I need help with a Borchardt

[Ron Wood]

Kevin,
Your Borchardt is a relatively early DWM production. The original producer of the Borchardt, Waffenfabrik Loewe Berlin, merged with Deutche Metallpatronenfabrik in 1896 to became DWM. The transition from Loewe produced guns to DWM produced guns occurred roughly between serial number 1100 and 1125. There were about 3000 Borchardts produced, so DWM production spanned approximately serial number 1125 to 3000 and your gun would have been in the first 500-600 DWM pieces produced. The lack of any “writing” on your Borchardt is problematic and indicates very heavy metal removal during refinishing. It should bear the inscription “SYSTEM BORCHARDT PATENT./DEUTCHE WAFFEN – UND MUNITIONSFABRIKEN./BERLIN.” in three lines on the right side of the receiver and should have Crown BUG proofs on the barrel and Crown BU proofs on the left side of the receiver. The gun is OK as a representative example of a Borchardt but has minimal collector value in its condition.
Ron