1914 DWM ARTILLERY

[Dwight Gruber]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by tnak:
<strong>I hope to learn to identify the fakes you talk about, hopefully by looking at authentic pieces and also fakes. What are fake stock and holsters worth?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Tracey,

In the area of Lugers, it is useful to make a distinction between "reproductions" and out-and-out fakes. Regarding accessories such as holsters and stocks, there are new reproductions out there which are not intended to decieve, but to allow a Luger owner to have a representitive accessory which they could not otherwise afford or find; or to use in place of an expensive collectible. This is more or less acceptable, depending on the procilvities of the individual collector.

This is distinct from a "fake", whose intent is to decieve a potential buyer by appearing to increase value. There is, of course, the intersection of the inexperienced or unwary collector and unscrupulous owner who might try to foist a "reproduction" off as original.

I would "ballpark" a reproduction stock/holster rig at 10%-20% the value of an authentic rig. Non-authentic drum magazines are usually non-functional decorations, or standard 8-shot magazines with reproduction drums added on--these are easy to detect, perhaps by the existence of a magazine button or by noteably light weight. I have seen these offered at gun shows for $150 or so.

A stock rig with no markings on either the holster or stock certainly sound other than original.

--Dwight