**Rare Post-WWII French Production SVW/45 Marked Mauser P.38 with Metal Grips

9mm. 4.9" barrel. SN: 5263g. Phosphate metal finish mounting pressed metal grips with standard rear notch and front blade sights. Short recoil operated DA/SA autoloading pistol fed by detachable single stack magazines. Left slide is struck with model marking P.38 followed by svw/45 manufacturer code, indicating it was made by Mauser under French supervision in 1945. Obverse of the slide is struck with the French five point {Star} marking. Serial numbers match on the slide, frame, barrel, and locking block. Left barrel shows an {Eagle/WaA135} waffenamt mark. Finally, the barrel and locking block both display the {Star} inspection stamp. Comes with a war production magazine struck with the {Eagle/WaA 708} waffenamt marking followed by the jvd manufacturer code. Left side of magazine additionally shows the P.38 model marking. By April of 1945, the Allied armies captured the Mauser factory itself in their push across Germany. The French army assumed control of the factory and restarted production of P.38 pistols in order to augment the arms already in French hands. These handguns display the French star marking, and sporadically show German inspection stamps. Further, a number of these pistols were completed with pressed steel grips.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.