Alphabet Commercial i suffix (long)

[Dwight Gruber]

Part 2 of 5

Pistols sold into Switzerland without barrels are usually found with 4 ¾ inch barrels made by Hammerli in 7,65mm. They are always found without c/N proofs; very occasionally they are seen to bear the Swiss Beschuss-Probe proof stamp. There are two of these pistols reported in the Commercial Database with the Swiss proof, and three more with proof not reported. There is no example of this variation to profile here.

The 100 pistols imported and marked by Abercrombie and Fitch originate from this source. 51 had barrels in 7,65mm, and 49 had barrels in 9mm. The pistols were roll-stamped “ABERCROMBIE & FITCH Co NEW YORK” and “MADE IN SWITZERLAND” on the top of their barrels, either in a single line or two line configuration. The stamps were made at different times and in different places, so the letter forms are not identical. The pistols lack proofs of any sort.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442377598
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442377598
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442377598

Abercrombie & Fitch sn 3191i is a 9mm example with a two-line inscription.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442377698
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442377698
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442377698

Abercrombie & Fitch sn 3082i is a 7,65mm example with a one-line inscription.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442377809
http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442377809

The Commercial Database lists 17 A&F Lugers reported in 7,65mm, 11 examples in 9mm, and three without a caliber report. The 9mm barrel is noticeably larger than the 7.65mm barrel. The difference is striking to anyone who only has experience with the 7.65mm Luger pencil-barrel. One of the authentic characteristics of the Hammerli barrels used on these pistols is their four-groove rifling, which can just be made out in the right photo above.

It is without doubt that some or many of the A&F pistols reported in the Commercial Database are fake. A&F pistols have been reported or observed with combinations of engraved, pantographed, or crudely stamped barrel inscriptions; inscriptions which have all the same letter forms and are in perfect alignment; wide safety routings; improper frame serial number suffixes; non-reinforced frames; and Swiss army acceptance crosses on the barrel, to note but a few inauthentic characteristics.

The biggest problem is, to know what an authentic Abercrombie and Fitch barrel inscription actually looks like. Three database reports include the existence of an accompanying sales receipt. However I, at least, am not aware of any high-quality photographs of an authentic pistol with which to compare. Harry Jones (“Luger Variations”, pp162-63) presents A&F sn 3060i which has a 1922 sales receipt but the photo, although tantalizing, is not of sufficient quality for critical comparison.

It is impossible to know whether the two pistols presented here are, in fact, authentic. Sn 3082i came from the collection of Doug Smith—not unimpeachably authentic, but good provenance to start. The sn 3082i barrel mark shows no gross departures from the “Luger Variations” picture.

Some collectors assert reflexively that A&F two-line inscriptions are fake. This pair of pistols provides the opportunity to examine that premise.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/attachme...1&d=1442377809

In a close-up, same-scale, adjacent comparison these two barrel stamps look the same. Superimposing the two images in Photoshop (not shown) reveals that they are, in fact, stamped from the same dies. Therefore, if the single-line stamping is authentic, then the two-line stamp is, as well. As a result of all the foregoing, I am as confident as it is possible to be that both of these pistols are authentic Abercrombie & Fitch Lugers.