Walther LP53 (First Model, Crackle Finish) Cased with Barrel Weight (1957 to 1976)

A Christmas present to myself! A rare cased Walther LP53 with barrel weight. It is the first model which has a curved profile at the rear of the receiver. The second model has a straight slanted profile similar to the LP Mod 2. The LP53 was originally available with brown grips and was later available in either black or brown grips. It was also first available in a smooth blued finish with the crackle finish supplied from 1957. The LP53 was made famous by Sean Connery in the James Bond film From Russia With Love promotion poster. It is rumoured that during the photo shoot, the classic Walther PPK was not available and so the photographer volunteered his LP53. This particular pistol was manufactured in 1968.