[ithacaartist]

Josh, one of the clues as to whether the grips are repro or original is found by examining the holes on the grips' backsides to see if they are tapped. If they are not, then I believe this would mean they are repro, for certain. Someone will tell us when, but in the 40's, black grips were issued on Mauser p08s. Combined with the much blacker dip blueing done on Lugers after 1937, this style of grip legendarily led the late Luger icon, Ralph Shattuck, to call them "Black Widow" Lugers. This may have provided Ralph with a marketing tool, but this invented term has led to much consternation in Luger University. One can create one, theoretically, by slapping a pair of these black grips onto just about any Mauser of the correct year(s?) production. The subsequent increase in value of the grips or gun exists solely in the imagination, the same source of this nickname. I also believe they would sell for a bit more, should you find these grips are original and choose to sweeten the haul, I agree. BTW, an FXO mag usually commands a premium, as well. They are reputed to be the most reliably functioning edition of a Luger mag, of all the originals; and they have WWII history attached...

David Parker