FN 1900 "MAUSER" (?)
As you
know, FN has no connection to the Mauser firm; the Mauser marking appears where
the FN logo should be, so the weapon has clearly been tampered with.
The FN
1900 is considered the forerunner of all modern handguns!
The most
surprising thing about this weapon is the apparent build quality—far superior to
Chinese or Khyber Pass copies...
It looks
like a gun straight out of the FN workshops, yet it bears a marking that—while
not a bad imitation—is misaligned compared to the original... Perhaps it was
assembled from "salvaged" parts or items that went out the back door? Or maybe
it’s an elaborate hoax...
One could
explain the Mauser logo by suggesting a sale through Mauser’s commercial
channels—much like the Geco logo we recently saw on a French pistol.
Then
again... take a look at the website: there’s a poor copy of the 1900 featuring
the Mauser logo!
One thing
is certain: there has been some tinkering here.
The proof
marks look perfectly authentic and are correctly positioned...
However,
the Mauser logo replacing the FN logo above "Browning's Patent" seems completely
unrealistic...
The
"Fabrique..." inscription is very cramped—seemingly lacking proper spacing—and
is positioned too far to the right, crowding the slide serrations.
In short,
the gun itself might be a genuine, proofed FN, but the markings—especially the
"Mauser" one—are fanciful additions.
HPH et Michel
