Gunbroker: EXCEPTIONAL DWM 1908 9MM LUGER W/EXTRA MAGAZINE, HOLSTER & TOOLS FULL RIG
 

So I am still learning about different Lugers and looking at photos on GunBroker to understand which models are scarce and which are not.
I have found this one: https://www.gunbroker.com/item/877780340

Could you please educate me on what is so special about this Luger to price it like this? That's because of it's condition? Or something else?

Also how do you think is it restored or original condition? And seems that one of those mags is with modern mag bottom.

Thank you all and be safe!

P.S.: for those who don't want to check photos on the GunBroker: 10 days till the end of auction, currend bid $5580, 26 bids. Added a few photos to this topic.

Condition! Condition! Condition!!!
 

First off, it looks original to me? Not mint, but about as close as the camera will let it be... Second, 1908 commercial is a popular item with commercial collectors. It was probably the zenith of their workmanship and probably a bit rare considering they were right on the verge of a huge military contract! When you have 99% + condition, and matching accessories that most likely have been with the gun its whole life, prices like this will appear. Check out his other stuff, all just as nice with high end multiple bids? If you ever wanted a lesson in condition dictating value, or cost.... this is a good one! Best to all, til....lat'r....GT......:jumper:

Also, of interest, is that many of these were owned by officers.

That is a gorgeous rig and I don't know that it can be improved upon.

I do think the bidding will be quite high.

Dwight Gruber's commercial list has 56698 as a 30 cal luger. These photos are heavily photoshopped, you can see the border lines in the photos where the background is wiped. The muzzle has interesting brush like markings.

I would be wary of anything offered by this seller.
Norm

Ditto!

I checked my list, NOT one of mine.

Almost as good as your work though :-)

It should have a polished area under the safety lever, wonder why the seller didn't show that area? I just bought one of these early commercial pistols in the 64000 range and it came with a Cal/9MM magazine (an original one no less) and I had thought all these early 9MM commercial pistols originally had one. Hard to believe that bidding is in excess of $5.5K, even for an original.

What is the year (approximately) this pistol would have been made?

Curl

Well, if you had to ask the price, you couldn't afford it anyway.

Curl

What Norm said.
If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. JMHO.

high end!
 

High end guns are a catch 22 that all who collects, comes up against at least once in their collecting career? The problem being, it is hard to ever see enough of them to really have a chance to know the difference in mint and restored? P.38's are a bit easier, as many mint examples survived the war, and it wasn't to hard to acquire a benchmark example to go forwards from? Plus, less were messed with as there was no reason to boost them anyway. Lugers are a little different in that they almost immeadiatly show high edge wear and handling, hence what i said about what the camera would allow..
I have never had a stone mint Luger, and only seen one I would rate that high... and I saw it 30 years ago... It was an artillery kept in a bank vault for 80+ years and never was handled or saw the light of day... Two elderly gents brought in in to my work place for me to appraise for an estate. I was at a loss, but I believe I said somewhere around 2K but i really had no clue... This 08 commercial can be viewed by many, but only verified by a very few. If I were investigating it as a crime, my first two detectives would be Ron Wood and George Anderson... if either one, or both, of those two, smelled a rat, or said they saw a rat, pretty darn good chance there is a rat there! Again, it looked as to me, there was more right then wrong, but also it's not my strong suit either! Best to all, til....lat'r....GT:jumper:

Why?


--Dwight

Hi Dwight,
I've sent you a PM.
Norm

I agree that it looks possibly enhanced (straw/fire blue) and too good to he true. Odd thing is many of this sellers listings look this way, and I had wondered if it was the lighting.

I thought the 1908 commercials came with blank wood bottom mags and it was the 1906 commercials that came with Cal/9mm marked bottoms?

If that is a restore/refinish, it is good enough to fool me.
Ron

I think the number having been previously recorded as a 7.65 is troubling.
I had one of Thor's restorations that looked better. Should have never let it get away.