1906 AE Halos
 

Should the Halo be present on these pistols. I've read that some have the halo and that some do not.

The very great majority do not. The serial number is placed on the curved flange of the barrel and for some reason this does not produce the halo effect.

Thanks Ron..

HI RON, HAPPY TO ALL, ERIC, FROM FLA, OWNER OF #51972, I THINK, WITHOUT LOOKING UNDER THE BED, WHATS ALL THIS HALO TALK? WHERE DO I LOOK, I LOST MY HALO, SINCE I WAS AN ALTERBOY, DOES THE 1903 CHARGE' HAVE A HALO, AND DOES ANYONEONE KNOW, WHOS, WHO, OR WHY, MINE IS W/OUT 'LES FLEURS' SHIELD, HOW MANY VARIATIONS, IN ONE YEAR, MAY YOU ALL HAVE A LOVING NEW YEAR, ERIC BRUNING, ESQ, (772)336-5312

I too am interested in halos. I have some pieces with them and some not. I am most used to seeing a halo around the word "GERMANY" and for some reason I thought halos occured around stamps which were applied after the blue finish.

I would love to be further educated on this subject.

David Jackson

David,
You are correct, halos are most common around stamps that were applied after the blue finish. Another thread by bgarland on his 1908 Commercial Army Luger shows this effect perfectly.
http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/halo_copy1.jpg

Hi Ron;

That photo is a great example of a halo.

The 8,82 may or may not have a halo; I did read your (I think) post that halos don't occur in the curved part of the barrel. What may or may not be a halo around the 8,82 could just be light reflection also, I suppose.

Another thing about halos; I am guessing that they can't be faked as they occur over time?

Regards and Happy New Year!!


David Jackson

David,

Your eyes are not deceiving you, there is a halo around the 8,82. With Lugers, there are very few absolutes and this is one of the exceptions. For every general rule there always seems to be the exception. In this case, one of the contributing factors may be that the 8,82 is struck on the less curved portion of the flange, so perhaps that contributed to the production of the halo effect.

You are correct that the halos are produced over time, largely due to the flaking of the blue finish on the top layer of the metal as a result of the stresses or "upsetting" of the metal during stamping. But how much time I have no idea. I suspect that it would be rather difficult to fake, but fakers are getting more clever all the time. Still, it remains one of the more solid indications of original finish.

Best wishes for a Happy and Prosperous New Year back atcha!

Ron