(C) NORTH AMERICAN ARMS COMPANY 1911 .45 ACP SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL.

This is an exceptionally rare and historically significant example of the North American Arms Company Limited Model 1911 semi-automatic pistol, manufactured in Quebec, Canada, at the conclusion of the First World War. This pistol represents one of the most elusive and desirable variants of the Model 1911 ever produced and is widely regarded among advanced collectors as one of the rarest of all U.S. contract-associated 1911 pistols. In early July 1918, at the height of wartime demand, the United States Government awarded North American Arms Co. a contract for the production of 500,000 Model 1911 pistols, with manufacturing to take place at the former Ross Rifle factory in Quebec. The U.S. Government agreed to supply all necessary raw materials for production. However, due to material shortages, logistical delays, and the time required to bring the plant into operation, the company was able to produce only approximately 100 sets of initial toolroom or prototype parts before the Armistice of November 11, 1918 brought hostilities to an abrupt end. As a result, the contract was formally canceled in December 1918, and no completed pistols were ever accepted for U.S. military service. In the aftermath, the U.S. Ordnance Department reclaimed a portion of the manufactured components as part of the contract’s settlement, with many parts later scrapped or disposed of. Nevertheless, a limited number of pistols were subsequently assembled from these surviving components, forming what are now recognized as toolroom and presentation examples, among the most rare and historically intriguing of all Model 1911 variations. While the majority of known North American Arms pistols bear control numbers within the 1–100 range, a small and extraordinary subset exists with distinctive repeating-digit serial numbers such as 111, 222, 333, and the even rarer four-digit forms including 1111, 2222, 3333, and 4444. These pistols are widely believed to have been presentation or commemorative examples, likely assembled for company officials, U.S. Ordnance personnel, or other individuals connected with the contract. The present pistol, bearing the highly desirable control number 1111, is one of these exceptional pieces and represents an upper echelon collectible example within an already exceedingly scarce category.

Name

Value

Barrel Length

Caliber/Bore

.45 ACP

FFL Status

Curio & Relic

Manufacturer

North American Arms

Model

1911

Serial Number