Is It Real???

drbuster · 09-09-2014, 02:48 AM

Ben, thank you profusely for the link to this well documented Klaus Leibnitz article on fakes seen recently at various gun shows and auctions. I believe that the Japanese lugers discussed had been pretty much written off as fakes, at least among the collectors I am familiar with. Herr Leibnitz does not discuss engraved Krieghoff lugers, which is a shame IMO, as several have surfaced recently demanding high prices at auction. There is no way to document their authenticity without going to the extreme metallurgical analysis mentioned in the paper (although it may be a good idea before spending $40K!). In my experience over the years, I have come to believe that two engraved HK lugers, one silver plated, the other gold plated, were presented to Herman Goering. These two have been fairly well authenticated, but after reading this article, who knows? In summation, I get the strong message that ANY luger bearing famous names or papers purporting to be proof of past ownership, must be taken with a huge degree of suspicion. Spending large sums of money for such items forces the onus or proof of authenticity on the new owner to explain in the future to any new prospective buyer (caveat emptor).

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09-09-2014, 02:48 AM	#9
drbuster User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Mateo, California Posts: 1,432 Thanks: 2 Thanked 71 Times in 56 Posts	Ben, thank you profusely for the link to this well documented Klaus Leibnitz article on fakes seen recently at various gun shows and auctions. I believe that the Japanese lugers discussed had been pretty much written off as fakes, at least among the collectors I am familiar with. Herr Leibnitz does not discuss engraved Krieghoff lugers, which is a shame IMO, as several have surfaced recently demanding high prices at auction. There is no way to document their authenticity without going to the extreme metallurgical analysis mentioned in the paper (although it may be a good idea before spending $40K!). In my experience over the years, I have come to believe that two engraved HK lugers, one silver plated, the other gold plated, were presented to Herman Goering. These two have been fairly well authenticated, but after reading this article, who knows? In summation, I get the strong message that ANY luger bearing famous names or papers purporting to be proof of past ownership, must be taken with a huge degree of suspicion. Spending large sums of money for such items forces the onus or proof of authenticity on the new owner to explain in the future to any new prospective buyer (caveat emptor).