Deactivated Pre WWI British Officers Private Purchase Webley 1908 Automatic Pistol

This is a rare find, a military issued Webley model 1908 automatic pistol. The pistol is marked "Army & Navy CSL London" meaning that it could only be sold through the Army & Navy Store Co-Operative Society Limited, London to officers and non-commissioned officers. The Army & Navy Store CSL was set up in 1871 by a group of army and naval officers who had decided they were paying too much for their wine. By clubbing together and then buying wholesale, they could greatly reduce prices. It proved very successful and they went on to sell just about everything imaginable from food and drink to clothing, furniture, firearms, sporting goods, luggage and even toys. However membership was restricted to officers, non-commissioned officers and their families only. This pistols serial number 57459 dates to 1910 as the year of manufacture and is one of just 180 made by Webley on the 13th September 1910 as stated in the Webley & Scott Automatic Pistols book by Gordon Bruce. Deactivated to current specifications with a moving slide, trigger and hammer.