For those of you who can tell subtle difference between gun finish.... it's a salt blued bolo made in 1929. Mauser was about to say good bye to baby broom and restore their long barrels.
Movie "Lust Caution" (2008), C96 carried by the guards of Chinese collaborationist government.
Historically, Imperial Japanese Army issued large number of Mausers to Chinese collaborationist government (Japanese supported, 1940-1945). And a few Japanese trading companies were important arm suppliers to Chinese warlords in 1920s. Ironically, Japanese kept inferior Nambu pistols for their own use during the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945).
It's not surprising that Japanese had some C96s. Right side is an original bolo brought back by a US Major from Japan, with mismatched but period correct original "banner" bolo stock.
Tanaka Kakuei was Japanese Prime Minister 1972-1974. During Sino-Japanese War, he served as a political officer in an Imperial army unit stationed in Northern China. In 1944, he "bribed" local communist guerilla leader by giving the latter two brand new C96s as gift in exchange of the guerilla not attacking his men. Not this gun though
