Mike T.

The Luger is marked with "N.S.K.K.", which probably stands for "Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps". As far as I know, the NSKK was like a state-sanctioned auto club for the Nazi party which eventually provided training for military drivers, transported supplies to the Siegfried Line, drove refugees west from the invading Russians, etc. If the gun was finished by some Nazi car nut in 1940 and not by some American con man in 1995, it would probably be very collectable and very valuable, albeit somewhat lacking in artistic merit. How you would tell whether or not it genuine is beyond my expertise; I am sure statistically speaking that there are a lot more fakes than the real thing around with any of these Nazi-related items. I still remember a few months ago the "presentation-model" Luger with the swastika medallion on the grip being offered on the internet for only $189,000.