New collector pitfalls

[Kyrie]

Hi John,


Thank you for your kind post


But (and I intend no offense!) I think you may have missed my points.


Point #1 is originality cannot be restored by swapping parts.


Purely as an example, letâ??s take the Luger for which you are seeking a toggle pin numbered â??18â?�. You say (and I have no reason to doubt your sincerity) that you are doing this to â??have a piece in my collection that I can come as close to "original" as possible.â?� Your Luger is as close to original as itâ??s ever going to be right now.


There is only one toggle pin that could restore your Luger to its original condition - its original toggle pin. Any other toggle pin, regardless of how or whether it is numbered, will not restore your Lugerâ??s originality. Using a toggle pin from another Luger that happened to have the same last two serial number digits as your Luger will not make you Luger any more original than using a toggle pin that has a completely different number. Your Lugerâ??s originality is gone beyond recovery.


Point #2 is a fake is a fake regardless of why it was made up.


Continuing with the examp above, if you should succeed in finding a toggle pin numbered â??18â?� and install it in your Luger what you will have is a Luger intentionally made to look like something it is not. In short - you will have made a fake. Please note Iâ??m not casting aspersions on you or your character. Iâ??m just describing the result of an action without regard to the actionâ??s motivation.


And yes, I clearly understand your comment that should you ever sell it you would be forthcoming that it is a fake. But can you guarantee all future owners be as honest or as knowledgeable as yourself? If not you will have created a booby trap for all future collectors. Moreover, you may not sell it during your lifetime. But at your demise it will be sold, and very likely sold as all original.


With respect, I think you need to look beyond your no doubt honest intent at the consequences of your actions, no matter how innocent your intent may be. What you intend to do will result in the same thing the intentional forgers are doing - the creation of a faked Luger. And that Luger that will rob future Luger collectors regardless of how innocently it was produced.


Best regards,


Kyrie