Flea market find
 

Yesterday was the annual big shindig for our little town. Big flea market/swap meet, dancing, games etc. One of the locals has a Luger and I had been bugging him to let me see it. He is one of the largest of the junk sellers that show up, anyway he brought it. A 1937 S/42. I looked at it hard and long, couldn't believe what I was seeing. 99% deep blue with only very light holster wear, a really perfect finish, absolutely perfect black plastic grips, without a doubt the finest Luger I have ever held in my now shaking hands, looked like it just arrived from The Wizard of Thor! Trying to remember everything I had read on spotting restorations I checked all of the telltale areas, I am convinced it is original. Every number matched, INCLUDING the magazine, he says he had it appraised at a gun shop in Salt Lake City, won't take less than $1000. Im thinking what the wife is going to say, dang, 8 Lugers in the last 15 months, I'm gonna get killed! I looked some more, my mouth starting to foam a little, my hands shaking, knees getting a little rubbery, he says make me an offer! I figure I can grab this little beauty for around $800 as he is known to be a wheeler dealer and I have talked him down in the past. I turned it over and saw on the bottom of the trigger guard the inscription JWD + BDM in electro pen!!! The guy says it was probably the initials of the German that had carried it, I politely reminded him that electro pens didn't exist in 1937. I almost started crying right there on the street in front of a few hundred tourists.
The highlight of the day was entering and taking first place in my class (350cc) in the ATV tractor pull, hauled that sled a solid 159 feet, beat the next best rider by 77 feet, and placed third overall beating everyone except one 400cc and one 500cc machine, rode away with 25 bucks. No Luger though. <img border="0" alt="[crying]" title="" src="graemlins/crying.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[crying]" title="" src="graemlins/crying.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" title="" src="graemlins/drink.gif" />

Herb, tell him I'll send him my C&R and $500 :)

But what a shame, to be so wonderful and yet defaced like that.

Ed

All,
That gun is what I call a "Sleeper"; it has a minor fault that is completely consistent with its history but detracts from collector value in yhe contemporary era of boosted and cranked guns. That sucker is honest, so it appears, in its history and service and, tho I am a Navy guy, I'd see that piece as an investment bargain that will double in price within 5 years or so...a hell of a lot better than my SEP-IRA has done.

Beat him down to low dollar by bad mouthing the gun and when he busts $600, be all over it.

Just an opinion; probably worth what it cost.
Tom A.

Dang it Tom! That was my gun, you are getting Herb all excited! :D

I agree with Tom, I think that "minor" items like that are history and the value will catch up to them, much more than guns that are more than likely boosted.

Ed

Herb;

Black plastic grips on a 99% S/42 1937??

Regards Ken D