^Lot 1542 EXCEPTIONALLY SCARCE, HIGH CONDITION, "SILESIA"

MARKED FABRIQUE NATIONALE "EL CAPITAN" HIGH POWER SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL. Cal. 9mm Luger. S# T253219. Bbl. 4 5/8". One of very few "El Capitan" High Power semi-automatic pistols mfg. by Fabrique Nationale to incorporate the Post-1973 "FABRIQUE NATIONALE HERSTAL" name change on the slide legend, with most "El Capitan" pistols being built with earlier pattern marked slides, which included Browning's importer information. The left side of the slide is marked "FABRIQUE NATIONALE D'ARMES DE GUERRE - HERSTAL - BELGIQUE/ BROWNING'S PATENT DEPOSE". Left side of the forward trigger guard web is marked "SILESIA" (indicating importation into West Germany), with a faint Belgian commercial proof marked on the right (also present on the right side of the 2-piece bbl.). Metal components exhibit a blue finish overall, save for on the bbl., which is polished in-the-white. Slotted frame is mounted with 2-piece checkered black synthetic grips. Slide features an external extractor, with a dovetailed blade front sight, and tangent V-notch rear sight, graduated 50-500. All serialized parts are matching in the "stacked" fashion, and include the frame, slide, and bbl. MAGS: 1 blued 13-rd. mag., with blued button type floorplate. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: notes from Charles Wagner detailing this variation. CONDITION: extremely fine, with metal components retaining bountiful amounts of their original factory blue finish, exhibiting a few superficial handling marks overall, with a couple of small spots of light surface oxidation present on the right side of the frame. Brilliant mirror bore, exhibiting well defined rifling throughout. Grips show a few light superficial marks from handling and storage, but are otherwise very good overall. PROVENANCE: The Estate Collection of Charles Wagner. (25-442/MLW). CURIO. $2,000-3,000.