Radfahrer Gewehr 98 1914 Spandau

Rhind64 · Feb 16, 2025

Hello All,

I am incredibly honored to share with this forum my matching Spandau 1914 Radfahrer/bicyclists Gewehr! This particular gewehr does not need any introduction as it is a very well known example that has graced to pages of this forum before and is very well known amongst you guys! This is the Craig Brown rifle! I was very fortunate to be able to acquire this piece recently and have spent the past couple of weeks just staring at it. Haha…I have also searched out the threads containing a few pictures and even the writings of Craig himself talking about the rifle. I really enjoyed the story of how he acquired it at a gun shop in NYC. Here is a link to that thread. Radfahrer gewehr | K98k Forum I have added a bunch of pictures of the rifle as I know Craig did not take any or even a few of the rifle. I am really humbled to add this to my collection and if anyone would like to see any other pic that I didn’t take just let me know! Also I would love to hear your thoughts on it! Thanks for letting me share!

Rick

Rhind64 · Feb 16, 2025

Rhind64 · Feb 16, 2025

more yet

cj556 · Feb 16, 2025

I cataloged and wrote up this rifle when it came up for sale Amoskeag. Glad to see it finally surface.

Warrior1354 · Feb 16, 2025

A very special rifle and a big congratulations to you sir.

chrisftk · Feb 16, 2025

Hey Rick, thanks again for posting this. I was really hoping you would when Bruce told me you had it. I know I didn't ask for specific shots, but couldn't have asked for better pics of a wonderful find! It's right as rain and damn rare. Glad it landed with someone willing to share pics. Craig wasn't one for pics and apparently didn't own a camera.

I'm really thinking that disc may have been flipped and could have a unit marking, but it's a risk to check, so probably safest to leave a mystery.

Much appreciated. See you later this week hopefully.

Rhind64 · Feb 16, 2025

cj556 said:
I cataloged and wrote up this rifle when it came up for sale Amoskeag. Glad to see it finally surface.

Thanks cj! I would like to look up that Amoskeag sale and check out your listing!

Warrior1354 said:
A very special rifle and a big congratulations to you sir.

Thank you Warrior, Yes I am very fortunate to have been able to add it to my collection!

chrisftk said:
Hey Rick, thanks again for posting this. I was really hoping you would when Bruce told me you had it. I know I didn't ask for specific shots, but couldn't have asked for better pics of a wonderful find! It's right as rain and damn rare. Glad it landed with someone willing to share pics. Craig wasn't one for pics and apparently didn't own a camera.

I'm really thinking that disc may have been flipped and could have a unit marking, but it's a risk to check, so probably safest to leave a mystery.

Much appreciated. See you later this week hopefully.

Thanks Chris! Yes, I have been lagging on posting up some of my finds but this one really needed to be shared! It is indeed a very special rifle. Hopefully the collecting community will gain more knowledge of this rare variation of the Gewehr.

Yea, I was wondering the same thing...but yea I think I'll just leave the mystery! haha

Lets hope the snow stays away!!

Rick

Sexton · Feb 16, 2025

cj556 said:
I cataloged and wrote up this rifle when it came up for sale Amoskeag. Glad to see it finally surface.

Beautiful. I was able to examine it at the Amoskeag sale. Kicked myself for not buying it but I think it's in a better place now.

Nick S · Feb 16, 2025

It’s awesome to see this rifle surface again. My father and I were fortunate to handle this rifle a handful of times when Craig was still with us.

joryfreeburg · Feb 16, 2025

That’s a cool rifle… Congrats

cj556 · Feb 16, 2025

Rhind64 said:
Thanks cj! I would like to look up that Amoskeag sale and check out your listing!

Thank you Warrior, Yes I am very fortunate to have been able to add it to my collection!

Thanks Chris! Yes, I have been lagging on posting up some of my finds but this one really needed to be shared! It is indeed a very special rifle. Hopefully the collecting community will gain more knowledge of this rare variation of the Gewehr.

Yea, I was wondering the same thing...but yea I think I'll just leave the mystery! haha

Lets hope the snow stays away!!

Rick

Rick here you go: https://www.amoskeagauction.com/112/240.php rifle failed to meet estimate first time around and was sold later on.

Sexton · Feb 16, 2025

cj556 said:
Rick here you go: https://www.amoskeagauction.com/112/240.php rifle failed to meet estimate first time around and was sold later on.

Was there a reserve on it? I thought it sold first time around. I was surprised it was still in the rack at the second session.

cj556 · Feb 16, 2025

Sexton said:
Was there a reserve on it? I thought it sold first time around. I was surprised it was still in the rack at the second session.

There was as I recall. It didn’t meet it first time around.

Jdt · Feb 16, 2025

What a cool rifle! Thanks for sharing and congrats

Loewe · Monday at 4:40 AM

Super rare, especially in this condition, Craig once said that he suspected it the only 100% original RF known (or out there); here is a picture of CB in March 2014 with the rifle at SOS, he emailed me the picture as I couldn't see it in person, he tried to get me out to a show to meet, but I made it as far as Hartford two or three times (got to meet John Wall several times but not CB, though we did email often near the end)

***the story at the Amoskeg sale was true, I have the email where explained his acquisition from NYC many years ago; CB was the greatest of all the collectors in our hobby, he had the character, the knowledge and the generosity to share his knowledge.

chrisftk · Monday at 8:57 AM

Loewe said:
CB was the greatest of all the collectors in our hobby, he had the character, the knowledge and the generosity to share his knowledge.

He was THE guy for sure. Always willing to help, particularly in my early days. I just wish he would have photographed his collection. So many great pieces and many of them lost to oblivion or intensely private collectors because he didn't own a camera. Granted, technology in the last 15-20 years has made the photographic documentation of large collections a lot less onerous than it would have been in Craig's heyday. Hard to believe he's been gone almost 10 years.

Stan · Monday at 9:08 AM

chrisftk said:
He was THE guy for sure. Always willing to help, particularly in my early days. I just wish he would have photographed his collection. So many great pieces and many of them lost to oblivion or intensely private collectors because he didn't own a camera. Granted, technology in the last 15-20 years has made the photographic documentation of large collections a lot less onerous than it would have been in Craig's heyday. Hard to believe he's been gone almost 10 years.

CB's story on how he acquired this rifle was priceless!

AN-94 · Monday at 9:18 AM

Those are some awesome pictures of such a rare rifle in fantastic shape, thanks for sharing it here! I remember the story being posted here because that story is a one in a million story about a one of a kind rifle.

PrayingMantis · Monday at 12:44 PM

Thanks for posting the photos on the forum. It is an honor to be able to add it to the reference.

Sexton · Monday at 5:55 PM

Loewe said:
Super rare, especially in this condition, Craig once said that he suspected it the only 100% original RF known (or out there); here is a picture of CB in March 2014 with the rifle at SOS, he emailed me the picture as I couldn't see it in person, he tried to get me out to a show to meet, but I made it as far as Hartford two or three times (got to meet John Wall several times but not CB, though we did email often near the end)

***the story at the Amoskeg sale was true, I have the email where explained his acquisition from NYC many years ago; CB was the greatest of all the collectors in our hobby, he had the character, the knowledge and the generosity to share his knowledge.

I think a lot of us have that photo.

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