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mrerick · 05-18-2012, 06:46 PM

Neil,

Price is all about supply and demand.

Value is all about perception.

By making a large number of people perceive the Bakelite grip / plastic magazine base version of the last Lugers as attractive and desirable (making them valuable) the demand grew as the supply remained stable. Thus the price rose. There will always be a limited number of original Lugers in their original factory configuration.

Interestingly, if you have the appropriate very late 1940, 1941 or 1942 Luger, you can make a "Black Widow" by adding the Bakelite grips - which were unnumbered - and then selling off the numbered ones separately. With a surplus of Bakelite grips you could make some money by branding the configuration to make it more memorable ("Black Widow" - now that is sinister isn't it...). Since the plastic base magazines were not numbered, if you had a number of these you'd even end up with a correct all matching configuration right down to the magazine.

A couple of years ago, I bought a Luger that Ralph Shattuck had sold, marketing it to the person I bought it from as a "Black Widow". That made it more valuable to him, and probably made the sale. Unfortunately, it was a 1939 Luger (a year or more prior to the start of the use of Bakelite grips). Fortunately, wood grips were not always numbered that year. So, I was able to correct the mis-match and have a pair of original brown/black grips (albeit two different types - Bakelite Type 1 and Type 4) spare. I just recently removed the black lacquer that had made them both appear Black for the widow.

Obviously, the correct configuration of the Luger was more valuable to me, and I spent the money for original grips to correct the defect. Now, if I can just find that correct numbered magazine!!!

Marc

05-18-2012, 06:46 PM	#10
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,925 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,140 Times in 1,520 Posts	Neil, Price is all about supply and demand. Value is all about perception. By making a large number of people perceive the Bakelite grip / plastic magazine base version of the last Lugers as attractive and desirable (making them valuable) the demand grew as the supply remained stable. Thus the price rose. There will always be a limited number of original Lugers in their original factory configuration. Interestingly, if you have the appropriate very late 1940, 1941 or 1942 Luger, you can make a "Black Widow" by adding the Bakelite grips - which were unnumbered - and then selling off the numbered ones separately. With a surplus of Bakelite grips you could make some money by branding the configuration to make it more memorable ("Black Widow" - now that is sinister isn't it...). Since the plastic base magazines were not numbered, if you had a number of these you'd even end up with a correct all matching configuration right down to the magazine. A couple of years ago, I bought a Luger that Ralph Shattuck had sold, marketing it to the person I bought it from as a "Black Widow". That made it more valuable to him, and probably made the sale. Unfortunately, it was a 1939 Luger (a year or more prior to the start of the use of Bakelite grips). Fortunately, wood grips were not always numbered that year. So, I was able to correct the mis-match and have a pair of original brown/black grips (albeit two different types - Bakelite Type 1 and Type 4) spare. I just recently removed the black lacquer that had made them both appear Black for the widow. Obviously, the correct configuration of the Luger was more valuable to me, and I spent the money for original grips to correct the defect. Now, if I can just find that correct numbered magazine!!! Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.