Hi Dean,
As I have all three M1929 Bern lugers (red, brown, and black); I cannot discourage any luger collector from picking up a M1929. But I might be biased.
If you are planning to only buy one M1929; I think the red-plastic ones are the most desirable and may yield a bit more investmemt return when you are ready to sell it in the future.
If you can find out the serial number of the brown M1929 luger you are considering, let us know and we can check a couple of Swiss luger books to make sure your serial number is "correct" to have brown plastic grips and magazine bottom.
The red canevasit plastic was quite fragile and brittle...and many have been replaced with the more common brown and/or black plastic parts.
If your serial number places your luger in the proper range for red plastic but now has brown plastic...it might be harder to resell in the future. If your serial number places the gun you are considering squarely in the proper serial number range for brown, you will not need to explain this in the future to prospective buyers and/or other collectors.
I think a nice, original finished brown M1929 Swiss luger would sell in the $ 1600-1900 USD price range...maybe a bit higher with dealers than private parties...
M1929 Swiss holsters are pretty easy to find here in the USA or even in Switzerland...range is from $ 75 to $ 200 depending on condition. Buying a holster and pistol from a dealer will probably cost you more than just buying the luger and finding a holster on your own...
I have worked with both the FGS folks and the Simspon folks. If you send emails letting them know you only want a factory original finished piece and not a Bern rework; they will usually give you their honest opinions in writing about a piece you might be interested. This written reply would be your documentaion trail in case, for some reason, you do not like the piece when you open the box and you return the gun...might help then with which party pays for shipping one or both ways...
Regards,
Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />