to our next 1911 manufacturer.

Unique Very Early Production Second Contract U.S. Remington-Rand Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol without FJA and Ordnance Proof

Ithaca
Despite their financial troubles in the late 1960s, Ithaca Gun Company was a prominent firearms manufacturer when America became involved in WWII.  The government didn't require many of their popular shotguns (yet did ask them to make several thousand 12-gauge riot shotguns with M1917 bayonet attachments), but did offer them a contract to produce 60,000 1911A1s in 1942.  After receiving some of the necessary tooling from Harrington & Richardson, Ithaca began rapidly producing the desperately-needed pistols - even going as far as to assemble pistols from parts shipped to them by other manufacturers.  Some of these parts were from surplus WWI production, including about 6,000 Colt receivers!  Soon Ithaca would have all the manufacturing equipment in-house and would ramp up production to total 335,000 - 340,000 pistols between late 1943 until the end of the war.  Ithaca could have produced many more of these pistols had the government not cancelled the contract in its post-war fund cutting.

Fun Fact:  Ithaca was invited to produce a "test batch" of pistols in the Army's fund raising efforts, but the Army discontinued the program before they could submit a batch.

Excellent U.S. Ithaca Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

Colt
Colt's story of WWII production 1911A1 pistols is a little different than every other manufacturer here for the simple fact that they were assembling them readily before WWII.  In fact, once the government contracts increased due to war, Colt discontinued making their Government Model 1911 pistols (which is what Colt called the 1911 made for the civilian market) in 1942 so that they could focus all of their pistol manufacturing efforts toward military sidearms.  They even took 6,575 existing, unsold Government Model guns, re-stamped, and Parkerized them for the Army.  The parts for these civilian guns were also used to satisfy military contracts.

In the story of 1911A1 pistols, Colt is more often mentioned as a reference for all the other companies that were contracted to also make the pistols.  Colt was often helping provide technical assistance (as was Springfield), to these newly contracted manufacturers.  One would think that between providing all this help and its status as one the government's primary machine gun producers, Colt could have used the same excuse as Remington and said it had "no time" to make the 1911 pistols that it already knew so well how to produce.  However, it still turned out around 629,000 1911A1 pistols, making it the second leading producer of the beloved sidearm in addition to having a mandated priority of producing the United States' machine guns (M1919, M1919A6, & M2HB).

World War II U.S. Army Colt Model 1911A1 Pistol

Union Switch & Signal
Union Switch and Signal, referred to more commonly as just "Switch & Signal" was the last company to be offered a M1911A1 contract.  As one can infer from the name, this subsidiary of Westinghouse Air Brake Company was accustomed to making railroad equipment.  In 1942 they received their first contract and began producing, but just after they had begun, the government realized they had ordered too many pistols and asked US&S to make M1 carbine parts instead.  The next month their contract for pistols was officially cut from 200,000 to 30,000.  US&S agreed to make the M1 parts and just when they almost finished with the initial slashed order of pistols and were to begin manufacturing the carbine parts, the government reneged again and instead increased their original M911A1 order by 25,000.  US&S ended up producing 55,000 pistols for their indecisive client.

U.S. Union Switch & Signal Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

The 1911, despite being firmly entrenched in the hearts of American collectors, suffered after World War II.  Colt was actually losing money toward the end of the war and with thousands of veterans returning home with guns, they didn't have as many people looking to buy.  In fact, no M1911 or M1911A1 pistols have been produced after 1945.  Even with the Korean War providing a new source of income, Colt had to sell in 1955 to the Penn-Texas Corporation, setting in motion a long string of mismanagement and apathy.  In 1985, the the Beretta 92F was officially adopted and replaced the M1911A1 as the sidearm of the Army.  1911 pistols are not without their detractors, but they have served the United States longer than any other military arm, thus cementing themselves and their inventor into the history and lore of this country.













SOURCES

Clawson, Charles W. Colt .45 Service Pistols: Models of 1911 and 1911A1: Complete Military History, Development, and Production 1900 through 1945. Fort Wayne, IN: C.W. Clawson, 1991. Print.

http://www.coolgunsite.com/pistols/colt%20production.htm

http://www.m1911.org/full_history.htm

http://www.nramuseum.org/the-museum/the-galleries/ever-vigilant/case-64-world-war-ii-us/us-colt-model-1911a1-semi-automatic-pistol.aspx

Sweeney, Patrick. 1911: The First 100 Years. Iola, WI: Krause Pubns, 2010. Print.

