GERMAN OCCUPATION Belgian Herstal M1922 Third Reich “BRING BACK” Pistol C&R HOLSTER with “EAGLE/140” & “EAGLE/SWASTIKA” Proofs

Description:
GERMAN OCCUPATION Belgian Herstal M1922 Third Reich “BRING BACK” Pistol C&R

HOLSTER with “EAGLE/140” & “EAGLE/SWASTIKA” Proofs

Here Ancestry Guns presents a C&R German Occupation Fabrique Nationale Model 1922 with a holster, made circa 1942 in Herstal, Belgium, near Liège. On the “bring back” paper, Charles E. Ibenthal is listed as a Tec 4 or Staff Sergeant when he claimed this pistol and rig for his own in September of 1945. Charles Edward Ibenthal was born to a German family in Omaha, Nebraska, circa 1921, most of them very lately from Germany. Growing up Charlie had a lifelong Italian friend named Joe with which he spent much of his time, and by being in his home he learned to speak conversational Italian, while Joe learned German from the Ibenthals, skills that would soon come in handy. Charlie and his friends enjoyed having a bit of a wreck of a boat on the Missouri River, and driving their motorcycles way too fast. Charlie had a Harley Davidson, while his friend Myron had an Indian which beat the Harley handily at their top speeds. When the US entered World War II in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Charlie and three of his friends, including Joe and Myron, enlisted as soon as they were able, all going to different assignments. None of them expected to survive the war and make it back, so they sold everything of value, including Charlie's Ford coupe and Harley--everyone except Myron, who kept his Indian. Unfortunately, Myron was killed as a bombardier over the Pacific, and was the only one of the group not to return home. Charlie tried to buy his friend's motorcycle from the family after the war, but was told off by Myron's mother and blamed for her son's death.

After enlistment Charlie was in training in Sacramento, California when he became involved in the Signal Corps, very much by happenstance. From there he was sent to New York, where he was trained as a photographer at the Army Pictorial School, also known as the Signal Corps Photographic Center, in Astoria, Queens. This was a former Paramount studio that was shuttered during the Great Depression, but which the Army acquired and ran training to GIs being deployed throughout the world, as well as where the likes of Frank Capra, John Huston, John Wayne, and many others produced films to help the US war effort in many ways. 

Charlie spent the war with a camera in his hands, taking in the sights of Europe as he was sent to London, where he endured the Blitz. He was briefly interviewed by a reporter in the midst of one of these bombings by German V-1s in June 1944 in which he is quoted as saying that fighting fires in London was a “throw-back to the days when I was chasing fires back home--I'm chasing bombs now, that's all.” During one of these bombings he received a bit of shrapnel in his shin, but did not put in for the Purple Heart. One story he shared with is family was that he was working in the dark room one night when he was charged with urgently developing some very classified film, which turned out to be of Normandy, just prior to D-Day. From London to Paris, France, and from there to Germany, where he saw the likes of Hamburg and Frankfurt in their ruined states. Having survived the war and being discharged in 1946, he came home and became an engineer for AT&T, where he worked the rest of his career, 35 years. He married in 1950 and had a family. He continued to enjoy photography and motorcycles. 

This pistol is a variant of the Model 1910 and is known as the Model 1922 or 1910/22 with a production run beginning with the Model 1910 in 1910 and continuing with the Model 1922 until 1983. This FN Model 1922 semi-automatic pistol was designed by John Browning and manufactured by Fabrique Nationale of Belgium. As is this pistol, Model 1910/1922 pistols went on to see extensive service in World War II and continued to be manufactured by the Germans after their occupation of Belgium and seizure of the FN factory. This example has Third Reich production stamps, and like most has simple wood grips instead of the earlier horn or plastic grips bearing the FN logo. While the Model 1910 was widely sold on both civilian and military markets, the Model 1922 was considered specifically a military and police pistol, with FN offering it to individual civilians only by special order. Compared to the Model 1910, it was a larger model with a longer barrel, slide extension, and a longer grip frame to accommodate an extra two rounds. This example has the Third Reich proof marks of “Eagle/WaA140” and “Eagle/Swastika”.

The overall condition is near fine. Original blue finish. The action is excellent. The bore is shiny bright with sharp rifling. The grips are solid. Numbers match. Comes with one magazine and a holster rig in great original condition. 

Own the original! This firearm is classified as a Curio & Relic.

Barrel is 4-1/2 inches.

Caliber: 7.65mm Browning (.32 ACP)

Overall condition as seen in photos.     
   
Very Fast. Very Safe. FREE SHIPPING. Will need to be sent to your local FFL or C&R licensee. This firearm is classified as a Curio & Relic.

Guaranteed AUTHENTIC & Includes CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY.

$2400

#260216
 

Curio/Relic: Yes

Price: $2,400.00
Buy Now