Grapppa,
I am not certain and my judgement may be swayed because of the photography. The magazine release on the right side looks blued. This should be strawed. Something about the toggle makes me think that its been buffed. The right and left edges of the center toggle look like they might be rounded. If this gun has been restored or touched-up, then the $3500 would be about the right price. Many people will try to pretty up a Kreighoff in hopes of getting more money for the gun and they only end up destroying a valuable gun. I think that on the pricier Lugers, it may be better to leave the gun alone. But thats a debate that has been going on on the forum for a long time. It pays to be able to detect a restored gun. Many restorers are pretty good. But a Kreighoff could be an expensive mistake if you paid original price for a restored/touched-up gun.
The bidding that you witnessed is part of the fun of watching a gun auction. Everybody seems to want to play chicken on the first bid. After that, holy hell frequently breaks out and bidders go crazy. Its fun to watch but it can be expensive to get involved in it. Always go into an auction with a maximum price in your head. Then if you lose, well... you just lose.
Big Norm
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