In my opinion, the seller's expertise, knowledge, integrity and good faith comes into consideration when listing or selling a pistol. If the seller is an expert and sells a pistol as 'all matching', then the pistol should be delivered with its correct matching (commercial or military) magazine. For example, if I was in your shoes, and the seller of your 1904 Navy serial #136 would have listed the pistol as 'all matching', then you better believe that I would expect a matching magazine! If I was to pay $30-$40k for a pistol, I better get the right 'animal' which meets my fullest satisfaction ! It should also meet the description according to condition, details and classification.
There are many factors which can go in either direction, but overall, it is better to conduct business properly and fairly. On the other hand, if you are going to buy a pistol from an old grandmother who has no idea what she owns, then one can use a whole different set of correct rules and the buyer has to use his own judgement and expertise to determine the gun's authenticity.
Furthermore, should the seller make an mistake in the serial number or suffix which drastically affects the price of the item, then the seller should give the option to reduce the price of the item to correctly compensate for the error or accept the return of the item if the buyer is not fully satisfied. For example, a Stoeger Luger with or without the 'v' suffix could create a large price difference; in regards to a military Luger, it could mean the difference between early or late production.
Although 'buyer beware' is no mentioned in this subject, I have to disagree with people who use this clause which gives many people the opportunity to conduct 'daylight' robbery, because there needs to be a strong standard/code of ethics and principles in the business. If fraud can be proved, by obtaining the opinions of a few experts in the field, then a buyer should have the right to a FULL refund irrespective of the time which has passed - those who conduct fraud know what they are doing and they should not be allowed to escape. I am not using this example as a means to defend myself because I was a victim in the past when I started collecting, but it could have saved the problem of making enemies or staining a person's reputation.
I remember 15-20 years ago asking a dealer 'is this item is genuine?', and he looked me straight in the eye and said YES'! Do you think he was acting in good faith or simply wanted to put his hand in this kid's pocket? Probably this kind of robbery has happened to everyone sometime in their collecting lifes which can be very costly but, at the end of the day, it is one's integrity that counts the most. I have observed that making a buyer happy pays off in the long term and may create additional future business.
I hope that I have provided some fair and reasonable advice to this interesting subject. Moreover, I hope that the Luger Forum continues to grow into a fantastic society where experts can meet and share their knowledge as well as experiences. As the general level of ethics and respect increases on this Forum to create harmony, maybe those collectors who have departed the Forum as a result of improper conduct against them might consider returning to donate their valuable knowledge.
Albert
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