1916 DWM w/Erfurt Receiver Proof...
 

Just recently at the Las Vegas gun show on one of the auction house "preview" tables (Greg Martin auctions), I had a chance to see a 1916 DWM artillery. Gun looked decent and on first pass, seemed to be an honest gun (sorry...I neglected to jot down the serial number..).

This piece had the Erfurt eagle stamp on the barrel...which I think is common and accepted. But this gun also had the same Erfurt eagle on the right side of the receiver as well... :(

Would like to get other folks opinions...

I asked one collector at the show about this piece...he said he had not seen it yet, but had heard the lugers on the auction house tables came from an estate of a collector/gunsmith from the Seattle, WA area...

What bothered me about this gun was how "honest" it looked. I did not do a take-down, but the only thing I could spot "odd" on the piece was that receiver stamp...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Hello Dwight...

Could you provide a "hot link" to the discussion on the other board...?

I recall some discussions about Erfurt proofs showing up on DWM gun barrels and breechblocks, but was not aware they were reported on the right-side of the receivers as well...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Sorry, I mis-remembered what I read. Here's the link, anyway.

http://www.gunboards.com/luger/topic...s=Erfurt+proof

--Dwight

Thanks, Dwight...!!!

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Link to the gun in question :

http://www.gmartin-auctions.com/estatedec03/lot520.html

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Looking the pictures over gives me the feeling that I'd want to examine that puppy up close. The front of the frame where the serial number is stamped just "feels" like it's been refinished. Note the rounding of corners and there's no evidence of a halo anywhere. The side view of the left is just out of focus enough to blur details and that's not good. I'm not convinced at this point but I take the position that I'd rather be cautious than sorry.

The extractor bluing is suspect IMO, I expect a possible mismatch in bluing of a SALT blued Luger but all the rust blued Lugers I have finished match in rust blue color of breech to extractor. I do not remember seeing this in any original finished Lugers received at my shop for reworking.
I also agree with Doubs observations.