Original British WWI Five Arch Series Vickers Display Gun- Marked ABBASIA- Dated 1917 with Anti-Aircraft Configurable Tripod Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Probably one of the most romantic and rare WW1 Vickers Display Machine Guns to come to the market for many years. Originally surplus from the Egyptian Army in 1984 and shipped to England where it was converted to a “Parts Set” and delivered to the U.S. Rebuilt as a Non-Firing Unrestricted Display Gun it has been in a private collection for almost twenty years.

The Gun is marked with a hand punched inscription on the forward small top cover directly behind the Water Jacket. This inscription reads ” ABBASIA, 1917″. Abbasia is in fact the large Military Arsenal located in Cairo Egypt and was probably marked there as an inventory reference which confirms use in that theatre of WW1. The Serial Number is “L9766” which would date its manufacture to 1916, however it is fitted with certain elements of extremely early Vickers manufacture. Specifically, it is fitted with an original FIVE ARCH SIGHT BRIDGE which were very expensive to produce and abandoned after only a few hundred were made. (See The Grand Old Lady of No Man’s Land by Goldsmith, Page 41, Illustration 27) It is also fitted with the very early Vickers “Lightened” milled Check Lever, again abandoned early on; (See Goldsmith Page 61). The Gun is fitted with it’s original Fluted and Blued Water Jacket, Tan paint having been removed by it’s US Collector owner, it is fitted with the early VICKERS FLAT NOSED Muzzle Gland Cage. The Fluted Jacket is un-dented but has one small solder repair.

The weapon is mounted on its early Tripod with Brass Cross head marked: “MAXIM MARK lV. S.C. 1915” and “REG N.–660”. In addition to the early Tripod it comes with it’s Anti-Aircraft Extension Mount which fits into the Tripod, in lieu of the brass cross head, allowing use to combat Aerial Attack. The Tripod has it’s original brass Data Plate impressed “TRIPOD 303’ MAXIM, MARK IV, 40, RH & S, 1915” on it’s center leg. Having Originated from Egypt the mount and Anti Aircraft extension are painted (and probably repainted many times) a Tan Sand color and it is not hard to visualize this highly desirable WW1 Display Machine Gun serving in the Desert Campaigns of LAWRENCE and ALLENBY.

This is simply a Museum Grade Vickers Display Gun of incredible origin complete with multiple rare markings and dates.