3195 EXCEPTIONAL & EXTREMELY EARLY BELGIAN BROWNING

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[?]Live Online Auction Starts In 2025 May 10 @ 10:00 (UTC-04:00 : AST/EDT)
Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 750.00 USD
Estimated at 1,500.00 - 2,500.00 USD
HI POWER SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL WITH ORIGINAL BOX, SOFT CASE, & FACTORY LETTER. Cal. 9x19mm. S# 71158. Bbl. 4 5/8". Hi Power semi-automatic pistol mfg. in Belgium and imported by Browning Arms Company, circa. 1954-1957 (likely 1954 or 1955). Starting at approx. S# 70000, the Hi Power pistol began being commercially marked and imported by Browning Arms Company, with these pistols (including this example), being amongst the first Hi Powers commercially imported by Browning into the United States. The left side of the slide is marked with Browning's first type of import marking "BROWNING ARMS COMPANY ST LOUIS Mo." above "MADE IN BELGIUM". Left side of the frame and slide, as well as the right side of the bbl. exhibit Belgian commercial proofs. Metal components exhibit a blue finish overall, save for on the bbl., which is polished in-the-white. Frame is mounted with 2-piece checkered wood grips, which feature red anti-moisture barrier paint on the interior of the panels. Thumbprint slide, with concealed extractor, fixed half-moon blade front sight and dovetailed U-notch rear sight. All serialized parts are matching and include the frame, slide, and bbl. MAGS: 1 13-rd. mag., with dull blued body and black enamel finished button type floorplate. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: black leather Browning soft case (with original non-matching label, S# 690433), as well as a black leatherette wrapped Browning cardboard display box, featuring a red felt interior and a manual. Pistol is also accompanied by a Browning factory letter, indicating that it was sold for $59.60 to Sutcliffe Co. in Louisville, KY on April 20th of 1956 (Invoice # O 09377). CONDITION: extremely fine, with metal components retaining bountiful amounts of their original factory blue finish, exhibiting a light superficial mark on the right side of the slide, as well as a couple of diminutive spots of extremely light pitting on the front and rear grip straps. Brilliant mirror bore, exhibiting a layer of hardened grease, while retaining well defined rifling throughout. Grips are very good to excellent overall. Soft case is very good, showing some light exterior wear. Box shows mild exterior wear from handling and storage, with some losses to the black leatherette exterior present primarily along the edges. Lid shows a tear at the back left corner, with some warping that conforms to the shape of the pistol while in the box. An absolutely exceptional example of one of the earliest Browning Hi Power pistols imported into the U.S. PROVENANCE: From the Estate of Jon Thomas, Gunsport, LTD. (25-1137/MLW). CURIO. $1,500-2,500.