[ithacaartist]

I'll add a bit here to Marc's comments. A couple of the first things I learned, right here on this forum--about how to spot a re-blue. Marc is correct about the lines and edges being straight and sharp. In fact, it's pretty easy to spot a suspect blue job, even in some pics, if the image shows rounded edges or wavy-looking surfaces. As Marc mentioned, some parts should not be blued. The first areas to check are inside surfaces of the rails, which should be in the white for rust blued guns. Another 'white" to check for is the top end of the tiny pin that holds in the central toggle axle; the end of this pin is visible on the top of the left toggle knob, and it should look like a little white dot. The toggle links were not yet assembled when originally finished at the factory. When assembled later, an un-blued pin was used. These areas are often neglected by the uninformed refinisher. I'm not sure about whether a period armorer's work would be as detailed as it was at the factory, but I'm thinking not particularly.

Another way to find clues to a suspected re-blue is to check the surfaces under strong magnification. One can see if the pistol's finish has been done over pits, damage, wear, etc that one would not find on anew gun. With enough magnification, one is able to observe the signs of bead blasting. The entire surface will be covered with tiny peen marks where the millions of glass beads have hit the surface, deformed it with a small crater as they bounce off. These are visible even down into the recesses of the proofs and other stampings, and a total give-away for a re-finish. You asked about halos a while ago, and their presence, or lack thereof, is telling. With practice, it's sometimes possible to discern a fake halo--one that was added to boost the illusion of authenticity/originality. I've seem some right here on the forum that looked chemically created.

All stampings/impressions applied to the pistol after the texture of the surface was established should generally display a ridge/rim of displaced steel that rises above flush. You've struck a piece of steel with a chisel? Same results, like a crater on the moon in miniature.

Further, if a pistol that looks pristine sports a set of number-matching grips that themselves appear to have a lot of wear/dirt/experience, that's another red flag.

With the WWII Lugers Mauser produced after hot dip bluing was phased in, in 1937, it's not quite so easy. The pins and inner surfaces usually white in rust blued guns will all be properly blued, as the parts were totally immersed for the process.

I hope this is coherent, and that if I've missed/mistaken anything, the brothers/sisters will help this post out!