What is the best way to sell all or part of a luger collection?

[cirelaw]

I'm considering over the next 2 years to sell parts of my twenty~two lugers and accessories. Any suggestions would be appreciated!! Eric

[Bluff Lake 36]

P.M. Sent

[cirelaw]

Emailed You Bill, TKS

[calibrator]

I often wonder the same thing.

I know what I paid for things, however a lot of folks feel it's their duty to always make a low-ball offer regardless of how fair the asking price.

Placing a value on Lugers is a VERY subjective thing at best. I've seen the prices stagnant during the nearly 10 yrs I've been interested and visiting this Forum. My cost of living goes UP every year, prices of firearms don't keep pace (unless a Prog starts talking seriously about a Federal ban and confiscation).

You could sell here, but, ... , you need to have a price stated with the offering. I'd prefer to let the Market set the tone in an auction setting (as long as you have a reserve price to keep from losing it for cheap), but, ... , you and/or the buyer needs to pay a fee, so it may not be a winner.

I don't like to sell groups of things. People always want to make a package deal at the sellers expense. I prefer to let each item stand on it's own.

I sell stuff at Friend's garage/estate sales sometimes. I've actually heard several times someone say to me; "How do you expect me to make any profit at that asking price ?". I guess that says something about the mentality of Dealers.

DON'T ever let someone think you have/need to sell something. It's like blood in the water for sharks.

Maybe you need an expert to value, photograph, list, take offers, receive funds, ship items and handle complaints. I'm sure you'll get offers from concerned fellow collectors. When ever I have a lot of estate sale type items, I find an Ebay Chick to take over. She does ALL the work (shipping included) and I usually end up splitting 50/50 or there abouts when it's all over.

GOOD LUCK with whatever you do. Let us know what the experts here think (without naming names). I've got a few things I'd like to sell in the next few years myself.

[cirelaw]

How True!!!

[cirelaw]

We are all Luger Romantics!! It possesses more than intrinsic values. Lugers brought us all together! They fueled lifetime friendships that are much more valuable than the guns alone!! I luv You all for that and maybe will only sell a few!

[4 Scale]

Here's my opinion, offered more to start discussion than to pretend expertise as a seller, I'm more of a buyer.

A lot depends on quality and scarcity of the examples. The major choices;

WTS on forums: No selling costs but the most educated buyers. I think this is especially good for lower end collectibles/shooters. A lot of people seem to start with this then go the online auction route if they do not get the price they want; this strikes me as a reasonable strategy.
Consign to dealer or auction house: They get a big chunk, may lowball you on opening/asking price but probably the easiest way. You can also sell to dealers, the fastest and most costly route.
Gunbroker et al: You must deal with the masses but if you supply lots of good pictures, and an accurate and complete description and you have history, this route probably gets the highest selling price. Get a C&R license first in the event there is a return.

My 2 cents.

[cirelaw]

Thank You!

[jeb111]

Cirelaw,
I am looking to expand my Luger collection, the only ones I own I purchased at local gun shows, but they are very limited in choices. I joined this forum in an effort to expand my knowledge in the hopes of expanding my collection. I shy away from on-line auctions as my confidence in my knowledge is not very high. I have been contemplating purchases from dealers on-line as they seem a bit safer at least the ones that offer a money back guarantee. Since joining this forum and reading all the threads and getting to know albeit online I would feel comfortable buying from several of these members. I have seen pics of some of some of your Lugers and you seem to have a quality collection. Nobody wants to overpay but the fact is when I buy something like a Luger I plan on owning it for life.

Look forward to seeing what you decide

[cirelaw]

Thanks for your interest and plan to sell some next year~I have purchased all my lugers since the death of Ralph Shattuck from George Anderson, of whom I trust and hold him in the highest esteem! He takes payments I'm sure!! Send him a private message!!! He has become a close friend and the most knowledgeable!!!!I've bought from George not only lots of lugers but holsters, boards, drums and Imperial accessories! Eric

[Edward Tinker]

I read above, but will give advice like I did not read anything.
The old adage is very true - as a seller - YOUR stuff has an issue with it and folks will try to talk you down, and/or your stuff is gold - but as a Buyer, you want it cheaper.

On this or other forums - no fees - I have found the forum members cheaper than some places... Then you have to ship, keep track, but you have the most control, also takes the longest.

Dealers - selling on consignment - best for value from them rather than buying your stuff. Fees range from 10-25% with most probably 15% or 20%
Dealers - buying from you, several will buy your entire stock, likely give you decent prices for guns, and expect your holsters, etc as extras (free or very low to them) - but expect that they will want to make minimum 25% and most 30-40% (and plus) on smaller items

Local Gun Shop - consignment, same as above - direct buy, even less than the bigger dealers above. Probably the easiest, but least money to you usually.

Auctions - gunbroker etc - about 15% but you have to keep track and box up
Auctions - Rock Island, etc - about 20% but not guaranteed to go high. You never know - since your items are really nice, could go high, could just sit there or get low bids that day? Using reserves is good, but if they don't sell, they come back to you unless you ask to have them do another auction and then expect NO reserve...

Having someone like George, myself etc to sell for you - easy on you but expect 15-20% (my assumption) and I always figure that holsters and other items are 25-35% for me, plus fees for listing, shipping.

