I think your expert is a dork. I take from your post that the "center toggle link straw" is actually the extractor in the breechblock (that is the part that is strawed in Ted/Thor's photos)
Ted strawed that part probably because the owner wanted it strawed to add some "bling". The extractor on a 1913 or any other WWI era Luger was never strawed, it was always blued as on your gun.
By the way, there are three components to the toggle train, the rear toggle link (the part with the sight on it), the forward toggle link (the part with the DWM on it) and the breech block (the part with the extractor on it). There is no "center toggle link".
From what I can tell from your photos, there is nothing wrong with your Luger. Go back to the "shop appraiser" and tell him to brush up on his Luger skills, he is obviously out of his league right now.
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If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction
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