[garfield]

Here are a few pictures of a nice Imperial issue 1914. These pistols with pictures and text are covered in Still's The Pistols of Germany, etc., Vol I at pages 43 through 51. The serial # is 179246. According to imformation available, this pistol was manufactured in 1918. It has the 'Prussian Eagle' on the front of the trigger guard and the military acceptance stamp in front of the rear sight. I find it interesting that this pistol has oak grips rather than walnut. While I don't believe that these grips are rare, I have seen but one other 1914 with oak grips and it was also serial numbered in the late 1918 serial # range.

"Prussian Eagle"
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Imperial Military acceptance stamp in front of rear sight.
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[Heinz]

Garfield, very nice post. Thank you. The grips are interesting. Is the checkering "cut." I always found Oak very difficult to checker in making muzzle loading accesories. These look realy nice in the pictures.

 

[Jan C Still]

Garfield
Excellent photographs and presentation.
Jan

 

[garfield]

quote:Originally posted by Heinz
Is the checkering "cut."

I really don't know how the "checkering" was applied. As much as I appreciate the Mauser Pockets, I have always thought that the checkering was not much to brag about. I have attached a close up of the oak grips and two pictures of a 1910 that is a 99%+ pistol. While the finish of the grips is very nice on the 1910, the diamonds are still very flat. Mayhap, that is the effect that Mauser wished to achieve on these pistols?


Oak checkering.
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Mauser 1910
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[Heinz]

Garfield, could the checkering be "pressed" with a die. I do not know when pressed checkering started so I must ask. I will also start paying more attention to these at the gun shows.

 

[garfield]

heinz:

That could well be what it is. I really don't know, either.

 

[Pancho]

I've discussed this checkering stuff before. Here's what I've come up with. What do you think--make any sense?
If the checkering is cut or filed, then you should be able to see some end grain or at least a different texture in each individual checker, and some of the checkering should still have some peaks. If pressed, then they will be smooth with a sort of pillow effect in each checker with an absence of any peaks. For instance, I think the Colt 1911 grips are cut checkering, and the mauser is pressed (pillowed) like the pressed wood grips on late war PP's.

 

[garfield]

quote:Originally posted by PanchoI think the Colt 1911 grips are cut checkering, and the mauser is pressed (pillowed) like the pressed wood grips on late war PP's.

I believe that you are correct. The 'checkering' on the Mauser Pocket grips appears to be 'pressed' into the grip much in the same fashion as modern applied 'checkering'. There are no continious lines forming the diamonds. I have attached a picture of the checkering on the grips of a 1942 dated Mauser Banner P08. Note the difference. I am certain that the checkering on the P08 grips was machine applied, however, it was done in the same manner as hand checkering, i.e., the process involved the removal of wood.

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