1914 CHAMBER DATED DWM ARTILLERY

[Big Norm]

Thanks Johnny. Apparently when I copied the serial numbers of the 1914 DWM from Stills book, I mistakenly copied the first serial number of the serial range from the 1915 DWM.

My concern was that since the 1914 chamber dated DWM artillery is such a sought after prize, the price of this gun can easily increase $2000 to $2500 over a comparable condition artillery of a different year. Thats a lot of moola if the gun is fake. When buying a gun at premium prices because of its scarcity, my impulse is to go by the book. As we all know, some restorers and conterfeiters are very good. Pricing an rare artillery is tough because so many sellers will list an artillery as a 1914 DWM when what they are really saying is that it is a model 1914 and not a chamber dated artillery. Or maybe the seller will say that the gun is a 1914 artillery when its really an Erfurt artillery.


I have the simular problem with Kreighoff's. I once sold a 1936 Kreighoff to a guy and I thought that the gun was original. Later, I had the guy climb all over me because he was told that the gun was redone. I am kicking myself on that deal because I handled it all wrong. At the time, I was new to the luger selling side and actually gave the guy a refund. Now, years later, I know better. Its called gaining experience and I paid a price.


Sometimes I wonder if there are really any "experts" on all Lugers. Over the years, I have heard of mistakes make by people who are regarded as "experts". People such as Shattuck, Simpson and Doug Smith. I can not for the life of me figure out how these people can price the large number of guns that they sell.


What I am beginning to realize, as one gentleman on this thread has mentioned, is that many people - "experts" as well as "amateurs" - will put down a Luger and embarrass the proud owner for some reason still unknown to me. In fact, the Luger might be a perfectly good Luger. I now think that the above mentioned sale of a Kreighoff may have been that sort of situation. One guy who was not really a newbie but not an "expert" either, selling an honest Luger to another of like ability who later had it appraised by a so called "expert" who put the gun down. I have read Gibson's book on the Kreighoff's and have found it interesting, but wanting. And the guns are too scare to study and compare. So I now avoid Kreighoffs but will keep the few that I have.


But I do want to thank the people who have contibuted to this thread. It was an excellent response to say the least. I hope that more people continue to make more contributions to it. Maybe I will revisit that dealer and make some sort of an offer. As I mentioned in my earlier thread, I couldn't take a close look at the gun because one dealer was holding it for another and did not want to take the responsibility of showing it to someone. But I noticed that the numbers were crisp and the bluing looked original. I believe that it had a narrow string on rust pitting from the front of the barrel to the receiver on the left side. It otherwise was not mint but it was honest. I don't recall if it had a matching mag. I don't know what the price will be. For all I know, the dealer/owner/merchandizer may have already sold it. He advertises frequently in the Gun List magazine and may have a list of buyers.

Big Norm