Update on book release

[Ron Wood]

I just returned from Europe a couple of weeks ago. While there I had the opportunity to visit with Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess and view what is undoubtedly one of the finest gun collections in the world in private hands. It was a mind-boggling experience.

I have since received an email from Geoff concerning the upcoming delivery of the three volume set of books he co-authored with the late Joachim Görtz. He asked me to post this announcement: “ I finally got confirmation from the printers that the books will be shipping this week-end [15-16 Sep], so delivery and distribution will start around mid-late October, This will extend the pre-publication offer until then ($275 delivered in USA per Simpson web-site which still however gives mid-September as the offer cut-off) . I'd be grateful if you could… inform forum users of this extension of the offer, and also perhaps to write a brief review based on the pdf DVD I sent a while back.”

There is little I can state in the way of a review that would not involve excessive use of superlatives. The set has been comprehensively revised from the previously published, heavily edited set that prompted Dr. Sturgess to set things right with this release. There is much new information that has surfaced since the previous release and the layout and chronology of the work is much improved. It is not a “catalogue” of Luger types illustrating the many type variations. That type of photographic essay is well represented in current Luger publications, most notably the excellent and detailed works of Jan Still, collaborations by Hallock & van de Kant, Baudino & van Vlimmeren, Tinker & Johnson as well as the seminal books by Datig, Jones, Kenyon and Walter. This Görtz/Sturgess is a body of knowledge that goes beyond a compendium and is the ultimate reference that significantly underscores and amplifies the material in these former works.

To quote from the Introduction, the book is intended “to provide some insight into the technical development and distribution of the weapons and the reasons for the numerous variations that exist, frequently developed as responses to official/military and market demands. A similar approach has been taken to describing the markings, serial numbering systems and the official inspection and proof stamps that appear on these pistols, by explaining the manufacturing organisation, laws and official instructions under which these marks were stamped, rather than simply cataloguing them by rote, to assist the collector in understanding why a certain marking is, or should be, or perhaps should not be, present in a particular location on a specific variant of the pistol.”

This new 3-volume set by Görtz/Sturgess is a remarkable presentation of the evolution of the Luger from its genesis with the 1893 Borchardt through all of the progressive changes until it arrived at its final stages of production. There are biographical sketches of the pioneers of semi-automatic handgun development. Also included are extensive details and photographs of contemporary handguns that represented competing technologies during the early years. There are detailed narratives and photographic examples of the morphology and taxonomy of the very beginnings of Borchardt and Luger development.

The content of this set is so rich that it is difficult to encapsulate the depth and breadth of its scope. There is no more intensive account of the earliest involvement of governments in the adaptation of the Luger as a potential and eventually accepted military sidearm. There are exquisite exposés of forgeries and frauds. Early multi-national procurement and history are detailed. The comprehensive accounts of the various Luger manufacturers and their products are presented. Holsters, ammunition and other accessories along with retailers and distribution are addressed in fantastic detail. The list goes on and on.

This is an absolutely essential reference for the serious Luger collector, but it should also be a consideration for even the most novice of Luger enthusiasts. The lessons learned in these three volumes will more than offset their purchase price. In the area of Borchardt and Luger forensics alone, this reference set will be the standard for future generations.