WWI Ruby Royal pistol

Well, with out pictures a little guessing and assuming is in order. The Royal was a name used by , M. Zulaica y Cia, Eibar Spain. like most of the Eibar makers he started out around 1900, got his real start making " Ruby contract " pistols for the French army, and after WWI continued producing guns for a few more years. If you have a French Contract pistol Google French Ruby's and acquire a wealth of info. If it is a post war " Eibar " pistol, same thing, just google Eibar or Ruby pistols. The name Ruby has become a generic name for any Spanish pistol made between 1911 and 1936, A true " Ruby" is a French contract gun, the rest are Eibar guns. As with most of the Eibar makers Mr. Zulaica's origins and his demise are rather obscure., he may well have met the same fate as 99 per-cent of the Eibar gun makers met in 1936.

 

WW1 the 32 acp was most likly the most common handgun caliber,Rubys being at the forefront.Many non coms bought them as well,many of the rubys however are of dubious quality(soft steel),farmed out to other firms behind in orders etc.