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INCREDIBLE FACTORY CASED, ALL ORIGINAL, BERGMANN NUMBER 3, M1896, WITH ACCESSORIES.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:3,500.00 USD Estimated At:7,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
INCREDIBLE FACTORY CASED, ALL ORIGINAL, BERGMANN NUMBER 3, M1896, WITH ACCESSORIES.
SN 1730. Caliber 6.5mm Bergmann. This is a late example of a M1896 Number 3 semiautomatic pistol as produced by the Bergmann company with extractor and contoured backstrap. Theodor Bergman was an early pioneer in the development of European semiautomatic pistols in the late 1890s and early 1900s. His early models were of distinctive design and had a silhouette that would never be confused with a competitor. All of the Number 2s, 3s, and 4s, had an integral magazine that was loaded by rotating down the magazine sideplate and inserting a strip of cartridges from the side. This pistol has a 4.5" bbl, a dovetailed front sight and a fixed rear sight integral to the bolt that is afixed to a sliding cover over the ejection port. The screw-in bbl is marked 278 on the left side. Adjacent to this number is the Crown U marking that is repeated on the left side of the chamber. The left receiver, with long flutes, is marked "Patent Brevete S.G.D.G.". The serial number 1730 appears on the right side of the receiver, just below the flute. In the center of the sideplate is the Bergmann factory logo featuring a miner surmounted by the words "Gaggenau" and over V.C.S. Suhl. In this case, V.C.S. were the initials for V. Charles Schilling, who made the pistols for Bergmann and Suhl, which was the location. The contemporary distributor, "Westley Richards & Co." is neatly hand inscribed on the left side of the bbl extension. Walnut grips are finely checkered without a border and without a logo. Complimenting the gun is a blond wood factory case secured with a single central keyed lock. The lid is silk lined and emblazoned with a Bergmann banner stipulating "Arme a repetition automatique/Bergmann Pistole/Bergmann's Selfloading Fire arm". The base of the case is lined in dark green felt and bordered by a forest green cord. In the partitions are two monkey tail clips, each loaded with 6.5mm rimmed cases. The compartmentalized case contains a cleaning oil bottle and original tools with matching wooden handles that include a screwdriver and a brass stem cleaning rod. PROVENANCE: Joseph J. Schroeder, Jr. Collection. CONDITION: Fantastic 97-98% bright blue, all original, with sharp edge wear and trace thinning of the frontstrap and backstrap. Virtually all the brilliant straw remains on the hammer, safety retainer, and trigger. Comparable high condition fire blued safety. Crisply checkered walnut grips with minimal darkening and no chips, cracks, or other losses. Mechanically perfect. The monkey tail clips have a few small patches of oxidation that do not impact their presentation. Virtually all the varnish remains on the handles of the screwdriver and cleaning rod. This cased example was traditionally a part of Joseph Schroeder's Bergmann display and comes complete with one of his explanatory notes. An absolutely outstanding Bergmann Number 3 cased with all accessories! 4-48520 LMA66