August Weiss' .32 ACP Baby

[Ron Wood]

The â??Babyâ?� Luger is one of the rarest variations. It is a scaled down â??pocketâ?� version of the Luger. According to Herr August Weiss, there were two constructed, serial numbers 1 and 2, in 7.65mm (.32 ACP) and two, serial numbers 3 and 4, in 9mm Kurz (.380). Again according to Herr Weiss, there may have been enough parts to construct a fifth pistol, but there is no evidence that this was ever done. Herr Weiss probably never actually â??ownedâ?� one of these examples, but they were built under his supervision as DWM Works Manager in 1925-1926. The pistol was designed by Herr Heinrich Hoffman, Chief Engineer of the Pistol Production Department of DWM, and was intended to introduce a pocket pistol that would hopefully compete with some of the other popular pocket autos of the time.

The connection of the best-documented example with Herr Weiss came about with the discovery of serial number 4 by a French gun collector in 1961 in a French estate. The French collector contacted the well known American collector, Carl Wilson. After some negotiation, Mr. Wilson set about to have it authenticated. Herr Weiss was still very much alive, so pictures and correspondence were exchanged. In 1962 the gun was hand carried to Germany for Herr Weiss to examine first-hand. Herr Weiss confirmed that it was genuine and provided a notarized letter of authentication. Mr. Wilson then proceeded with the acquisition and it remained in his collection until 1981. Another prominent American collector, Pat Redmond (now deceased), was the lucky individual that purchased it from Mr. Wilson. I do not know its history after that point.