Erfurt Side Plate

[Johnny Peppers]

Just my opinion, but I think where the rub comes in is calling the pistol with a replaced part a fake. A fake implies the intent to defraud someone. I don't believe that Bob had any intention of trying to defraud anyone, just that he wanted his pistol to again match, or be restored to it's original state. If Bob had changed his Erfurt to a 1915 date he would have indeed created a fake. If Bob finds a correctly numbered an proofed Erfurt sideplate, his pistol will be restored with original parts. It is no longer factory original, but is still an original Erfurt as only an Erfurt sideplate will be correct and original. Remember that a part can be original without being THE original part. In short, the problem is never with the pistol, but always with the representation (or misrepresntation) of it.