[m1903a3]

Congratulations on a nice all matching (except for the magazine) P.04. For its condition, you got an exceptional bargain. On a major dealer's site I would expect to see it marketed for triple what you paid at a minimum, and quite likely four times!

It is a P.04 from the first contract, most likely delivered to the Navy in May 1906. Beginning at the end of 1909 the pistols were marked with unit/property marks. Your's is weapon number 1161 belonging to Werft Kiel, the dockyard arsenal in Kiel. Weapons with this mark were issued to vessels commissioned under the control of the Ostsee command structure When the vessel entered the dockyard for an overhaul, or was decommissioned, the pistol would have been returned to the dockyard arsenal.

Collectors would describe it as a "First Altered" since it is a first contract pistol that has had the operation of its safety altered circa 1912. Originally it was safe when the safety lever was up and the word Gesichert (Secured) visible at the bottom of the area under the lever. The operation was reversed because the act of inserting the pistol in a holster had a tendency to move the lever. You can see the area that was milled out to remove the Gesichert, which was then applied so it was visible when the lever is down.