Quote:
Originally Posted by ithacaartist
Welcome to the forum, Cedric. Perhaps some light may be shed on your pistol's origins.
You do not list your locale, nor where it was purchased new by your uncle, but the clue about the engraved date--"Spanish,not German"--makes me want to guess Germany. In one respect this would be appropriate, if it were purchased in the U.S. it would have displayed "Germany" somewhere, as the country of origin would have been stamped for import here.
So, it's a M1900 Commercial which seems to be in very good condition! The "#17228" on the barrel would be the old style of marking its bore diameter. Be sure to at least rub it down with a bit of oil to maintain the finish. There is a data base of commercial serial numbers on the site, and yours has not likely been reported yet, due to the history you've given for it. We cannot tell from the pic, but if it has an early commercial magazine, its follower button will be distinctive, and the mag itself very desirable.
You possess a fine heirloom which embodies a bit of history and quite a bit of value due to its condition. I would be proud to have a pistol like this!
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Hi, ithacaartist
Thank you very much for the welcome.
My uncle must surely inherited also as for in 1904 he was a boy.
He was born in Switzerland and for 1936 came to live in Argentine and here he maintained his swiss officer rank and retired with his gun (this one). I can't follow any more traces of the gun, as I have no longer living members who could tell me further.
When given to me I was barely 18 and the gun all in pieces in a box. Nice puzzle for me at that time.
What is Odd is the the date is bad composed in spanish. Should be Berlin, 1 de enero de 1904 not as it is. So that denotes it was written by a non native speaker.
Best Cedric