Explain this 1920 over AE Stamp?
 

This receiver/barrel is very interesting to me. Weimar 1920 property stamp over an American Eagle.

- captured GI WW1 personal gun?
- unshipped factory inventory converted for Weimar use?

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...=215290811#PIC

Any comments?

Clark, most likely the latter of the two possibilities you mention. The 1920, of course, is a property stamp of the Weimar Republic and not a date.

Since it is a 1906 AE, it could have been shipped to the US and then found its way back to Europe (possibly a GI personal gun, but not likely since GIs weren't permitted personal weapons unless their name happend to be Patton!:)). Years ago an acquaintance of mine came into possession of a really minty early 1900 AE that had a reinforced Swiss extractor and the rear sight was modified to a "U" notch complete with the small Swiss federal cross stamp on the toggle in front of the rear sight. Who knows how many of those early guns made it back and forth across the puddle?

On page 232 of Still's Weimar Lugers, there is an 06 AE that has military style numbering added. The S# falls within a range of commercials that was sent to the military before the begining of WWI. After WWI it had a sear safety added and has police unit marks on the front grip strap.

Thanks, guys. For some reason, I can picture a Weimar police officer being very proud to own that gun.

It didn't sell and is relisted. If it was an entire gun I would like to have had it. I'm not one to collect the other parts and build a mismatching gun around it, though. Just isn't the same. You can build a shooter, or something to sell, but IMO I can't build my own collector piece.

I would not mind owning it, but with the worn condition and high price, its just a bit much for a conversation piece :)


ed

Ron W, Here's an alternative theory (or at least a good story) on how a 1906AE could end up in the German Military inventory after WW1: My German born Grandfather was a member of the American Bund and had purchased a M1906AE luger, that he took back to German in 1914 to volunteer for Army sercive as an officer during WW1. He was tragicly killed and the pistol ended up in the military inventory, to be stamped 1920 at the end of the war. TH PS: It was actually a grand mother who was a Bund member, but she didn't go back to Germany or own a luger, that I know of.

Tom,
Those AEs got back to the Fatherland somehow, and that is as good of a senario as any :).

For what it's worth, I have a "like new" '06 AE with no "GERMANY" and the extractor is marked "GELADEN". My thinking is, even though it was built to be shipped to the US, somehow it was cut short and sold in Europe.

Mike

Simpsons once had a rare Mauser C96 from the Persian Contract (only 1,000 made) with the "1920". According to what I could find out, some of these guns had not been delivered by the WWI outbreak and was pressed into military service and was marked with the "1920" property mark after the war.

In my humble opinion this is was most probably happened to this gun. Interesting piece.

Mike, either I read it or someone told me that there were AE's destined for Canada, and although they came to NY where Tauscher was located, some folks liked the AE but since it was going to Canada, no germany stamp was required?

I have heard that the stamp was not stamped till they arrived here??

Ed

Thanks Ed,
But what about the extractor being marked "GELADEN" instead of " LOADED".

Mike

Note that the serial number has been stamped on the left side of the receiver, further evidence that this gun ended up as property of the Reichswehr (probably). It makes sense that the extractor could have been replaced during its service life.

--Dwight

How about an American working and living in Germany in the early 1900's.

He wanted to buy a Luger in Germany but with some attachment to his homeland, the USA. So he special-ordered it from a local sporting good store in Germany.

Gun stayed in Germany with several Owners and was eventually inventoried/stamped 1920 after WWI.