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231

John M. Browning

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
John M. Browning

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Auction Date:2010 Jul 14 @ 22:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:5 Rt 101A Suite 5, Amherst, New Hampshire, 03031, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Firearms designer (1855-1926) who is arguably the most important figure in the development of modern automatic and semi-automatic firearms and is credited with 128 gun patents. Browning's most successful designs include the M1911 pistol, the Browning .50 caliber machine gun, the Browning Automatic Rifle, and a ground-breaking semi-automatic shotgun, the Browning Auto-5. Two documents pertaining to Browning giving permission to the Vickers Company, of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, license to manufacture some of Browning patents. First document, signed “John M. Browning,” two pages, 8.5 x 13, dated September 16, 1911. An agreement between John and Matthew Browning and Colt’s Firearms. In part: “Whereas sundry patents of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland have been granted to Colt’s Company by and with the consent of said Brownings upon inventions made by said Brownings, or one of them and Whereas Colt's Company proposes to grant to Vickers Limited…a license to manufacture within the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland an exclusive license to sell to the British Government pistols embodying the inventions of said patents or some of them; Now, Therefore, in consideration of one dollar…said Brownings hereby assent to the grant of such exclusive license to Vickers Company under all such British patents…transfer and set over to said Colt’s Company…any and all rights which they now possess in, to or under said British patents or any of them, so far as said patents relate to automatic pistols.” Signed on the second page by Browning, his brother Matthew S. Browning, and Colt’s president C. L. F. Robinson. Agreement is housed in its original blue legal folder. In fine condition, with expected folds, and three dots of light soiling to bottom of first page. Folder has notations at top, scattered edge wear and tears, as well as a bit of light paper loss and some scattered toning.

Second document is signed “J. B. Browning,” one page x 8.5 x 11, dated September 16, 1911, confirming the prior agreement. In full: “Confirming my prior verbal agreement with Colonel C.L.F. Robinson and Colonel W. C. Skinner, relating to the royalty acceptable to me on pistols to be manufactured by Vickers Limited for the British Government under an agreement with Colt’s Company. I hereby agree, in the event that the royalty to be paid by Vickers Limited to Colt’s Company should be less than $2.50 for each pistol manufactured for the British Government, to accept a royalty of 50 cents on each pistol so manufactured and sold.” Boldly signed at the conclusion by Browning. In fine condition, with some light wrinkles and creases, a uniform shade of toning, and pencil notations to top right corner.

Browning began to develop semi-automatic pistols for Colt in the early 1900s. In the 1906-07 the US Army announced trials to replace its service revolvers with new, semi-automatic pistol, after problems encountered by American units fighting Moro guerrillas during the Philippine-American War. In 1911, after extensive testing, the new pistol and its cartridge, designed by Browning and manufactured by Colt, were adopted for US military service as the model M1911. Prior to and during World War One, more than one million of these guns were manufactured. These arms are nearly identical today to those assembled by Browning, with only minor changes in detail and cosmetics. A document of historical importance as other countries were anxious to obtain this newly designed and highly effective weapon, and Colt’s and Browning’s willingness to cash in, and also the first Browning document we have ever offered.
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