^Lot 1553 Exceptional Employee Presentation Singer Company Model 1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol

This is an exceptional example of an extremely rare and desirable WWII Presentation Model 1911A1 pistol manufactured by the Singer Manufacturing Company. This pistol was originally presented to Mr. D. I. Parshall of South Bend Indiana. Mr. Parshall, graduated from the University of Michigan in 1912, and briefly worked as an Engineer for the Singer Mfg. company from 1913-1915. In approximately 1916 he volunteered for the U.S. Army and in approximately, 1917, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Ordnance Corp and was assigned to Watervliet Arsenal. There he was placed in charge of training and commanding three companies of men in the Ordnance field who where due to embark to France. He was eventually posted as the Chief Ordnance Officer, Chaumont France, where he was assigned to establish and command an Ordnance Depot for supply and repair of all automatic and small arms weapons at Void-sur-Meuse, France. In April 1919 he was awarded a citation for Exceptional Meritorious and Conspicuous Service by Gen John J. Pershing. After WWI, he worked for several companies before being reemployed by the Singer Mfg. Co. in South Bend Indiana as the Assistant factory Supervisor, where he worked from 1924 until after WWII. In 1947 he was promoted to the Works manager, and eventually retired from the Singer mfg. Co. in 1955. Based on his tenured service with the company, he was presented this specific pistol. There were exactly 500 of these extremely rare pistols produced as part of Educational Order No. W-ORD-396 awarded April 17, 1940. It is reported that all pistols were issued to the Army Air Corps early in WWII, all with that highly desirable and distinctive, high polish, Dulite blue finish. This specific pistol was produced at the end of the contract. This presentation model was produced with only the standard slide, marked on the left side of the slide as follows: "S. MFG.CO./ELIZABETH, N.J., U.S.A." in two lines just ahead of the slide serrations with no other markings or U.S. Government proof mark. On the contrary, the frame as well as the rest of the parts were all produced completely unmarked, sans any factory or US Government acceptance proofs. The pistol is fitted with the correct set of early Singer/Colt brown checkered plastic grips that properly lack the reinforcing ribs and mold numbers on the back sides and are without the reinforcing rings around the screw holes. The pistol has a finely checkered mainspring housing, wide spur hammer with borderless checkering, finely checkered thumb safety and slide release. The rear sight has the U-shaped sighting aperture and the front sight has an oval profile. The trigger is the finely checkered, short milled pattern. The barrel has a deep polished blue finish with no proof or acceptance marks that has the correct milling/grinding marks on the underside of the barrel on each side of the barrel lug, with the bright polished feed ramp, both features consistent with original Singer manufacturing techniques. The magazine has the same high polish Dulite blue finish as the rest of the pistol with the correct two-pinned base with grinding/milling marks on each side of the magazine body towards the upper lips, consistent with Singer Mfg., and as noted is totally unmarked. Overall the pistol has all the correctly manufactured Singer produced parts. As noted this pistol is an exceptionally rare presentation Model 1911A1 Singer pistol and is the most desirable Model 1911A1 pistol. This pistol would be the centerpiece of any U.S. Model 1911A1 martial pistol collection. This pistol is complete with a period L.L. Bean sheep-skinned lined suede carrying case and an original WWII wooden cleaning dowel. The front of the carrying case is ink marked "D. I. PARSHALL". Comes with three photographs of Parshall, a April 28, 1919 dated typed letter signed by General Pershing to Congressman J.W. Fordney explaining that Parshal had returned to the U.S., and a typed biographical sketch of Parshall including his years at Signer and meritorious service during WWI.
BBL: 5 inch round
Stock:
Gauge: 45 ACP
Finish: blue
Grips: brown plastic checkered
Serial Number: NSN
Condition: Excellent to near new condition with 99% plus of the original WWII Singer high polished Dulite blue finish overall. The early grips are also in excellent like new condition. A truly outstanding example of a very rare, all original WWII presentation Singer Model 1911A1 pistol.