$2 Million dollar Gun

Nomadr · 02-20-2005, 11:34 AM

Thought you guys would enjoy this!
A local gun collector discovered he owns the luger George Eastman committed suicide with? He paid less then $500 bucks back in 1972. Very interesting article. I can scan and post the whole article if your interested.
They say George Eastman owned 2 lugers (a matching set) and both are unaccounted for until this one turned up in Rochester. Although they don't give a clear description of the luger other than "it's an early 1900s model" it matches the one in the original police photos.
It is marked under the barrel with a C/B, C/G, C/U, 172,28 and ser. 133
Better check your collections

The owner no longer wants to keep the luger because of it's tragic history. Hmmmm, wonder if the $2 million price tag helped with that decision?
Bob
For some reason. I'm having trouble posting a PIC?

Pete Ebbink · 02-20-2005, 12:15 PM

Hi Robert,

1. Can you direct some of us (i.e. me) to some documenting article that states Geo. Sr. committed sucide ? This is "news" to me and I thought I read enough luger books (over 65) on the subjuect...

2. WOL's dealer, Ralph Shattuck, has the "Baby" 7-shot luger thought to have been Geo. personal sidearm. This one is photographed in several luger books and here is a photo taken by one of the LF members at a Luger Fest event at Ralph's house a couple of years back :

Regards,

Pete...

Nomadr · 02-20-2005, 12:32 PM

Hope this works

Nomadr · 02-20-2005, 12:33 PM

Another

Nomadr · 02-20-2005, 12:39 PM

Quote from article:
Weakened by illness, George Eastman the founder of the Eastman Kodak Co. lay down on March 14 1932 and put a bullet through his heart.
He left behind a note saying "my work is done. Why wait?"

Nomadr · 02-20-2005, 12:46 PM

Hey Pete,
Are we talking about the same "George"?

Pete Ebbink · 02-20-2005, 01:10 PM

Sorry, Robert...my mistake...I thought I read Geo. Luger in your first posting...my mistake ! Gotta go get my first cup of Java...

Regards,

Pete...

Dwight Gruber · 02-20-2005, 02:20 PM

Bob,

Could you please post--or send me dwightg@pacifier.com --large-bitmap pictures of this article, particularly the photographs? It appears that there is enough information here for a good entry into my early Commercial database, but the resolution of the photos in the Forum are too low to make it all out, thanks very much.

--Dwight

regul · 02-20-2005, 06:24 PM

Hi Dwight
Here is a link to the article. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/...WS01/502200338
Ed

Nomadr · 02-20-2005, 06:35 PM

Dwight,
If that isn't good enough for you I will gladly mail you the article.
Bob

regul · 02-20-2005, 08:08 PM

Bob
I forgot to say Thank You for letting everybody know about the newspaper article. very interesting.
Thanks again
Ed

Pete Ebbink · 02-21-2005, 12:13 PM

Article says Ralph Shattuck did the $ 2M valuation...

Another sentence in the article reads as :

"...If you could document it's George Eastman's, there's people out there who would pay some stupid money..."

Ron Wood · 02-21-2005, 12:36 PM

They should have put "stupid" in bold letters.

wterrell · 02-21-2005, 12:42 PM

I am not sure that George Eastman is a significant enough historical or cultural figure that the pistol that he used to commit suicide would fetch $2 mil.

George Anderson · 02-21-2005, 12:46 PM

I think George Eastman's Brownie might be worth more money.

Nomadr · 02-21-2005, 06:26 PM

Even if it was documented, what do you think it would bring?

But being realistic and assuming it will never be documented and just a curiosity piece, then how much?

Edward Tinker · 02-21-2005, 06:57 PM

I would guess it might add a couple thousand? More if some idiot wants to display it at a store to bring people in, but not that much. As Geo said, something used by him might be worth more, but something with a gruesome history, more maybe but not to most folks...

Ed

Ron Wood · 02-21-2005, 08:22 PM

The Luger appears to be in very good condition and has a very early serial number. Assuming that it is in about 98% condition, if it has the early flat button magazine and unrelieved frame: a)if it is Swiss - approximately $9000-$10000; b) if it is commercial - approximately $10000-$12000. With that as a baseline, you could add anywhere from $2500 to $5000 for its role in a high profile newsworthy event. Working in the P.T. Barnum factor, someone might drop $25,000 into it if they really wanted it. Anything over that is insanity...$2M is somewhere out there on the fringes of the universe.

Pete Ebbink · 02-21-2005, 08:54 PM

If Teddy Roosevelt's M1902 carbine showed up, that one might just fetch $ 2M...especially with documentation that is impeccable...

wterrell · 02-22-2005, 01:55 PM

Ron's figures are right, with the addition of $ for auction madness (Ron hit it with the "P.T. Barnum factor"). Pete has zeroed in on THE pistol and historical figure, but $2 mil is still unthinkable.

02-20-2005, 11:34 AM	#1
Nomadr Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 276 Thanks: 16 Thanked 28 Times in 22 Posts	$2 Million dollar Gun Thought you guys would enjoy this! A local gun collector discovered he owns the luger George Eastman committed suicide with? He paid less then $500 bucks back in 1972. Very interesting article. I can scan and post the whole article if your interested. They say George Eastman owned 2 lugers (a matching set) and both are unaccounted for until this one turned up in Rochester. Although they don't give a clear description of the luger other than "it's an early 1900s model" it matches the one in the original police photos. It is marked under the barrel with a C/B, C/G, C/U, 172,28 and ser. 133 Better check your collections The owner no longer wants to keep the luger because of it's tragic history. Hmmmm, wonder if the $2 million price tag helped with that decision? Bob For some reason. I'm having trouble posting a PIC?

