This is a rarely known variation among the contract Lugers of pre-WWI era.  J. Canedo was a distributor of Lugers in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  He was the agent for DWM in South America just like Hans Tauscher was the distributor for Luger in North America.  The gun is a 7.65mm (.30 cal Luger) with a 120mm barrel and a 1906 frame.  (785)

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Serial number placement is in the commercial ("hidden") style. The thumb safety is polished and extractor "Geladen" on both sides. This example has all matching numbers. The barrel is numbered and dated and matches the frame. The first toggle link is marked with the DWM monogram, and there is the "V" rear sight on the last toggle link.

South American guns are notorious for rust and pitting from the humidity but this one is immaculate. The magazine is the early style DWM with the wooden base and coil spring.  This one is in extraordinarily good condition for its age and service.

Prior to WWI the United States was one of the largest importers of DWM Lugers with South America being second. Very early in production of the Luger a 1902 Spanish language version of the Luger instruction manual was published.  Argentina seem always fascinated with German products and the DWM Luger was no exception.  Some early 1900 Lugers have emerged with the J. Canedo in a more slanted italics style type vs. the rolled on impression that suggests factory imprinting.

There are no export markings on this commercial gun, unusual but not unheard of.   We have seen several C96 Broomhandle's come out of South American that were not export marked.

South American Lugers include the well known Brazilian and Bolivian, the lesser known Venezuelan and most recently discovered were guns with the crest of Chile and Equador.  The J. Canedo label  has been interpreted as Casa Canedo or the (house of Canedo) as  a store front dealing in armaments and knives with the controlling company and/or manufacturer Gottling and Busch also operating in Buenos Aires. Gottling and Busch is a local firm but it could have a parent company in Europe or it could have a similar factory in Europe for the supply of ammunition also marked J. Canedo.

Left:  Here we can see the "hidden" placement of the serial numbers under the side plate and locking lug.

All serial numbers match and this is a very rare example of the extended life of the pre-WWI Lugers produced for South America by the DWM factory.

Right:   Here you can see the walnut grip with the serial number of the gun stamped in the wood.

Early Lugers had the original grips serial numbered to the gun as each was custom fitted.

The inside of this gun is a clean and pretty as the outside.  Little evidence of ever being fired this Luger was probably a keep sake of someone who prized it for its beauty rather than firing it.

It is entirely subjective to give any Luger a rating of excellent or fine, just as it is to declare it xx% blued or strawed. Few Lugers are out of the box new and these are premium priced. Bluing percentages is like Beauty, in the eye of the beholder.  We strive to provide pictures so you can judge for yourself if the gun meets your criteria.

This is a fantastic version of a very rare variation of a South American commercial contract gun with the J. Canedo logo on the barrel.