The Pedersen Device

We here at RIAC love Winchester rifles and rightly so.  Only one manufacturer can claim the title "the gun that won the West," and played such a huge part in our "Manifest Destiny" as American settlers tamed the frontier.  However, attention must also be paid to its American firearms counterpart, Remington Arms.  Remington has produced such notable and widely-used weapons as the Model 1858 New Model Army revolver, Model 700 bolt-action rifle, the Rolling Block Rifles, and the 870 pump-action shotgun.  In fact, in 2012, the U.S. Army awarded Remington the contract to produce 24,000 of the M4A1 and has been designing other exciting guns such as the MSR, ACR, and the RSASS.

However, today's post is not going to talk about their accomplishments, but rather one of their technological marvels that never had the chance to enjoy the success it deserved.  It was a top secret military project that was completed too late to have any true effect in WWI, was mothballed for over a decade, and eventually all but completely destroyed.  The last time a Pedersen Device went to auction at RIAC with its metal carrying case (a rarity!) and an M1903 Mark I rifle capable of firing it, it sold for $48,875!  To up the ante even further, the Pedersen Device we are offering in our April Premiere Auction is even more complete than the aforementioned listing and includes everything shown below.

 Two original 40-round stick magazines, the disassembly tool, a web pouch to carry the stick magazines, which are marked "R.I.A./6-19; a web case to carry the 1903 Springfield bolt when removed from the rifle, which is marked, "RIA/1919," with an original WWI era leather sling.

And the rifle.

What a beautiful piece!  Great colors!  Not pictured: the 1906 dated bayonet

In 1917 a man named John Pedersen called Chief of Ordnance General William Crozier, a few of his Ordnance Officers and some Congressmen to Washington DC for a weapons demonstration he claimed would be of great interest to the War Department.  They were all sworn to secrecy.  At the Congress Heights Rifle Range, before his audience, Pedersen began firing ordinary .30-06 rounds through what appeared to be a standard issue Springfield M1903 rifle.  Very quickly Pedersen removed the bolt, inserted his Pedersen Device, locked it in place with the rifle's existing cut-off switch, slammed in a 40 round magazine, and began filling the air with lead as fast as he could pull the trigger.  He emptied the magazine, replaced it with a full one and repeated his feat.  After the onlookers pulled their collective jaws off the ground, they immediately gave the device a top secret clearance.  In fact, to ensure the utmost secrecy they gave the device a very lengthy and misleading name: "The US Automatic Pistol, Caliber .30, Model of 1918."  In addition to its top secret classification, it also received the immediate recommendation that 100,000 of the devices be procured for the infantry.  On March 26, 1918 that recommendation became an order placed with Remington and the number was soon upped to 133,450.  In June that same year, Pedersen adapted his device for the British Enfield M1917 and an order of 500,000 was placed to be completed once the order for the Springfields had been completed.  These were to be used in a surprise offensive against the Germans in the spring of 1919. However, since World War I was officially ended on November 11, 1918 (Armistice Day, now known as Veterans Day), the Pedersen Device had no chance to truly make its impact felt on the battlefield.

Orders were cancelled, but production continued until 1920 in case further conflicts arose.  Remington eventually produced around 65,000 units in total.  In the late 1920's the M1 Garand was developed which negated the need for the Pedersen Device and in 1931 the Pedersen Device was declared surplus, five years before the M1 Garand even started production.  Existing M1903 Mk. I's were converted back to their original configuration with a now vestigial ejection port.  The government, no longer wanting to pay to store the device ordered them all destroyed.  Nearly all were burned in a large fire, resulting in less than 100 estimated to be surviving today, let alone with their full accessory kit!


More close-ups can be found in the auction listing! Click here!

