Unusual Grips

lugerholsterrepair · 08-21-2003, 07:59 AM

Have come accross these grips...Any speculation? Thanks, Jerry Burney

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=4078

Dwight Gruber · 08-21-2003, 12:52 PM

Jerry,

I fall into the camp that the mum, as a Japanese Imperial household mark, was not stamped on ordinary items to denote Japanese ownership or origin.

The grips are certainly...fanciful.

--Dwight

lugerholsterrepair · 08-21-2003, 01:03 PM

Dwight, I am afraid I reside in the same camp. What bothers me about it is motive. These grips are not being sold for a great amount of money so this fellow is probably not the booster. Why would someone go to the trouble to make a stamp like this and of all things, stamp the inside of P08 grips? For that matter, why would the Japanese do it either? It seems to me that whacking a grip with a stamp that size would smash it if one didn't pay close attention to support. Just one of those mysteries we will probably never solve! Jerry Burney

Ron Wood · 08-21-2003, 02:17 PM

The "petals" of a Japanese Imperial mum nearly meet in the middle while this stamp has a large open circle in the center. That coupled with Dwight's correct statement that the Japanese Imperial mum was never applied to ordinary items would rule out any Japanese connection and seem to indicate that this is a private mark (possibly manufacturer?) rather than a national mark. It also does not resemble the Siamese "sunburst". As you said Jerry, a mystery.

Aaron · 08-21-2003, 03:25 PM

You gentlemen are undoubtedly correct in casting aspersions on these grips, but wouldn't they go nicely on a chrysanthemum Luger?

George Anderson · 08-21-2003, 04:52 PM

Jerry, the mark is somewhat similar to the sunflower included in the unit gripstrap marking on my sole VOPO Luger. It has wooden grips but they are not marked with a sunflower.geo

lugerholsterrepair · 08-21-2003, 08:26 PM

George, Interesting thought...Is this an East German marking on your VOPO? Jerry Burney

George Anderson · 08-21-2003, 11:46 PM

Yes Jerry, it's a typical gripstrap marking on a Vopo rework with sunflower, letters and Roman Numeral. Bought it in the early eighties at a pawn shop for $300. It has a few "forced" numbers, two matching numbered commie mags and a faint importer's mark. At first I kept it as a shooter but have since turned down a one grand offer and figured I'd keep it. Also got a holster. The holster is post war but may be Bundesrepublik.

PANZERSOLDAT · 08-22-2003, 08:47 AM

I have also had VOPO lugers with this marking and have seen one set of wood grips stamped the same.

08-21-2003, 07:59 AM	#1
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,774 Thanks: 4,953 Thanked 3,126 Times in 1,435 Posts	Unusual Grips Have come accross these grips...Any speculation? Thanks, Jerry Burney http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=4078 __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

08-21-2003, 01:03 PM	#3
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,774 Thanks: 4,953 Thanked 3,126 Times in 1,435 Posts	Dwight, I am afraid I reside in the same camp. What bothers me about it is motive. These grips are not being sold for a great amount of money so this fellow is probably not the booster. Why would someone go to the trouble to make a stamp like this and of all things, stamp the inside of P08 grips? For that matter, why would the Japanese do it either? It seems to me that whacking a grip with a stamp that size would smash it if one didn't pay close attention to support. Just one of those mysteries we will probably never solve! Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

08-21-2003, 02:17 PM	#4
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,022 Thanks: 1,091 Thanked 5,180 Times in 1,703 Posts	The "petals" of a Japanese Imperial mum nearly meet in the middle while this stamp has a large open circle in the center. That coupled with Dwight's correct statement that the Japanese Imperial mum was never applied to ordinary items would rule out any Japanese connection and seem to indicate that this is a private mark (possibly manufacturer?) rather than a national mark. It also does not resemble the Siamese "sunburst". As you said Jerry, a mystery. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

08-21-2003, 08:26 PM	#7
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,774 Thanks: 4,953 Thanked 3,126 Times in 1,435 Posts	George, Interesting thought...Is this an East German marking on your VOPO? Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

08-21-2003, 12:52 PM	#2
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,903 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,321 Times in 432 Posts	Jerry, I fall into the camp that the mum, as a Japanese Imperial household mark, was not stamped on ordinary items to denote Japanese ownership or origin. The grips are certainly...fanciful. --Dwight

08-21-2003, 03:25 PM	#5
Aaron Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,008 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	You gentlemen are undoubtedly correct in casting aspersions on these grips, but wouldn't they go nicely on a chrysanthemum Luger?

08-21-2003, 04:52 PM	#6
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,530 Times in 787 Posts	Jerry, the mark is somewhat similar to the sunflower included in the unit gripstrap marking on my sole VOPO Luger. It has wooden grips but they are not marked with a sunflower.geo

08-21-2003, 11:46 PM	#8
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,530 Times in 787 Posts	Yes Jerry, it's a typical gripstrap marking on a Vopo rework with sunflower, letters and Roman Numeral. Bought it in the early eighties at a pawn shop for $300. It has a few "forced" numbers, two matching numbered commie mags and a faint importer's mark. At first I kept it as a shooter but have since turned down a one grand offer and figured I'd keep it. Also got a holster. The holster is post war but may be Bundesrepublik.

08-22-2003, 08:47 AM	#9
PANZERSOLDAT User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: CLARKSVILLE, TN Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I have also had VOPO lugers with this marking and have seen one set of wood grips stamped the same.