is this marking "real"

[gdk771]

can anyone tell me if this marking on a luger is a real German marking or if someone has "enhanced" it? I have heard of deathead markings on lugers before but always saw little pictures of them sideways.

[Pete Ebbink]

Made it bigger...

[Ron Wood]

Sheer fantasy...but a nice job! Somebody is a pretty good engraver.

[Zamo]

Well, without knowing anything else about the pistol, I think there is one possibility worth considering. I don't think it would enhance the value of the pistol, as it would be completely unprovable, and either way the engraving is nothing more than vandalism regardless.
However it is a possibility that the engraving may not be quite "sheer fantasy", at least in one regard.
While it is very clear that there was never any "production" or "unit" engravings like this, could it be possible that a zealous member of the SS might have had this engraved on his own pistol? Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't officers required to provide their own Lugers? I seem to remember that this was the case, resulting in a number of WW1 or commercial, between the wars pistols having seen duty accordingly. Is this inaccurate?
Would a privatly procured arm be subject to military regulations regarding personalization?
The only reason I even propose this possibility is that the engraving does appear to be a very accurate SS style deathshead.
It is equally possible...indeed most likely much highly probable that it was done in some hack shop post-war, especially in light of the apparent discoloration around the skull.
However, I thought I might play the devil's advocate and propose a scenario that might have established some period provenance.
You guys are the experts. Could that scenario have happened?
You've all seen the fantastic "Shell Casing" artwork bored soldiers produced during the 1st and 2nd World Wars...I'm sure there were periods of boredom for some members of the German military machine as well. In particular in a rear echelon unit where you might find some staff bozo with a Luger he'd never really need.
Completely unprovable, highly unlikely, ultimatly moot, but still...
...a possibility!

[ken d]

Side plate looks like a sear safety; would the police have used a skull?

Regards Ken D

[Ron Wood]

This was not a military, police or any other official marking. It is a personal embellishment added by a party unknown at an indeterminate time. It would not have been added to an active duty military or police weapon. General Officers on both sides had some leeway on personal weapon "enhancement" (e.g. General Patton's sidearms) but it is highly unlikely that this was the personal weapon of a high ranking SS, or any other branch, officer,

[Mauser720]

Well, Jan Still covers this marking on pages 105 to 108 of his book "The Pistols of Germany and It's Allies In Two World Wars" Volume 1. (And it may be covered in other books he has authored too.) On page 107 he has a photograph of one of these "Totenkopf" markings, and it is nothing like the one gdk771 is asking about. In the "authentic" example, the date is still on the receiver. (1918 in this case.) And the actual Death Head is small, approximately occupying the same amount of space as the "18" in the date.

Another thing you will notice is that in addition to this Death Head marking being much larger, the details contained in the engraving are far more numerous than the rather sparse lines of the example shown in Still's book.

I think one of the problems is that we, as collectors, find something that is new and unusual and unique. And we want to believe that it is authentic. And that is how we get burned.

Mr. Wood is the expert, and I'm just a minor collector. When he says this one is "sheer fantasy" I'm sure you can bank on that.

Mauser720 - Ron

[Hugh]

Here are some "real" Totenkopf's:

[Ron Wood]

Hugh,
I recognize that 1913!

[Hugh]

Ron, I collect pictures, but don't note where they come from, so can't give proper credit.

[Ron Wood]

No credit sought...just nice to see the old gal turn up from time to time.