Some several years ago I came across an AE 1900 in a Northern Virginia gunshop. The grip strap was nicely engraved with a dedication to a captain in some unit of the Colorado cavalry from his men. I do not recall if it was a National Guard unit but I think it was U.S. Cavalry. The piece seemed very genuine and was cheap.
I called a very well known dealer to ask about the veracity of the piece. He responded that it was possible but that the value was insignificant. When I went back to the shop a couple of weeks later the owner said the gun had been sold over the phone and "out of the blue." He would not say who the buyer was.
I believe that Lugers were used rather extensivly by lawmen and just ordinary folks right after the turn of the century. Folks who ordinarily packed iron such as ranch hands, rural mailmen, deputies and such would have been at the top of the list.
|