Need Help w/ Provenance & Various Other Questions

lugerholsterrepair · 08-25-2012, 10:53 PM

I just cannot figure out the holster issue.

Let me help you out a little..Faking German militaria pretty much started in WW1. The first known famous example was Walt Disney..He was a Soldier and at the end of WW1 he decided to embellish helmets...For entertainment or financial gain..who am I to judge. These helmets are well known in collector circles and very highly sought after and needless to say..horribly expensive.

Faking, embellishing, fabricating, GI graffitti..whatever collectors wish to call it has been around WAY longer than you can imagine. I would guess that Ameriacan GI's had a real propensity for embellishment...
All that being said..Your holster probably falls into the embellishment or GI graffitti catagory. The swastica was likely a popular motif at the time this old warhorse was captured and whoever captured it was severly disapointed that the holster did not have such an imbellishment and he immediately corrected that deficiency. I would guess that the GI who came by this pistol did not know it was WW1 vintage...Even if he might have been aware..might not have cared.

What we do know about it is that it is a WW1 holster. Likely around the same date as your very fine pistol. MOST Luger holsters from this era were dated..Normally the date would be found somwhere near the manufacturer stamp. I didn't see it there..In 1918 some customary practices that were previously iron clad were discarded out of apathy, lack of manpower or overlooked as the war came to a close. Unless the date is inside your holster under the top you may never determine exactly the date of it's manufacture. If you find no date apon close examination in all the likely places I suspect 1918.

For many collectors this symbol defaces the holster..Most like to see very nice WW1 holsters in original condition. If you are confident the provenance holds true..it is likely one of your dear departed relatives did it. In your case..it simply adds to the story you have been told.
Congratulations..you have been given a very nice gift. Were I in the same position I would hunt down the military photo albums of the relatives involved..He may have a photo of him and the luger!

08-25-2012, 10:53 PM	#21
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,775 Thanks: 4,995 Thanked 3,134 Times in 1,439 Posts	I just cannot figure out the holster issue. Let me help you out a little..Faking German militaria pretty much started in WW1. The first known famous example was Walt Disney..He was a Soldier and at the end of WW1 he decided to embellish helmets...For entertainment or financial gain..who am I to judge. These helmets are well known in collector circles and very highly sought after and needless to say..horribly expensive. Faking, embellishing, fabricating, GI graffitti..whatever collectors wish to call it has been around WAY longer than you can imagine. I would guess that Ameriacan GI's had a real propensity for embellishment... All that being said..Your holster probably falls into the embellishment or GI graffitti catagory. The swastica was likely a popular motif at the time this old warhorse was captured and whoever captured it was severly disapointed that the holster did not have such an imbellishment and he immediately corrected that deficiency. I would guess that the GI who came by this pistol did not know it was WW1 vintage...Even if he might have been aware..might not have cared. What we do know about it is that it is a WW1 holster. Likely around the same date as your very fine pistol. MOST Luger holsters from this era were dated..Normally the date would be found somwhere near the manufacturer stamp. I didn't see it there..In 1918 some customary practices that were previously iron clad were discarded out of apathy, lack of manpower or overlooked as the war came to a close. Unless the date is inside your holster under the top you may never determine exactly the date of it's manufacture. If you find no date apon close examination in all the likely places I suspect 1918. For many collectors this symbol defaces the holster..Most like to see very nice WW1 holsters in original condition. If you are confident the provenance holds true..it is likely one of your dear departed relatives did it. In your case..it simply adds to the story you have been told. Congratulations..you have been given a very nice gift. Were I in the same position I would hunt down the military photo albums of the relatives involved..He may have a photo of him and the luger! __________________ 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."