my profile |
register |
faq |
search upload photo | donate | calendar |
04-26-2009, 10:05 PM | #1 |
User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Kennett Square Pennsylvania
Posts: 591
Thanks: 15
Thanked 334 Times in 104 Posts
|
Luger on gunbroker.
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIte...Item=127414722
I found this luger interesting but I cant find any info about it. Is this a good pistol? I found info on 1906 Bulgarian contracts but I got zilch on 1908. Actually I cant find anything with the DWM on the chamber . Would you gentlemen care to school a novice? |
04-26-2009, 10:14 PM | #2 |
Super Moderator
Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: North of Spokane, WA
Posts: 15,927
Thanks: 2,026
Thanked 4,523 Times in 2,089 Posts
|
I just missed this one at the Gettysburg auction. I was there and left to go do family stuff, came back and missed the pistol by 5 or 6 auctions.
Bulgarians are not very well known, but when they are, they are marked like this, with the DWM stamped here. I heard this went for around $1500, so would guess the reserve is slightly or more so higher. I would have bid up to $1500, although I am no Bulgarian expert. Ed
__________________
Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV |
04-26-2009, 10:17 PM | #3 |
User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Kennett Square Pennsylvania
Posts: 591
Thanks: 15
Thanked 334 Times in 104 Posts
|
Mr Tinker what do you make of the mismatch on the barrel and extractor could that be from an arsenal refurb?
|
04-26-2009, 10:23 PM | #4 |
Super Moderator
Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: North of Spokane, WA
Posts: 15,927
Thanks: 2,026
Thanked 4,523 Times in 2,089 Posts
|
Hard to say, anytime the numbers are wrong then any story could be made up.
From my limited knowledge, I would say it has the Bulgarian signs, DWM, Crest, Russian on safety, lanyard loop in different place. What I am unsure of is what serial numbers are considered Bulgarians... Ed |
04-26-2009, 11:29 PM | #5 |
Moderator
2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso
Posts: 7,016
Thanks: 1,089
Thanked 5,162 Times in 1,699 Posts
|
The write up is correct, 1908 Bulgarians were made in two series 1-5000 and 1C-5000C. Actually, 1908 is a misnomer as the guns were contracted for and delivered in late 1910/early 1911. They were relatively unknown to collectors (even Harry Jones knew of only two examples when he published his book in 1959) and they were labled 1908 because they resembled the 1908 models without a stock lug. The safety marking is Bulgarian and Russian. It is the word for "FIRE". It is the same word in both languages and being pre-1917 the Cyrillic alphabet was the same in both languages. Further, the Bulgarian Lugers departed from the normal safety marking in that when the marking shows on any other Luger, the Luger is on safe (GESICHERT), but on the Bulgarians (and Russians) when the marking shows the gun is ready to fire.
I doubt that the mis-matched parts are the result of an arsenal refurb (notice that in addition to the barrel and extractor, the sear bar is also #72). There were a bunch of these guns brought into the US in the '60s, reportedly many of them in barrels and many in not very good condition. The good ones and as many that could be assembled into functioning pieces were sold through Ye Olde Hunter and other dealers (for about $39.00 as I recall). Many of the parts were sold off seperately and are found on all manner of shooter Lugers to this day. They are really neat and unique Lugers and, even in the condition of this one, quite collectable.
__________________
If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction |
04-26-2009, 11:32 PM | #6 |
User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Kennett Square Pennsylvania
Posts: 591
Thanks: 15
Thanked 334 Times in 104 Posts
|
Thanx a million Ron
|
04-27-2009, 11:53 AM | #7 | |
Patron
LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 525
Thanks: 129
Thanked 139 Times in 76 Posts
|
Quote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_sign
__________________
Michael Zeleny@post.harvard.edu -- http://larvatus.livejournal.com/ -- 7576 Willow Glen Road, Los Angeles, CA 90046 -- 323.363.1860 All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. -- Samuel Beckett |
|
04-27-2009, 12:11 PM | #8 |
Moderator
2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso
Posts: 7,016
Thanks: 1,089
Thanked 5,162 Times in 1,699 Posts
|
Mike,
I appreciate the references. My understanding is that the Russian Cyrillic alphabet underwent a standardization process in the 1916-1917 timeframe which would have resulted in the distinction between the Bulgarian and Russian spelling that you pointed out. I have been informed by others (perhaps incorrectly, I have no way of confirming) that prior to that time the spelling was the same.
__________________
If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction |
04-27-2009, 12:21 PM | #9 |
Patron
LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 525
Thanks: 129
Thanked 139 Times in 76 Posts
|
The difference in Bulgarian spelling is due to a variation in phonetics unrelated to the Russian spelling reforms.
__________________
Michael Zeleny@post.harvard.edu -- http://larvatus.livejournal.com/ -- 7576 Willow Glen Road, Los Angeles, CA 90046 -- 323.363.1860 All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. -- Samuel Beckett |
04-27-2009, 12:53 PM | #10 |
Moderator
2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso
Posts: 7,016
Thanks: 1,089
Thanked 5,162 Times in 1,699 Posts
|
Interesting. I do not speak either language, so I am only going by information from an old Russian gentleman I received well over 20 years ago when I obtained my first Bulgarian Luger. According to him, the word was pronounced the same (a rough phonetic approximation would be ah-go-in) in both languages and was therefore spelled the same.
__________________
If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction Last edited by Ron Wood; 04-27-2009 at 02:36 PM. |
04-27-2009, 11:12 PM | #11 |
Patron
LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 525
Thanks: 129
Thanked 139 Times in 76 Posts
|
The word is pronounced the same in both languages, but its spelling differs because the Bulgarian Ъ retains the phonetic value of a vowel, unlike its modern Russian counterpart.
__________________
Michael Zeleny@post.harvard.edu -- http://larvatus.livejournal.com/ -- 7576 Willow Glen Road, Los Angeles, CA 90046 -- 323.363.1860 All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. -- Samuel Beckett |
04-28-2009, 12:12 AM | #12 |
Moderator
2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso
Posts: 7,016
Thanks: 1,089
Thanked 5,162 Times in 1,699 Posts
|
OK, so let's continue my education. Is ОГОНЬ the modern Russian spelling, or is it the pre-1917 spelling?
__________________
If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction |
04-28-2009, 01:10 AM | #13 |
Patron
LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 525
Thanks: 129
Thanked 139 Times in 76 Posts
|
It's both.
__________________
Michael Zeleny@post.harvard.edu -- http://larvatus.livejournal.com/ -- 7576 Willow Glen Road, Los Angeles, CA 90046 -- 323.363.1860 All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. -- Samuel Beckett |
04-28-2009, 01:13 AM | #14 |
Moderator
2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso
Posts: 7,016
Thanks: 1,089
Thanked 5,162 Times in 1,699 Posts
|
Thanks.
__________________
If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction |
|
|