[Darwin]

I just received this pistol today:
Download Attachment: FN 1900 Factory Nickel 001.jpg
110.79KB

It came with this holster and a story:

Download Attachment: FN 1900 Factory Nickel 005.jpg
109.33KB

The story is that this pistol was captured from a German submarine captain during WW2. I couldn't get the seller to give me any information about the guy who did the capturing but there is a name written on one of the leather straps on the holster. Lt. Jesse ????er. The last name could be Palmer or Parker or Barker or ... It is just so difficult to tell. Does anybody know any tricks with light or such that would make the name more legible? Also, If I can decipher the name, is there a way to get information about where Lt. Jesse served. I would assume Navy or Coast Guard service but no guarantees. If I could find that he served on such-and-such ship, I might be able to find record of that ship forcing a sub to the surface and capturing the crew. All of that assuming the story isn't fabricated.

On the pistol, these Factory Nickeled FN 1900's are difficult to find. I was fortunate to have been made aware of it from other knowledgable collectors. I'm quite pleased with it. The price was good too.

 

[Mark]

Darwin,

It will be most difficult to track the providence of a gun without a paper trail. Here is a link to a "G" date that I was lucky enough to buy from a seller on Gun List some time back.

http://www.p38guns.com/Luger.htm

I later did a search of his name "Kitchen Brown" and found he was promoted to captain in Korea after getting a silver star. The bill of sale notes he was a major when the gun was sold to the gentleman I bought it from, for $40 bucks!!!

The gun you have may have an interesting oral history but as they say, you bought the gun, not the story.

Nice purchase, congrats!

Mark

 

[eroane]

quote:Originally posted by Darwin

I just received this pistol today:
Download Attachment: FN 1900 Factory Nickel 001.jpg
110.79 KB

It came with this holster and a story:

Download Attachment: FN 1900 Factory Nickel 005.jpg
109.33 KB

The story is that this pistol was captured from a German submarine captain during WW2. I couldn't get the seller to give me any information about the guy who did the capturing but there is a name written on one of the leather straps on the holster. Lt. Jesse ????er. The last name could be Palmer or Parker or Barker or ... It is just so difficult to tell. Does anybody know any tricks with light or such that would make the name more legible? Also, If I can decipher the name, is there a way to get information about where Lt. Jesse served. I would assume Navy or Coast Guard service but no guarantees. If I could find that he served on such-and-such ship, I might be able to find record of that ship forcing a sub to the surface and capturing the crew. All of that assuming the story isn't fabricated.

On the pistol, these Factory Nickeled FN 1900's are difficult to find. I was fortunate to have been made aware of it from other knowledgable collectors. I'm quite pleased with it. The price was good too.

Hello Darwin
After reading your post, it made me look through one of my odds and ends boxes. This is a photo of a Browning 1900 nickeled screwdriver I picked up somewhere.
Ed

Download Attachment: Mvc-001f.jpg
61.93KB

 

[Darwin]

Very cool!

 

[Darwin]

Ed,

Did you get my email?