For collectors from all over the world 2024 has come to an end with the most important international event regarding the buying and selling of collectible firearms, the Hermann Historica auction number 102 entitled "Fine Antique and Modern Firearms", which lasted for three days at the end of November. We had announced the details and highlights in this article, and now, after the conclusion of the live sale and the post-sale sale too, it is time for our usual summary.
Hermann Historica: Best of Sale No. 102
We start immediately with a great collector's classic, the beautiful 7.63mm Mauser C96 "Flatside" made in 1901 for sale with lot number 9581. The specimen offered has serial number 192, which allows it to be identified as one of the 200 Mauser pistols that were purchased in 1901 by the German Ministry of War for adoption trials. This pistol with its fascinating military history was sold complete with a period holster marked "F Cobau, Berlin". The starting price was 9,500 euros, but the anonymous buyer had to shell out a whopping 21,000 euros to take it home. The interest in large collectors' pistols was then confirmed by the sale of a Borchardt C 93 made by DWM in Berlin for the handsome sum of 13,500 euros (lot 8306).
One of the rarest pistols in the catalogue, on the other hand, was not sold and is now available for post-auction sale. It is the Savage 1907 in .45 ACP (lot 9390). This pistol with the serial number 39 was part of the lot supplied to the US Army's 3rd Cavalry Regiment during the tests for the adoption of the new service pistol, which took place from March 1909 to February 1910 and from July 1910 to March 1911. The Savage 1907 was never adopted as a service pistol but had some success on the civilian market in .32 ACP (7.65 Browning). In total, some 280 Savage 1907s in .45 ACP were manufactured and only 181 were bought back by the manufacturer and subsequently resold on the civilian market. The starting asking price for this rarity was EUR 11,500, but this was not achieved.
Another extraordinarily rare pistol, on the other hand, has met the collector willing to spend a great deal of money to take it home: we are talking about lot 9311, a prototype pistol in 9 Luger that the Waffenfabrik in Berne (W+F) presented for testing by the Swiss Army in the years 1944-45, which was looking for a new sidearm. Conventionally called the W+F 43, this pistol echoed the lines of the Browning HP35, which at the time was certainly one of the most modern and advanced semi-automatics for military use. The pistol on sale at Hermann Historica has serial number 2, the barrel is 120 millimeters long and the double-column magazine has a capacity of 16 cartridges, which was a record for the time. In spite of its high magazine capacity, the W+F 43 failed to convince the demanding Swiss commissioners, who preferred the SIG 210 with a single-column 8-round magazine. The starting price set at 8,500 euros was far exceeded and the gun went for an impressive 17,000 euros.
Once again, this sale showed how interest in once scarcely sought-after guns such as the Polish Vis 35 pistol has grown exponentially. At auction number 102, in fact, a beautiful 1936 VIS Radom Model 35 (lot 9230) sold for €8,600, confirming it as one of the most desirable military pistols of the moment.
The lot sold for the highest price was lot number 8366, which is a Korriphila model HSP 701 semi-automatic pistol with a five-inch barrel, chambered in 9 Luger and with serial number 993. This semi-automatic pistol manufactured with maniacal care and featuring a proprietary roller-delayed locking system was designed by Edgar Budischowsky in the late 1970s and produced in the 1980s. The Korriphila model HSP 701 pistol for sale in auction number 102 retains around 99% of its original finish and is accompanied by a rustic cardboard box rather than the usual (so to speak) very fine leather case. The final sale price was an impressive 21,000 euros.
Among the up-and-coming brands is certainly Heckler & Koch: the recent placing on the market of a collection including striking pieces has reawakened the interest of collectors in this manufacturer that has always stood out for the design originality of its handguns and rifles. Among the H&K pistols that Hermann Historica offered for sale, with lot number 8340, the PSP model with serial number 074, 103-millimeter barrel, in virtually pristine condition and complete with original box and spare magazine, saw the auctioneer's hammer drop to the handsome sum of 10,500 euros. This "transitional" pistol dates from 1978 and mirrors a very interesting period in terms of experimentation, with its safety on the grip and gas-brake operating system.
We conclude with lot 8489, a Walther P38 in 9 Luger with serial number 50 and an unusual heavy barrel length of no less than 180 millimetres. All the serial numbers on the parts match. The pistol bears German proof marks from 1989 and appears to be in perfect condition, with immaculate plastic grips. The box with paper label added later is that of the SD model with integral silencer and may be a factory recycle. The pistol is accompanied by a spare magazine, test target, instruction manual and tools. This is a very rare piece that sold for 3,800 euros.
For reasons of space, we cannot tell you about all the interesting pieces sold by Hermann Historica, but on their website you can find all the auction results in .pdf format as well as all the useful information for post-auction sales. We leave you the pleasure of discovering other goodies in the endless Hermann Historica catalog that can be browsed online.
We will update you as always on the upcoming auctions. Stay tuned! And don't forget: The Post-Auction Sale of Hermann Historica is open until end of 2024.
