Hi Pete,
Your photo gallery is a very terrible idea, as the fakers will look at it also and fix there mistakes and then what are you (we) gonna do?
Besides, to actually tell something about a really good fake you have to have hands on examinations.
Luke just wrote above just how good some of these already are, so helping these guys out with details on how to fix their guns isn't a good idea in my opinion. It's one thing to write a book explaining what correct proofs and markings are, and entirely a different thing to start explaining what to look for in fakes. In my opinion, this would do more harm than good.
My advise, as I've stated on this forum before, is for a potential buyer to get an opinion from another collector near him that he trusts, if he has any doubts on what he is buying. An evening drive to consult or a couple of phone calls is cheap compared to purchasing a fake. Also, as stated before, you can read all the books and look at all the pictures, but until you actually look at the piece, handle it, and learn what you're looking for, you're going to get fooled.
Word of mouth is also a good way to curb some of this. Almost all advanced collectors know who is re-strawing their Lugers, touching them up, fixing the grip screws, and making fakes, and they will not deal with these people under any circumstances. They always have a gut feeling that no matter how honest one of their pieces is, that something has been enhanced. This forum has spread the word but by doing so has raised a lot of concerns by a few who instead of listening and learning have tried to defend. So, if you buy from someone who has had some problems with other collectors and you get stung, tough luck. Why do you think one of the questions most collectors have when looking at a Luger is: "Who did you get this piece from?"
Again, just my opinion, so take it for what you think it is worth. -- Bill
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