Auction Description

Outstanding All Complete Model 1903 Mark I U.S. Springfield Bolt Rifle with Ultra Rare Original Pedersen Device with Metal Case Magazine Canvas Pouch and 1906 Dated Bayonet

"Wow what a fantastic find! A complete 1919 dated U.S. Springfield Model 1903 Mark I rifle rig with an original "Remington-Bridgeport" 1918 Mark I Pedersen Device that is in its entirety with the original Pedersen device metal carrying case, disassembly tool, two original stick magazines, canvas pouch for the magazines, and an original canvas pouch for the 1903 bolt when removed from the rifle. What a complete turn-key type set up. As we all know these rare Pedersen Devices were developed at the end of WWI in early 1919. They were officially designated the "Automatic Pistol, Caliber .30, Model of 1918- Mark I", and the Pedersen Device itself consisted of a semi-automatic bolt assembly and detachable stick magazine that was designed to replace the standard bolt in a modified Model 1903 Rifle, that would convert the rifle into a semi-automatic weapon. The device fired a low velocity 30 caliber type pistol sized cartridge designated the "Caliber .30 Automatic Ball Pistol". The device used a 40-round stick magazine, that would have been inserted from the right side of the receiver, with the spent cartridges ejected through the port on the left side of the receiver. The Pedersen Device was classified as a secret weapon and was intended to provide the infantry man with a close range, semi-automatic rifle for assaults on enemy trenches, but still retain the capability of converting the rifle back into a high powered, bolt action rifle for long range combat. The Army planned to introduce the Pedersen Device in the offensive against the German Army in the spring of 1919, however when  WWI ended in November 1918, the Pedersen Devices were placed in storage. In 1931 the security classification was removed from the Pedersen Device and all of the devices were ordered to be destroyed. The destruction was nearly complete as fewer than 100 Pedersen Devices are estimated to be in collections and museums today. The metal case is even more rare than the Pedersen Device itself; most existing Pedersen Devices lack the issue metal case. This Model 1903 Mark I rifle was manufactured by Springfield Armory in April 1910 and has the special "Mark I" receiver markings and the oval ejection port in the left side of the receiver. In addition to the special receiver these rifles had a special stock, magazine cut-off, cut-off spindle, trigger and sear, all required for use with the Pedersen Device. After all the Pedersen Devices were destroyed, the Mark I rifles had the special components removed and were converted back into a standard Model 1903 configuration rifle. This beautiful Pedersen Device has the original dark black-green parkerized finish with the top of the cocking piece roll-stamped: "U.S.A. 1918-MARK I/42384" in two lines on the left side, with the right side marked: "REMINGTON-BRIDGEPORT/PEDERSEN'S PAT'S. PENDING" in two lines. The U.S. Ordnance final inspection proofs of "E.E.C./Eagle Head/S28" are stamped on the back of the cocking piece. Each device was issued with a small stamped metal carrying case. The metal case has the same black green finish as the device. This super rare device is accompanied by an original, Model 1903 Mark I rifle. The receiver is marked in five lines: "U.S./SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/MODEL 1903/MARK I/1091435" and the barrel is stamped "SA/4-19". The rifle is fitted with a correct WWI Mark I finger groove stock, that has the correct lower left side, that provides clearance under the receiver ejection port; a WWI handguard and fine checkered buttplate. The stock has a small boxed "D.A.L" cartouche on the left side with a small circled "P" proof in the pistol grip area. The rifle is fitted with a correct "W L 3" marked WWI bolt. This excellent rifle still retains the original magazine cut-off, cut-off spindle, trigger and sear, as noted above. This beautiful rig is complete with two original 40-round stick magazines, the disassembly tool, a web pouch to carry the stick magazines, which are marked "R.I.A./6-19; a web case to carry the 1903 Springfield bolt when removed from the rifle, which is marked, "RIA/1919 with an original WWI era leather sling. Also included with this beautiful and very rare rifle is an original M1905 bayonet and second type leather scabbard. The bayonet is marked: "R.I.A./Shell and Flame mark/1906" with the obverse marked "U.S.". The leather scabbard has the long throat with the leather covered hanger intended for the Garrison belt. The back of the scabbard is stamped: "R.I.A./1907/E.E.B.".


What a great piece of American and firearms history!




-written by Joel Kolander

The Pedersen device installed with magazine extending skyward from the receiver.

"This goes where?"

"In total the device added 14 pounds to the infantry's standard load, although this was considered to be well worth it at the time."

SOURCES:

Hatcher, Julian S., Hatcher's Notebook, Military Service Publishing Co., 1947, Ch. 15 The Pedersen Device, pp. 361-372.

http://www.nramuseum.org/the-museum/the-galleries/america-ascending/case-57-world-war-i-allies-the-world-at-war,-1914-1918/wwi-secret-weapon-the-pedersen-device.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedersen_device

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Arms

All black and white photos from:
http://www.remingtonsociety.com/questions/Pedersen.htm

Large Selection of U.S. Related Military Rifles & Pistols

Once again Rock Island Auction Company has outdone itself by assembling one of the finest groupings of over 80 U.S. Army contract and original Colt Commercial M1911 and M1911A1 semi-automatic pistols.

