Test eagle close
 

In the upcoming Rock Island auction there is a 1900 Eagle that meets all the criteria for a test gun; No Germany; last two of the serial stamped on the right side of the take down lever; American Eagle over chamber and no proof marks. Only problem is it misses the first gun (6100) by 9 numbers. The serial number is 6091. Personally I think all things considered, it probably was a test for the test guns. Opionions?

Mike

I personally look at the question as there are documented 1900 AE test guns, denoted on Ron's list, and then there are pistols near the range with test AE characteristics such as those you mention. While I find both types fascinating and desirable, to me the word "probably" in this context means "more likely than not". To make a determination of "probably" IMO requires evidence, and to my knowledge there is no such evidence. I would love for a knowledgable collector to point out tangible evidence regarding pistols outside the known range and will watch the thread with interest to see if such statements appear.

There is not a set of physical characteristics which definitively identify a U.S. Test Eagle. The only "tangible evidence" authenticating Test Eagle is the serial numbers of the pistols acquired at auction by Frances Bannerman, plus a handful of pistols recorded in official documents discovered by Clark Rickman. These constitute the sum total of the knowledge of a serial number range.


If by "known range" you mean the arbitrarily designated 6100-7100 set, the Bannerman numbers record one pistol beyond that range (sn 7147), and no numbers earlier than sn 6167.


--Dwight

Number 6091 has been in the data base for some time. To date I have recorded 27 “below range” Lugers from #5978 to #6099 exhibiting “test characteristics”. Dwight has identified the lower and upper serial numbers of the Bannerman purchase which is the current definitive range of positively identifiable Lugers that actually participated in the test trials (which also includes the range of the eight pieces discovered by Clark Rickman in the archives). It is interesting to note that the lower Bannerman number, #6167, was also included in the report by 2nd Lt. Orlando B. Palmer, the only report by serial number contemporary with the test trials, so that piece has rock solid provenance.
Ron

"Definitive range" = very useful terminology, thanks Ron!


--Dwight

Clark wonderful Research~~~http://testluger.com/

Clark~ http://testluger.com/?page_id=2