[jeb111]

I guess I should have been more clear, when I said I plan on owning something like a Luger for life getting the cheapest price is not the driving factor for the purchase. I am not a dealer looking to make money. If I can't afford something I just don't try to buy it by offering a low ball price.

Obviously gun shows are the best way to buy and sell something. Having the item in your hand and inspecting it answers most questions but dealing with most of the members on this forum would seem to be the next best thing.

Funny I bought my only Lugers years ago as a kid from local gun shows, knowing almost nothing about them at the time. Since then I have learned volumes and my Lugers turned out to be very honest matching # pieces. At the time I thought I paid a fortune for some of them, $600 for a 1916 DWM all matching w/ tool and 1916 holster, original finish.
Got lucky, my gun show guardian angel was looking out for me. Jim

[Neil Young]

You said it yourself. You bought from George Anderson and have stated "whom I trust and hold him in the highest esteem!". As you know, George has sold a lot of estate collections, so why not do a consignment deal with him? Even though it may sound so, I am not his agent. I too trust George. I'm just saying.......................

[DonVoigt]

Eric,
if Debbie does not mind the hassle of shipping, you can likely sell your pieces on this forum with no problem.
Maybe you have a local dealer who will do the transfer and shipping for a piece rate fee, not commission- as you do the selling transaction yourself.

You already have pictures.

You likely paid "retail" for them, and will be fortunate to get that back(JMHO); and anything you bought from Ralph is suspect to most of us- but you may have been lucky.
George can give you good advice or handle the whole deal.

The rest of the guys have given you pretty much all the options in posts above.
There is a very broad range of prices at which lugers sell, Ed pointed out the problem with the big auction houses, you may do very well or get "skunt". I just bought one item at 1/3 of what the "value" was/is- because no one else was bidding that day; another day it could have brought 50% over the average market price. There is just no reasoning and no guarantee for what sells and what does not.

You know I "need" one of your artilleries, so you have one sale "in the bag".
If you will take "payments" , I might even buy a couple more!

[cirelaw]

Thank Don! You advice is well taken and I'm saving the special artillery for you~ Eric

[gunbugs]

I've sold hundreds of guns on Gunbroker, and find them to be an excellent selling tool. As has already been mentioned, lots of good photos are a must. Generally, I'll post 15 to 20 photos of any given gun, taken so that it would be the same as if you were looking at it in your hands. The seller fees are VERY reasonable, about 3 to 4 percent, and the buyer pays shipping. GB has been a real asset to me, overall.

[cirelaw]

Only three remain from Ralph. A Test luger, A 1937 Krieghoff and a 1920 Luger Carbine all of which have been found legit~All else was purchased from George~

[calibrator]

" You likely paid "retail" for them, and will be fortunate to get that back(JMHO); and anything you bought from Ralph is suspect to most of us- but you may have been lucky. "

+1 on the above. I know from experience. I had the experience of visiting the World Of Lugers at least 5-6 times to purchase items since I live very close, and a few times just to hear his tales about his life. Did I mention he "liked" my Wife, his Wife had notable animosity toward her after the 1st visit. I got a few good tales about how he got started as a dealer when he in his early teens, as well as a few deadly encounters he had as a Sheriff or a Marshal, I forget which jurisdiction.

Either Ralph was a shrewd pirate, or a victim of senile dementia, I don't know. I'll give 2 examples for your entertainment , the 2nd is the most hair raising;


Went there one time with my Wife (Ralph liked my wife, likening her to "Marilyn"), and was shown a nice looking 1918 Arty. Re-finished, non-matching with a MecGar mag, he said he wanted 1500. Seeing something we wanted, my Wife said we would go to the bank and be right back, OK. Getting back and handing over 1500, Ralph says you're 100 shy. My Wife stood up to him and said NO you said 1500. After a bit of back-and-forth, Ralph says with a sly smile, Yeah, you're right.

2nd time;
Went there alone for the first time (mistake?) looking for Arty accessories. Had an Imperial stock, a Trommelmag, and a re-pro re-loader on the table in front of us. I said, how much for ALL the items on the table. The price he quoted seemed GREAT for all 3. I paid his price, he went into the back room with the cash, I started putting the items in my case. As I was putting the loader into my case, he magically appeared (was he watching ?) and said, HOLD ON THERE, YOU DIDN'T PAY ME FOR THAT LOADER.

WTF, what if I had put the loader in my case and left. Would I have been Blackmailed to prevent prosecution for theft ??? I AM of the opinion it was a set-up to force me into paying WAY above retail because of the "unease" created by the situation.


As a Machinist/Welder/Fabricator specializing in post-war Mercedes Benz Classic Restoration. I jokingly told Ralph at the first meeting that I was a "M-B Parts Counterfeiter", since I was actively making a LOT of parts for a project that re-created a one-of-a-kind 1952 race car (the parts were actually fooling old timers that worked on that car). Ralph said to me; WOW, those are skills I wish I would have had when I was a young man. (???)

Is it any wonder that I have predilection against trusting Dealers at first glance ?

[4 Scale]

If you go the Gunbroker route, in addition to the good pictures I'd suggest a longer-than-typical description. Don't make stuff up or drone on, but the saying in marketing is 'long copy sells' and I believe that to be true. If the person is interested, he actually wants to hear about the item and get a feel for if you are a good seller. I think many GB sellers really hurt themselves by skimping on the descriptions.

[cirelaw]

The total value of all my lugers pale in value to the friendships I shared over our last decade together!! Priceless! Eric~