Do Any Of JOHN MARTZ masterpieces ever come up for sale

[cirelaw]

I would welcome any one, preferable an can tell me and others,anything about them. I only noticed them on the Historys piece on 'Tales Of The Gun. Where can I find out about such beautiful artwork and wanting to purchase one. what models did he produce?And how many Lugers did he produce. I saw a picture of a 'Baby' Luger, and I knew, I had to have one. That familiar itch, that usually gets me into trouble! Happy Hunting

[Edward Tinker]

yes, but which "type"????


one of his cut down "baby's?


one of his 38 super carbines?

one of his 4 acp lugers?

one of his 357 p38's?

[cirelaw]

I always wanted a Baby!!

[Tomathvl]

Not babies but Martz's

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...threadid=17343

[cirelaw]

I thank you all, my dear friend, Ralph Shaddack, commited a Baby model for me. I dont know what their worth or what they look like.

[cirelaw]

Does John have a web site through which He takes orders, or can be contacted??

[Lugerdoc]

C, No website, but he can be contacted by phone @ 916-645-2250. Production amounts & valuations of most models usually listed in last pages on lugers in the Blue Book of Gun Values. TH

[Pete Ebbink]

Eric,

As you continue to be a customer of his...his name is not spelled as "Shaddack" but rather as "Shattuck".

[Heinz]

Pete, I thought from the tone of Eric's comments that he was talking about a different guy.

[Pete Ebbink]

Heinz,

Silly me...I over looked the "my dear friend" part and just focused on the "Shaddack" part in the previous posting...

As I have gotten to know many of the Luger dealers, I think they keep their friends separate...

Most of the gun show dealers usually see customers either with or without money...and more importantly...customers with and without knowledge...

[Navy]

Heinz.

My, you are droll!

Tom A

[cirelaw]

Since my stroke and coma,4 surgeries, I cant even remembers my past wives' names.At least I have an excuse, Short term, suggs, Lont term better than before, Example my NJ dl# B7669-23271-01562, 1960 FORD FAILANE, SKYMIST BLUE,FRX-615, im lucky, we were given monogramed pillow cases, That why i call it my 'Stroke of Luck'

[Big Norm]

Cirelaw,
just to change the tone of this thread a little, I would like to mention that John Martz is one of the nicest, classiest, true gentlemen that you could ever hope to meet. The last that I heard about him on this forum was that he was in poor health. I can only hope that his health has improved. The world needs more like him.

If you chose to write him, his address is :
Mr. John Martz
8060 Lakeview Lane
Lincoln, California 95648

The above mentioned telephone number is correct. You can also read a little about him in Michael Reese's book "Luger Tips" pg 110-113.
Big Norm

[cirelaw]

Thank Norm, I saw him on 'Tales Of The Gun' produced by National geografic, It showed Him in His shop meticulasy working on a barrel, to one of his guns,im told they are a great investment due to their quality and limited production,

[Big Norm]

Cirelaw,
sure enough. Glad to help. I don't know if John does any more guns because of his health. He has made a great variety of Lugers and probably doesn't have any laying around collecting dust. I thought about buying one until I saw their prices. Nothing modest there. Your best bet would be to keep watching GunBroker or some other auction house and crossing your fingers trying to get lucky. Gun people just don't sell Mr Martz's Lugers very often. They are passed along by word of mouth. But be prepared to pay big buckos.
Big Norm

[Big Norm]

Cirelaw,
just for your information/curiosity, in my 15 year old above mentioned Michael Reese's book, John Martz produced only 124 'baby' Lugers. Six were in .380 caliber and six in 7.65mm. The rest were in 9mm. Again, my book is 15 years old, so this data may not be valid. But this is a small number to supply to the world.

Oddly, Reese's book only shows one 'Power House .357 Magnum' being made. O-O-O WOW! Thats some kinda Luger.
Big Norm

[Pete Ebbink]

Guys,

Are the Martz guns appreciating and do they have investment potential ?

I have seen a dozen or so in the past year offered for sale on vaious web and dealer sites...usually in the $ 3000-$ 5500 price range for "new" guns that the ads indicate have had little or no use. Last three I remember where for sale with the "Cherry's" shop on the east coast.

Does anyone know what Martz pieces sold for directly from Martz over the past 5-10 years ?

A past member, Lodi Jim, has a bunch of them...but I have not seen him post for some time, now on the Luger Forum...

Or...is the investment potential there when this fine, older gentleman passes on and his works of art and craftsmanship truly become a limited edition...???

Similar question/situation with the Mike Krause fabrications of .45 Luger and Baby Luger pistols out of San Mateo, CA.

I think new .45 Luger pistols from Krause sell over $ 18K new from San Mateo. But I see a new .45 Luger for sale on one of auction sites and there are not even any bids at the opening of $ 10K...which if I am not mistaken is also that seller's reserve...

[cirelaw]

What would you expect, to hold value or appreciate, For instance what would one of his more common varieties appreciate to a higher percentage, a say an an artillary, or a rarer variety. I however collect my rare ones to keep, so I would purchase one of his Best known and prettiest, to keep. More easy to sell, if I was in a bind, because I learned, that there will always be, more sellers, than buyers. My only long term investment, the keeps on giveing, were my three years tuition at Villanova Shool of Law, 1978-1981 Doctorate of Law, tuition over lugers, hands down!

Mr Martz made a baby luger for me in late 2005 and his receipt states it is 204 in his baby lugers. I assume this number of 204 includes all calibers.
It came with two wonderful magazines and of couse his Martz Safe Toggle Release (MSTR). I am very happy with it. I would like to think it will appreciate in value, but I really think a WWII luger will in the long run appreciate more in value.

[Navy]

My observation has been that second hand sales prices of Martz pieces reflect a *substantial* discount from his retail prices for new production.

For those in Loma Linda, as Rush says, they lose value steeply and quickly. This may change in time.

Tom A