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*RARE CASED ENGRAVED PRESENTATION WALTHER MODEL 9 SEMI-AUTO PISTOL.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:7,500.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 20,000.00 USD
*RARE CASED ENGRAVED PRESENTATION WALTHER MODEL 9 SEMI-AUTO PISTOL.
SN 604648. Cal. 6.35mm (.25 ACP). Blue finish with 2" bbl, fixed sights & checkered black hard rubber grips with "WALTHER" in a ribbon on each side. Left grip has a blue enameled and brass medallion with the initials "CW" inside an oval & the right side "6.35" also in an oval. Accompanied by its orig Walther-marked magazine with engraved base plate. Engraving consists of about 85% coverage fine oak leaf, acorn & branch engraving with shaded background. Accompanied by a spectacular blue velvet lined tan leather case with embossed gold decorations & a large gold Nazi eagle clutching a wreath & swastika in its talons on top. Bottom of the inside is french fitted for the pistol with an oval silver plaque inscribed in German "Unserem kommandanten / Gunther Prien / von seiner Besatzung U47". Translation of the inscription is basically "our commander, Gunther Prien from his crew". Inside the lid is leather lined and the bottom is satin covered. Accompanied by 2 books: 1) Wolf U-Boat Commanders In World War II, Vause. 2) In German, Mein Weg nach Scapa Flow, Gunther Prien (actually written by the Nazi Ministry of Propaganda). Gunther Prien was commissioned into the U-boat service in 1935 and in Dec 1938 was assigned command of U-47. From then until Oct 1939 Capt Prien did little more than train & drill his crew making him very unpopular. On Oct 1, 1939 Prien was given the task of planning an attack on the British Navy in the sheltered port of Scapa Flow, Scotland. After careful planning, on 8 Oct 1939 Capt Prien and the U-47 left Kiel for the North Sea and surreptitiously entered Scapa Flow on 14 Oct 1939. Fortunately for the British, the main battle fleet had already departed leaving only HMS Royal Oak, a 31,000 ton battleship who was laying to for repairs. Prien was equipped with the "new" electric torpedoes which replaced the old compressed air models. He fired his 4 forward torpedoes at the Royal Oak, 3 of which missed & the fourth which struck, did no damage. Prien immediately turned his submarine around and fired his stern tubes, which also missed. By the time this had happened the front tubes were reloaded and Capt Prien set up another shot & again fired his 4 forward tubes. All four of which struck the Royal Oak, midships, detonated and within 30 min the great battleship had sunk with about 800 of its 1100-man crew going down with the ship. The U-47 made its escape and returned to Germany to a hero's welcome which was the first time that a U-boats captain & crew had ever been publicly exposed. Capt Prien was awarded the new Knights Cross & became an instant celebrity throughout Germany. He returned to the service & continued patrols until he was sunk with all hands in March 1941. PROVENANCE: Captain Gunther Prien, German Navy. CONDITION: New unfired. Case is equally new. Books are fine. 4-48366