* FN Browning Model 1903 – Ottoman Empire Police
Please take a look at a rarely seen pistol:
FN Browning 1903 – Ottoman Empire Police Contract – SN : 14716 – Contract nr : « 2299 »
All information below comes from J. Still’s « Central Powers Pistols » (2007) pages 405-406, and A. Vanderlinden’s « FN Browning Pistols » (2009) pages 172-173.
This pistol is one of estimated 8,000 FN 1903s contracted by the Ottoman Empire (or Turkey since 1923), in 1910-1911. Order was handled by a FN representative in Istanbul.
--- Top of slide is roll engraved with the circled crest of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. It consists of a ‘’toughra’’ (main design) and a flower (smaller symbol on the right)
--- Right side of slide is engraved with a Farsi/Turkish inscription meaning ‘’Authority’’, followed by a Farsi/Turkish number indicating the contract serial number : 2299
--- Back of frame below slide shows a proof illustrated by « star and crescent »
Jan Still had 15 of those Ottoman Police FN 1903 reported in 2007. In 2009, Vandelinden listed up to 35.
According to the owner of this site « Few have reached the United States, where it is a rare pistol ».
Condition is good overall, but the pistol is complete and functional, and a quite uncommon museum artefact...
For your appreciation, fellow collectors
Please take a look at a rarely seen pistol:
FN Browning 1903 – Ottoman Empire Police Contract – SN : 14716 – Contract nr : « 2299 »
All information below comes from J. Still’s « Central Powers Pistols » (2007) pages 405-406, and A. Vanderlinden’s « FN Browning Pistols » (2009) pages 172-173.
This pistol is one of estimated 8,000 FN 1903s contracted by the Ottoman Empire (or Turkey since 1923), in 1910-1911. Order was handled by a FN representative in Istanbul.
--- Top of slide is roll engraved with the circled crest of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. It consists of a ‘’toughra’’ (main design) and a flower (smaller symbol on the right)
--- Right side of slide is engraved with a Farsi/Turkish inscription meaning ‘’Authority’’, followed by a Farsi/Turkish number indicating the contract serial number : 2299
--- Back of frame below slide shows a proof illustrated by « star and crescent »
Jan Still had 15 of those Ottoman Police FN 1903 reported in 2007. In 2009, Vandelinden listed up to 35.
According to the owner of this site « Few have reached the United States, where it is a rare pistol ».
Condition is good overall, but the pistol is complete and functional, and a quite uncommon museum artefact...
For your appreciation, fellow collectors
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