   

Just a quick sampling of the extensive nature of this grouping is that it spans some of the earliest M1911, U.S. Army contract pistols such as the super rare 1912 Colt U.S. Navy contract pistol (lot 1856), the unique and equally rare Remington-UMC contract M1911 (lot 1865), we then have several all original mid and late WWI all blued U.S. Army contract pistols. Then there is a post- WWI 1924 dated Colt M1911 transitional pistol (lot 1853). The grouping then shifts to an early pre-WWII Colt M1911A1 "CSR" inspected M1911A1 (lot 3650), numerous examples of standard, WWII M1911A1 U.S. Army contract pistols as manufactured by the Remington-Rand, Ithaca and US&S companies. Which also include two super rare WWII M1911A1 "Presentation" pistols; one is a Union Switch and Signal (US&S) serial number "XP#11" (lot 1855) that is accompanied by a letter from the noted author and M1911A1 authority Charles Clawson. The second one an equally rare Ithaca Manufactured M1911A1 pistol, also a WWII Presentation pistol, that was specifically presented to Captain Sheldon Smith that carries serial number "XP#1", (lot 1852). Next we transition into a large grouping of all original Colt Commercial M1911 and M1911A1 pistols, both pre and post-war versions with many boxed examples. Next we have ten of probably the best pre and post WWII Colt "38 Super" automatic pistols, we have ever had the opportunity to offer for sale. This being two "First Year" Colt 38 Supers, one (lot 3612) still in its original Colt factory box, several late pre-war standard Colt 38 Supers with several post WWII Colt 38 Super automatics, with some still in their original Colt factory boxes. This large grouping also includes one of the rarest and best contraction, all original, documented WWII U.S. Army contract M1911A1 boxed "38 Super" automatic pistols. This specific pistol is noted as being the "Lost" 38 Super , as it was one of "3" pistols documented in the new book on Colt 38 Super automatics as being unknown to the collecting community until just recently discovered. We also have several original boxed Colt M1903 General Officers pistols, as issued from WWII and later.

Rock Island Auction Company has also assembled one of the largest selections of U.S. related Military rifles and pistols to include, two early M1907 Savage 45 ACP "Test" pistols, (lot 1863 and lot 3631) that were specifically developed and tested for the early U.S. Ordnance board 1909/1910 pistol trials, that later resulted in the Colt M1911 being adopted by the U.S. Army. This December auction also includes two extremely rare all original, early Vickers & Armstrong Pederson rifles, (lot 1801 & lot 3657) chambered in the scarce .276 Pederson cartridge, which was one of only 200 rifles actually produced and tested against the early M1 Garand rifle in 1927. Lot 1803 is an ultra-rare original WWI era 1918 mark I Remington-Pederson device for the Model 1903 Springfield rifle. Also included in this auction is a fantastic all original, unaltered, early Springfield Model 1903 "Rod Bayonet" rifle serial number "24". This beautiful rifle has all the original early features and still retains its original parts, never having been messed with or altered, truly an extremely rare rifle to find today as it is estimated that way less than 100 even exist today with most examples of this quality being in private collections or museums. This auction also features a grouping of original 1903 Springfield NM type service rifles. This includes two beautiful, early NM examples (lot 1811 and lot 363) produced in 1936 and 1937, that include their original DCM (not CMP) supporting documentation, original Springfield Armory test targets and star-gauge cards. We also have in this auction a beautiful example of a M1903 NM/USMC, M1942 Sniper rifle (lot 3655) that has been fitted with an original WWII Issue USMC marked Unertl Sniper scope. We also have several original M1903 NRA Sales rifles and M1903 NRA Sporting rifles.

We cannot encourage you enough to come and see this spectacular collection and many more this November 30th, December 1st and 2nd.  Our sale contains something for virtually everyone and covers the entire spectrum from antique black powder arms to Class III Items. Our catalog is available online for free, or we can ship you one today, just complete the online order form, call 1-800-238-8022, fax 1-309-797-1655, or e-mail info@rockislandauction.com. We look forward to any inquiries, and hope to see you at the sale!

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