Origins Of The Norton .45 Luger...?

[trigger643]

I went to the Norton today, saw the .45 Luger and spoke to Jerry Bloomer concerning the pistol. Prior to Jones the Norton has no record of the provenance of this piece, though they remain certain it is one of the 1907 trials guns, probably a spare in case one of the two required by the board failed. The gun is on display, however cameras are forbidden without appointment.

Though the pistol is unnumbered, the GL monogram is on the back of the rear toggle linkage behind the rear sight (this and "loaded" stamped on the left side of the extractor are the only markings on the pistol). The number "3" is stamped on the bottom of the magazine and, accordingly, they refer to it as "#3" in their reference catalog.

They don't know why they were left out of the $1,mm gun program. They were never contacted.

Norton was an avid collector of firearms and only a fraction of his collection is on display at any one time. Today, in addition to the .45, there were 3 Borchardts, a 1902 carbine, 1920 Erfurt with an 18" barrel (mismatched side plate), a 1900 commercial with ideal holster and grips, a 1920 commercial period engraved, gold plated and set with ivory grips, a heavily engraved 1906 carbine, ser#31183 with gold inlays and "DR" entertwined and gold inlaid upon the chamber and a 1906 commercial, (2)artilleries cased and gold damascened, the ivory stocked and heavily engraved 1902 carbine by Prudhoome, and about 50 other firearms.

The most interesting Luger on display is discribed in the catalog: "Model 1920 DWM Two-Date Police - SER# 1544,[...] Made by DWM in 1916
This gun is dated 1920 over 1916 on top of the chamber and has the original magazine bearing ser. no. 1544. It has a non-standard iridescent purple finish with non-standard brown plastic grip plates." The finish reminds me of a home cold blue job that was interupted, the grips appear to be Kreighoff with no cut for the sear safety which isn't present and the original magazine has an aluminum bottom. Perhaps this is the first Luger Mr. Norton collected and learned from...