Quote:
Originally Posted by spripple33
Has the date of the sale to Bannerman's been conclusively proven to be 1907? What if it happened sometime after the two reports by Springfield and Rock Island Arsenals about pistols being repaired for eventual sale? If so, could the reason for taking inventory of and repairing the Lugers have been in preparation for the sale to Bannerman?
-Jason
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A letter from Francis Bannerman dated July 25, 1907 to the army chief of Ordinance confirms his win of 30 auction lots in the army surplus auction, and requests that the army retain the material until Bannerman's son returns from Europe in September, at which time he will retrieve it (the army grants the request). A document with the actual auction details is yet to be found,
Entries in the document chain regarding the 1910 repairs make it clear, explicitly, that these pistols will be sold only to individuals, and that mass purchases or dealer purchases are expressly forbidden.
--Dwight