02-20-2005, 12:15 PM	#2
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Suicide...??? Hi Robert, 1. Can you direct some of us (i.e. me) to some documenting article that states Geo. Sr. committed sucide ? This is "news" to me and I thought I read enough luger books (over 65) on the subjuect... 2. WOL's dealer, Ralph Shattuck, has the "Baby" 7-shot luger thought to have been Geo. personal sidearm. This one is photographed in several luger books and here is a photo taken by one of the LF members at a Luger Fest event at Ralph's house a couple of years back : Regards, Pete...

02-20-2005, 12:32 PM	#3
Nomadr Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 276 Thanks: 16 Thanked 28 Times in 22 Posts	George Eastman Hope this works Attached Thumbnails

02-20-2005, 12:33 PM	#4
Nomadr Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 276 Thanks: 16 Thanked 28 Times in 22 Posts	George Eastman Another Attached Thumbnails

02-20-2005, 06:24 PM	#9
regul Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: VA Posts: 96 Thanks: 19 Thanked 57 Times in 20 Posts	Democrat and Chronicle Luger Article Hi Dwight Here is a link to the article. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/...WS01/502200338 Ed

02-20-2005, 12:39 PM	#5
Nomadr Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 276 Thanks: 16 Thanked 28 Times in 22 Posts	Quote from article: Weakened by illness, George Eastman the founder of the Eastman Kodak Co. lay down on March 14 1932 and put a bullet through his heart. He left behind a note saying "my work is done. Why wait?"

02-20-2005, 12:46 PM	#6
Nomadr Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 276 Thanks: 16 Thanked 28 Times in 22 Posts	Hey Pete, Are we talking about the same "George"?

02-20-2005, 01:10 PM	#7
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Sorry, Robert...my mistake...I thought I read Geo. Luger in your first posting...my mistake ! Gotta go get my first cup of Java... Regards, Pete...

02-20-2005, 02:20 PM	#8
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,889 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,281 Times in 423 Posts	Bob, Could you please post--or send me dwightg@pacifier.com --large-bitmap pictures of this article, particularly the photographs? It appears that there is enough information here for a good entry into my early Commercial database, but the resolution of the photos in the Forum are too low to make it all out, thanks very much. --Dwight

02-20-2005, 06:35 PM	#10
Nomadr Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 276 Thanks: 16 Thanked 28 Times in 22 Posts	Dwight, If that isn't good enough for you I will gladly mail you the article. Bob

02-20-2005, 08:08 PM	#11
regul Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: VA Posts: 96 Thanks: 19 Thanked 57 Times in 20 Posts	Bob I forgot to say Thank You for letting everybody know about the newspaper article. very interesting. Thanks again Ed

02-21-2005, 12:13 PM	#12
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Article says Ralph Shattuck did the $ 2M valuation... Another sentence in the article reads as : "...If you could document it's George Eastman's, there's people out there who would pay some stupid money..."

02-21-2005, 12:36 PM	#13
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 6,986 Thanks: 1,065 Thanked 5,088 Times in 1,674 Posts	They should have put "stupid" in bold letters. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

02-21-2005, 12:42 PM	#14
wterrell User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,096 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I am not sure that George Eastman is a significant enough historical or cultural figure that the pistol that he used to commit suicide would fetch $2 mil. __________________ Noli me vocare, ego te vocabo, wes --------------------

02-21-2005, 12:46 PM	#15
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,769 Thanked 2,527 Times in 786 Posts	I think George Eastman's Brownie might be worth more money.

02-21-2005, 06:26 PM	#16
Nomadr Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 276 Thanks: 16 Thanked 28 Times in 22 Posts	Even if it was documented, what do you think it would bring? But being realistic and assuming it will never be documented and just a curiosity piece, then how much?

02-21-2005, 06:57 PM	#17
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,909 Thanks: 1,986 Thanked 4,500 Times in 2,076 Posts	I would guess it might add a couple thousand? More if some idiot wants to display it at a store to bring people in, but not that much. As Geo said, something used by him might be worth more, but something with a gruesome history, more maybe but not to most folks... 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

02-21-2005, 08:22 PM	#18
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 6,986 Thanks: 1,065 Thanked 5,088 Times in 1,674 Posts	The Luger appears to be in very good condition and has a very early serial number. Assuming that it is in about 98% condition, if it has the early flat button magazine and unrelieved frame: a)if it is Swiss - approximately $9000-$10000; b) if it is commercial - approximately $10000-$12000. With that as a baseline, you could add anywhere from $2500 to $5000 for its role in a high profile newsworthy event. Working in the P.T. Barnum factor, someone might drop $25,000 into it if they really wanted it. Anything over that is insanity...$2M is somewhere out there on the fringes of the universe. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

02-21-2005, 08:54 PM	#19
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	If Teddy Roosevelt's M1902 carbine showed up, that one might just fetch $ 2M...especially with documentation that is impeccable...

02-22-2005, 01:55 PM	#20
wterrell User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,096 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Ron's figures are right, with the addition of $ for auction madness (Ron hit it with the "P.T. Barnum factor"). Pete has zeroed in on THE pistol and historical figure, but $2 mil is still unthinkable. __________________ Noli me vocare, ego te vocabo, wes --------------------