Joined
·
1,162 Posts
I have been exploring the survival of VL&D Mauser m. 1910 pistols for a while now and I have generated a number of questions that you folks might help answer. (von Lengerke and Detmold, the NY/Chi high end sporting goods retailer of the early part of the 20th century)
We have a total off 29 survivals, of which 27 are documented. We also have a list of serial numbers of "Mauser" pistols sold by VL&D. These are not C96 pistols and Bob Beach, the gentleman who curated this data until recently, thought that the assumption that the data referred to the m. 1910 pistols was not unreasonable.
Be that as it may, not one of the documented pistols appears in the VL&D sales data (that we have at hand).
Now the reason for this as put forth by various folks (me too) is that because of the NYC Sullivan law, the records for all sales post 1911 were turned over to ... someone. Precisely who is unknown. The coppers, presumably.
So what follows from that is the remaining pistols in the VL&D sales records were sold pre 1911 (or close to it). However, a superficial examination of the data gives lie to this since the serials extend to the 1xxxxx range and these were made post 1911.
n.b. 5473 should be highlighted.
You with me?
Something is amiss. Clearly.
It is also very unclear how many pistols sold by VL&D were marked with their name. My personal belief is that a tiny fraction of the pistols sold by them were so marked inasmuch as they were part of a promotion by Mauser. Who really knows. Mario Baudino is keeping an eye open for relevant info that he may come across in the Mauser Archives.
Anyway, I would ask owners of m. 1910 (and even 1914 7.65mm) pistols to compare their serial numbers to the chart below and then tell me if there are any matches. A match indicates that the pistol in question was sold by VL&D.
Please either post here or PM me.
n.b. that the highlighted entries are VL&D marked and are NOT in the sales records. I added them for amusement.
Thank you.
![Font Pattern Parallel Symmetry Art]()
We have a total off 29 survivals, of which 27 are documented. We also have a list of serial numbers of "Mauser" pistols sold by VL&D. These are not C96 pistols and Bob Beach, the gentleman who curated this data until recently, thought that the assumption that the data referred to the m. 1910 pistols was not unreasonable.
Be that as it may, not one of the documented pistols appears in the VL&D sales data (that we have at hand).
Now the reason for this as put forth by various folks (me too) is that because of the NYC Sullivan law, the records for all sales post 1911 were turned over to ... someone. Precisely who is unknown. The coppers, presumably.
So what follows from that is the remaining pistols in the VL&D sales records were sold pre 1911 (or close to it). However, a superficial examination of the data gives lie to this since the serials extend to the 1xxxxx range and these were made post 1911.
n.b. 5473 should be highlighted.
You with me?
Something is amiss. Clearly.
It is also very unclear how many pistols sold by VL&D were marked with their name. My personal belief is that a tiny fraction of the pistols sold by them were so marked inasmuch as they were part of a promotion by Mauser. Who really knows. Mario Baudino is keeping an eye open for relevant info that he may come across in the Mauser Archives.
Anyway, I would ask owners of m. 1910 (and even 1914 7.65mm) pistols to compare their serial numbers to the chart below and then tell me if there are any matches. A match indicates that the pistol in question was sold by VL&D.
Please either post here or PM me.
n.b. that the highlighted entries are VL&D marked and are NOT in the sales records. I added them for amusement.
Thank you.
