Newbie help: 1918 Erfurt

Meece 1 · 04-27-2006, 07:29 PM

I stopped by an out-of-town shop yesterday, while on business, and they had a very nice 1918 Erfurt on consignment for $2k.

The story goes that an 80-something yr-old customer, whose health is failing, brought it in recently and will be bringing similar pieces in soon. The shop said the man told them that he had bought it in 1949 off of a veteran (I knowÃ¢?Â¦Ã¢??buy the gun, not the storyÃ¢?Â) for $90. I will try to describe it as best as I can remember:

Toggle marked crown/Erfurt

Condition was 93% to 95%, appears original finish.

Strawing beautiful and strong.

All external #Ã¢??s appear to match, not unit marked.

Toggle axis pin is fire-blued (?), un-numbered.

Grips are in very good to excellent condition, without the Ã¢??million dollar chipÃ¢?Â (I didnÃ¢??t have the shop employee remove the grips to see if Erfurt-marked/serialed to pistol inside).

(1) nickle body/wood base magazine, excellent condition, matching (it is the spare mag), but forgot to check block letter against the pistol. Should the mag have a block letter?

Medium brown holster (w/strap and buckle-type closure) in excellent condition (no markings/stampings visible on back of it), but no tool.

Unfortunately, I donÃ¢??t remember the serial #, whether it had crown/RC, whether witness marks lined up, or if the grip screws were marked externally in any way. I might be able to get back there tomorrow, and if I can, I will try to take some digipics to post, and get the missing info.

In the meantime, although my details are sketchy, could you give me some idea of its value? What other details do you guys need to help in evaluating the piece?

Edward Tinker · 04-27-2006, 09:52 PM

Maurice, WELCOME to the forum!

$2,000 seems high, I would want it cheaper.

It is a 4 inch and not an artillery (8 inch)?

ref block letter, the suffix, does the gun have a suffix? if yes, then it should be marked with the suffix.

ed

Meece 1 · 04-27-2006, 10:11 PM

Edward,

Thank you for the welcome.

Based on the current market, how much cheaper? In other words, given what little I have been able to describe, what is a realistic, or appropriate, price to pay for it?

I may want to buy the rig, so I need to know what to try to negotiate the price down to.

Yes, it is a 4" bbl.

Meece 1 · 04-28-2006, 05:38 PM

pics posted on Still's board, along with some prior commentary by other RKI's. Repeating here:

Got the pics. Shop owner was gracious enough to let me do this for almost an hour. Funny, the piece didnt look as good today as it did yesterday...maybe "buck fever"?

Forgive the quality of the photos as the amount of time I could spend, lighting, and conditions on the counter made it difficult.

So have a look at the 33 pictures, then tell me what you think, but more importantly, establish a value so that I know what to try to negotiate the price to.

Oh yes, the holster had a maker stamped/imprinted into the top flap. It reads something like: F. Guinemand over Berlin S.W. over 1915

04-27-2006, 07:29 PM	#1
Meece 1 New User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Newbie help: 1918 Erfurt I stopped by an out-of-town shop yesterday, while on business, and they had a very nice 1918 Erfurt on consignment for $2k. The story goes that an 80-something yr-old customer, whose health is failing, brought it in recently and will be bringing similar pieces in soon. The shop said the man told them that he had bought it in 1949 off of a veteran (I knowÃ¢?Â¦Ã¢??buy the gun, not the storyÃ¢?Â) for $90. I will try to describe it as best as I can remember: Toggle marked crown/Erfurt Condition was 93% to 95%, appears original finish. Strawing beautiful and strong. All external #Ã¢??s appear to match, not unit marked. Toggle axis pin is fire-blued (?), un-numbered. Grips are in very good to excellent condition, without the Ã¢??million dollar chipÃ¢?Â (I didnÃ¢??t have the shop employee remove the grips to see if Erfurt-marked/serialed to pistol inside). (1) nickle body/wood base magazine, excellent condition, matching (it is the spare mag), but forgot to check block letter against the pistol. Should the mag have a block letter? Medium brown holster (w/strap and buckle-type closure) in excellent condition (no markings/stampings visible on back of it), but no tool. Unfortunately, I donÃ¢??t remember the serial #, whether it had crown/RC, whether witness marks lined up, or if the grip screws were marked externally in any way. I might be able to get back there tomorrow, and if I can, I will try to take some digipics to post, and get the missing info. In the meantime, although my details are sketchy, could you give me some idea of its value? What other details do you guys need to help in evaluating the piece?

04-27-2006, 09:52 PM	#2
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,915 Thanks: 1,989 Thanked 4,506 Times in 2,080 Posts	Maurice, WELCOME to the forum! $2,000 seems high, I would want it cheaper. It is a 4 inch and not an artillery (8 inch)? ref block letter, the suffix, does the gun have a suffix? if yes, then it should be marked with the suffix. ed __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

04-28-2006, 05:38 PM	#4
Meece 1 New User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	33 pics pics posted on Still's board, along with some prior commentary by other RKI's. Repeating here: Got the pics. Shop owner was gracious enough to let me do this for almost an hour. Funny, the piece didnt look as good today as it did yesterday...maybe "buck fever"? Forgive the quality of the photos as the amount of time I could spend, lighting, and conditions on the counter made it difficult. So have a look at the 33 pictures, then tell me what you think, but more importantly, establish a value so that I know what to try to negotiate the price to. Oh yes, the holster had a maker stamped/imprinted into the top flap. It reads something like: F. Guinemand over Berlin S.W. over 1915

04-27-2006, 10:11 PM	#3
Meece 1 New User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Edward, Thank you for the welcome. Based on the current market, how much cheaper? In other words, given what little I have been able to describe, what is a realistic, or appropriate, price to pay for it? I may want to buy the rig, so I need to know what to try to negotiate the price down to. Yes, it is a 4" bbl.