204 of 262 lots
204
**Type B \"Baby\" Nambu Pistol by Koshikawa Tokyo Arsenal With Matching Magazine
Estimate: $2,500-$3,500
Sold
$2,750
Live Auction
Arms, Armor and Militaria
Location
Cincinnati
Description

**Type B "Baby" Nambu Pistol by Koshikawa Tokyo Arsenal With Matching Magazine

World War II

7mm Nambu. 3.25" barrel. SN: 1834. Blued metal finish with polished bolt mounting straw colored small parts and mounting boxed checkered wood grip panels. Short-recoil operated striker action autoloading pistol fed by detachable single stack magazines mounting fixed rear notch and dovetail mounted front blade sights. Upper frame displays the stacked cannonball markings of the {Koshikawa Arsenal} with right frame showing the standard Japanese Kanji type markings. Comes with one nickel plated magazine with aluminum floor plate struck with a matching serial number on the rear face. Serial numbers match. Firing pin non numbered.

Designed as a compact alternative to the 1902 Type A "Grandpa" Nambu pistol, the "Baby" Nambu pistol uses a miniaturized version of the Grandpa's operating system and construction. Chambered in the proprietary 7mm cartridge, this pistol offered its users a somewhat weaker cartridge than .32 ACP in a complex yet refined package. Unsurprisingly, it cost significantly more than competing simple-blowback operated pistols of the day, resulting in poor sales and limited manufacture. James D. Brown, author of the "Collector's Guide to Imperial Japanese Handguns 1893-1945" estimates that production was no more than 6,500 total between 1909, when full production began, and 1929, when it ceased.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Condition
Good. Bore is Bright with worn rifling throughout. Metal finish retains polish to internal parts with mottled gray patina forming to the rear bolt. Item maintains much of the straw color on the magazine release and trigger with losses along flanks and gray patina forming. Blued finish shows edgewear with flaking and some pitting at right muzzle and to the top of the frame in two places. Right grip panel is cracked and chipped on the upper edge with a further chip showing on the upper left corner of the left panel. Grips otherwise retain strong checkering with staining and some handling mars. WARNING: Grip safety mechanism is non-operational, and fails to prevent the firing pin's release.