Rare Imperial German Navy 1914 Pattern Luger Pistol

These rare 1914 Pattern Navy Luger’s are very distinctive in that they lack the grip safety found on the early models, have a stock lug on the lower rear grip strap and have the flat checkered toggles, along with the distinctive six-inch barrel with the correct two-position Navy rear sight adjustable from 100-200 meters. The chamber is dated 1917 and so is the left side of the front sight and the left frame rail. The front toggle is marked with the “DWM” scroll. The left side of the barrel extension has the double “Crown” proof along with two Crown over “M” Navy proofs. The left side of the barrel also has the single Crown proof and the underside of the barrel has the small Crown over “M” proof. It is numbered in the military fashion with the full serial numbers on the underside of the barrel and front of the frame, the last two digits are shown on all the various small parts including the recoil lug and the underside of the barrel extension. It has a standard WWI nickel plate magazine with the standard wooden bottom base with a single “Crown M” proof over serial number both running length wise on the base. Only 8,000 of the 1917 dated variation were produced before the war ended.

Full Documented Provenance of the Irish Luger together with photo images:

This Imperial Navy Luger was part of a cache of 27 Lugers drawn from the armoury on board the German submarine U-19 commanded by Raimund Weisbach when it entered Tralee Bay, Ireland in April 1916. The three Irish rebels aboard, one of whom was Sir Roger Casement were captured with the arms in their possession shortly after rowing ashore. Four months later Casement was tried for treason and eventually executed for his part in the Easter Uprising. Prior to this command Raimund Weisbach was the torpedo officer on board the German U-boat U-20 and was instrumental in the preparation and firing of the torpedo that sank the RMS Lusitania on 7th May 1915.