Commercial 1900 AE

champ7fc · 01-17-2004, 09:15 AM

Recently purchased a 1900 AE. The gun is in good condition with a good bore, all #'s match and the blueing is original. My question, The left side of this pistol has several areas where the blueing has come off, looks like the pistol was stored on it's side. The right side is unmarked and really nice. I have cleaned up the pistol with Blue wonder cleaner, looks OK but, how much would I devalue this pistol if I touched up the areas that are absent of blueing?
Craig

wterrell · 01-17-2004, 09:21 AM

quite a bit!

Pete Ebbink · 01-18-2004, 04:53 PM

Hello Craig and Wes,

I have heard that a prominent collector, now deceased, whose guns appear in many of the earlier luger books had a preference to have the side plates on his lugers match the overall finish on the rest of the gun. I understand he had prefected a technique to do the touch-up that was not easy to detect. As I also understand, his practice was not a "secret" and known amongst other collector peers. When his collection was sold off (either before or after his passing, or both...), a devaluation of the gun's worth did not seem to dissuade those who wanted to be the next "caretaker" of the lugers in his collection...

Granted some of the next owners probably knew about the side plate touch-ups, but others may not have known if sold after his passing and when such guns are resold again and again...

If one pays good money for a gun and does not like one cosmetic aspect of the piece, I think each collector has the right to decide to touch-up or not. After all, it is your gun...

If they do, I do think there is a moral oligation to let the next owner know and hopefully this notification will continue from one owner to next owner.

Just another way to think about this topic...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

champ7fc · 01-19-2004, 05:42 PM

Thank you both for the input. I am considering both sides of the coin. Since I cannot afford the really exotic pieces that are out there I am making an effort to purchase those that I can afford.If I do touch up the pistol it will be for my benefit and not with the thought of hosing anyone. I plan to keep these Pistols for a long time and hopefully leave them to my sons and grandchildren. Each pistol is being documented including restorations and that info will be available to my heirs. I did not get into this hobby to turn a dishonest profit.
Best Regards, Craig

01-17-2004, 09:15 AM	#1
champ7fc User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 103 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Commercial 1900 AE Recently purchased a 1900 AE. The gun is in good condition with a good bore, all #'s match and the blueing is original. My question, The left side of this pistol has several areas where the blueing has come off, looks like the pistol was stored on it's side. The right side is unmarked and really nice. I have cleaned up the pistol with Blue wonder cleaner, looks OK but, how much would I devalue this pistol if I touched up the areas that are absent of blueing? Craig __________________ cfm

01-17-2004, 09:21 AM	#2
wterrell User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,096 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	quite a bit! __________________ Noli me vocare, ego te vocabo, wes --------------------

01-19-2004, 05:42 PM	#4
champ7fc User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 103 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Thank you both for the input. I am considering both sides of the coin. Since I cannot afford the really exotic pieces that are out there I am making an effort to purchase those that I can afford.If I do touch up the pistol it will be for my benefit and not with the thought of hosing anyone. I plan to keep these Pistols for a long time and hopefully leave them to my sons and grandchildren. Each pistol is being documented including restorations and that info will be available to my heirs. I did not get into this hobby to turn a dishonest profit. Best Regards, Craig __________________ cfm

01-18-2004, 04:53 PM	#3
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Hello Craig and Wes, I have heard that a prominent collector, now deceased, whose guns appear in many of the earlier luger books had a preference to have the side plates on his lugers match the overall finish on the rest of the gun. I understand he had prefected a technique to do the touch-up that was not easy to detect. As I also understand, his practice was not a "secret" and known amongst other collector peers. When his collection was sold off (either before or after his passing, or both...), a devaluation of the gun's worth did not seem to dissuade those who wanted to be the next "caretaker" of the lugers in his collection... Granted some of the next owners probably knew about the side plate touch-ups, but others may not have known if sold after his passing and when such guns are resold again and again... If one pays good money for a gun and does not like one cosmetic aspect of the piece, I think each collector has the right to decide to touch-up or not. After all, it is your gun... If they do, I do think there is a moral oligation to let the next owner know and hopefully this notification will continue from one owner to next owner. Just another way to think about this topic... Regards, Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />