December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/11/2024
This rig was obtained by a Penn State co-worker of the original owner. The letter states that it was purchased from F. Holmes Cathrall Jr., who earned a Purple Heart while serving as captain in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II in the Pacific Theater. He was also the men's tennis coach at Penn State University for nearly 30 years, beginning in 1965, which is how the consignor acquired it. The gun itself is a standard U.S. issue 1911A1 that was manufactured in 1942. Features the parkerized finish, short checkered trigger, checkered wide spur hammer, checkered slide stop & safety, checkered arched main spring housing with loop. Early brown plastic grips with no inner reinforcing ribs. Left side of frame has the W.B. inspector stamp
for Waldemar Broberg, who inspected serial numbers 750,500-856,100 between November 1941 through 1942. Right side of frame has both the US legends. The gun comes with three magazines, a Boyt holster, a web belt, Ero Mfg. 1942 dated mag pouch, and a 1943 dated pouch. CONDITION: Fine. All legends are sharp. The gun retains approximately 85-90% finish showing overall high edge holster wear, some scattered age freckling and handling. Bore is bright. A very nice rig dating to the first full year of the war with attribution to a named USMC Captain.
Accessories
Holster, GI mag pouch and belt
Paperwork
notarized letter