Well, one would have to have a Baby Browning to do a comparison, but since I don't collect Belgian pistols - can't answer your question! I do know that several of the Spanish 25s are very small and likely to be smaller than the Browning, but about the smallest 25 I have seen is the Belgian Melior (I think it is the Model 1920).
The S.E.A.M. .25 was a copy of the Walther model 9, so in theory it is slightly smaller than the Baby Browning-as was the Italian Bernardelli copy of the Walther. There is not a LOT of difference in size, though.
Bill
My S.E.A.M. was a WAR TROPHY BRINGBACK captured off a Nazi soldier (Boot pistol) it's condition is 80% and I have one magazine, and it is an obscure mouse gun.
SEAM was a middleman operation that found markets for a loose association of Basque gunsmiths in the late 1920s to early 1930s. The actual manufacturer of the pistol would be hard to determine.
It would lend credibility to the WWII bringback stories if the pistols were marked with a German importer's stamp, such as "Geco", "Noris". Also look closely at the pistol - if it is stamp marked "SPAIN" or "Made In Spain" anywhere on the pistol, then the bringback story is a big pile of doo-doo, because the pistol was imported into the US for sale.
No Made in Spain or Spain on the pistol (Anywhere)
(And Why would you think any american would buy one of these ?) (And were the Pocket model 1927 cal. 635 mouse guns imported to USA ?) IT has cryptic markings (one on rear left side of frame and one on rear left side of slide that looks like a tiny stamp of jack of jack in the box's head) and another that looks like (a very Tiny Star or Star of David over a larger c ) and (a knights head in armor helmet with plume over a shield with crossed lines inside it) and more styleized markings on right side of rear of frame with what appears to be date of mfgr. (I knew the Gent WHO BROUGHT THE duffel of lugers and other various pistols back from the War in Europe and his sons have various Guns (Nice Lugers and CZ including holster & 2 mags) from said half full duffel as the other weapons were given away over years to his friends & associates and all I wound up with was the Nazi soldiers boot pistol (S.E.A.M. mouse gun) but knowing its and his story is its value to me ...
These were imported into the US in the 1920s and 1930s in huge quantities, and sold very well to the American public. The "C" with an asterick over it is an Eibar region proof code denoting date of entry into the Eibar proof house - 1930. The knights helm over shield is also an Eibar nitro pistol proof. Since it does not have a SPAIN or Made in Spain stamp, then it is possibly a bring back from Europe. Some of the other stylized marks you referred to may be a German import proof.
I have 6 or 7 of them in my collection, seen countless numbers on the auction sites and at gunshows. I have no figures as to numbers produced or imported in that period, but they are not uncommom by any means.
What the heck is a "Mikros" magazine? These pistols come with the factory made magazine for the pistol. God only knows if any other magazine will fit and work in these pistols - it is a matter of trial and error.
Letering on bottom of mag is tiny (it is in a recessed area of middle of bottm of mag) and was there another european mouse gun Mfgr. or parts supplier called Mikroos or Micross Mikros ??? It seems to be a well functioning Original mag (Or Original type) Do any of your S.E.A.M mags have the recessed area for stamped name on bottom middle of mag ?
The early Unique Mikros was made in Hendaye, France. It was also a copy of the Walther model 9. Later (1958) Mikros models used an external hammer design.
See The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Handguns, by A.B. Zhuk. He's got literally hundreds of these little spanish pistols listed, most sort of Browning 1906 copies, so there was a huge market for them. I consider my "Fabrique d'Armes de Grand Precision" to be superior in design, workmanship and accuracy to the FN Browning 1906, with a hammer instead of the flimsy striker and no grip safety. Even if the name and FNish grip logo is designed to fool a buyer into thinking they're getting a bargain on a 1906 Browning.
I recently came across this thread about the SEAM pistol. I am a pretty serious collector of tiny (under 110mm long) vest pocket pistols. I would like to know more about the SEAM pistol. I recently obtained a French Mikros 6.35 pistol that is very similar to the Walther Model 9. I hope that you will be willing to share some more information about your SEAM.
I have tried to upload pictures but can not. I would like to email you some pictures.
Thanks for the response. The Historical Atlas pages are a useful source. I refer to them often. the SEAM 37-40 line drawing that looks like a Menz Lilliput Model 1 is of great interest to me as it looks to be one of the under 110mm long guns that I collect. I hope that Gator Monroe will check back in so that I can arrange to see a picture of his SEAM pistol.
Thanks again for the links. You always bring valuable information to a gun discussion.
Earl
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