Looking for a Swiss History Book

[Ron Wood]

I have seen a reworked Swiss with a "FB" which was considered to be "Fluckiger Bern". I had hoped that was the mark on your gun, but from the photo it is definitely "RB" so I have no clue. I suspect that your assumption is correct that this is an approved standard marking for reworks (probably limited to guns intended to be sold in Switzerland) and bore the initial of the gunsmith and location of the rework.
I have a bunch of books on Swiss pistols, unfortunately not the one you reference. I have not found any rework information in my library other than FZ, but I will keep on looking. I feel certain that your RB mark is authentic and I hope you can find the source information.
Ron

[swissdagger]

stamp of Gottlieb II Rickenbacher (1871-1951),gunsmith in Basel.
Was authorizied to repair Swiss Army Weapons.

[Steve D]

Swissdagger, THANK YOU very much. How exciting to read your post! I am the grandson of Swiss emigrants and we have Swiss friends near our home who retired from Basel.

Rickenbacher died the year I was born. Unfortunately, I have no provenance for this pistol and have spent many evenings caressing its beautiful lines and admiring its exquisite rust blue. What masters these Swiss gunsmiths were! I wonder what this pistol would say if it could talk?

I also have a nice DWM New Model Swiss military which bears the Federal Cross on a sunburst from the second batch of 10,215 ordered. I attached a few photos.

Steve S.