MEL TORME'S 06 BERN, "Almost"

rufe-snow · 09-25-2002, 02:33 PM

Please excuse the following as it's off topic, and long.
I bought a Swiss made Bern Luger in the mid 70's when the collecting bug had bitten me really hard. Payed way to much for it, $2,000. That was a lot of money to me in 70's but I had to have it!
The only way you could describe it, was being brand new. As I had collected military handguns for many years the idea of finding a 60 year old military issue pistol in that condition was unbeliveable!
The Luger was from the first production run at Bern. The serial number placed it in the first 30 Lugers made there in 1919. (15,216 - 15,246)
The only thing that disappointed me was that the rear sight had a "square notch" rather then the correct "v notch". I was assured by some RKI's that this wasn't unknown. Some of the Swiss Officers who bought their own pistols had this "professionally" done to improve the sight picture.
Fast forward (6) years, I had decided to sell my collection. Most of the stuff went pretty quick but I was having trouble selling the Bern Luger. A co-worker knew Mel Torme he suggested I call him "as he was interested in getting back into Lugers".
When I called Torme he invited me up to his home in the Hollywood hills.
This guy had a ego that was unbelievable, he was his own favorite subject! I was there a better part of an hour, most of it was taken up with his ex wives and how he had to sell his guns to pay for the divorce, yada! yada! yada!. He did show me some albums with fabulous gun pictures, both Lugers and Colt SAA's. Before I left he offered me $1800, which I turned down. The next time I saw my co-worker, he told me Torme had called him and he was "really pissed".
I would up selling the Bern about 6 months later to a local gun show hustler who gave me $1900 + for it. This guy had a reputation for peddling guns south of the border.
I often wondered if the Bern wound up down there?
I like to ask If any of the members have or know of a early production Bern Luger with a variant rear sight? Hope the Bern is still around and not in some coke baron's collection.
<img src="graemlins/offtopic.gif" border="0" alt="[offtopic]" />

John Sabato · 09-25-2002, 03:27 PM

Hey Richard,

This was not off-topic... this was right on topic... If you ID the exact serial number, perhaps one of our 559 registered members might know where this gun is today...

Doubs · 09-25-2002, 03:35 PM

Great story, Richard. I, too, would be interested in knowing if anyone can pinpoint the exact location of your Bern Luger. Please provide the exact serial number.

As for Mel, "The Velvet Frog" (or was that "Fog"?), I'd rather listen to Jimmy Buffett any day!

Ron Wood · 09-25-2002, 03:51 PM

The square notch rear sight was a relatively common modification. When it was performed at Waffenfabrik Bern, the rear toggle link was stamped on top with a Swiss cross proof ahead of the sight near the toggle joint . This modification could be applied to any of the Swiss variations. I have a 3-digit 1900 Swiss that has been so modified. My '06 W+F Bern is #15640, not quite as low a number as your former Luger (I am assuming it was the #15,246 you mentioned), but still pretty early. It does not have the modified rear sight.

John Sabato · 09-25-2002, 04:08 PM

Did any of these 'square notch' modified guns have square blade front sights to match? Neither of you guys mentioned this... [img]confused.gif[/img]

Ron Wood · 09-25-2002, 04:13 PM

Don't know for sure John. None of the square notched rear sight Swiss that I have seen have had the front sight replaced.

rufe-snow · 09-25-2002, 04:29 PM

Sorry! at this late date I just can't remember the S. N. #. One of the first 30 made in Bern is as close as I can get. Don't want to guess and give out the wrong number.
The front sight was the conventional inverted "v" blade, not a square post like a partridge.
Also don't recall If there were any Swiss proofs back by the rear sight.

Michael Zeleny · 09-01-2003, 05:09 PM

A 1906 American Eagle from the Mel Torme Collection, in a 97% condition, is listed at http://www.midwestfirearms.com/ for $1850.00. You will need to ask the webmaster for a password in order to view the Luger section of the web site.

Doug G. · 09-01-2003, 06:21 PM

swissbern9mm

Big Norm · 09-03-2003, 10:50 PM

It seems like there haave been quite a few posts about Mel's ego both on this forum and on the old forum. Sometimes that happens on celebreties. I t never happened to me because my parents always raised me as just one of their children and never made a big thing of my good looks and talents. So now that I have added a great body, I never let it go to my head. Arnold Swartz-in-something, move aside.
<img border="0" alt="[king]" title="" src="graemlins/r.gif" />

Big Norm

Sgt Art · 09-17-2003, 03:24 PM

I remember one night years ago on Torme was on the Johnny Carson Show showing off a couple of his guns. One of them was Colt SAA that he was bragging about (I don't recall the particulars) when onto the stage comes Don Rickles. Rickles pretty much told him to put his toys away, that no one cared about his stupid guns (his words more or less) and took over the interview basically shutting Torme off. It was priceless, Torme was at a complete loss for words and sat there with the most bummed out expression you can imagine. I actually felt kind of bad for him, but he knew better than to try to take on Rickles.

09-25-2002, 03:27 PM	#2
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Hey Richard, This was not off-topic... this was right on topic... If you ID the exact serial number, perhaps one of our 559 registered members might know where this gun is today... __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

09-25-2002, 03:51 PM	#4
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: 6,988 Thanks: 1,067 Thanked 5,096 Times in 1,676 Posts	The square notch rear sight was a relatively common modification. When it was performed at Waffenfabrik Bern, the rear toggle link was stamped on top with a Swiss cross proof ahead of the sight near the toggle joint . This modification could be applied to any of the Swiss variations. I have a 3-digit 1900 Swiss that has been so modified. My '06 W+F Bern is #15640, not quite as low a number as your former Luger (I am assuming it was the #15,246 you mentioned), but still pretty early. It does not have the modified rear sight. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

09-25-2002, 04:08 PM	#5
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Did any of these 'square notch' modified guns have square blade front sights to match? Neither of you guys mentioned this... [img]confused.gif[/img] __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

09-25-2002, 04:13 PM	#6
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: 6,988 Thanks: 1,067 Thanked 5,096 Times in 1,676 Posts	Don't know for sure John. None of the square notched rear sight Swiss that I have seen have had the front sight replaced. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

09-25-2002, 04:29 PM	#7
rufe-snow User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: EX-PRK Posts: 19 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Sorry! at this late date I just can't remember the S. N. #. One of the first 30 made in Bern is as close as I can get. Don't want to guess and give out the wrong number. The front sight was the conventional inverted "v" blade, not a square post like a partridge. Also don't recall If there were any Swiss proofs back by the rear sight. __________________ RICHARD

09-25-2002, 02:33 PM	#1
rufe-snow User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: EX-PRK Posts: 19 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	MEL TORME'S 06 BERN, "Almost" Please excuse the following as it's off topic, and long. I bought a Swiss made Bern Luger in the mid 70's when the collecting bug had bitten me really hard. Payed way to much for it, $2,000. That was a lot of money to me in 70's but I had to have it! The only way you could describe it, was being brand new. As I had collected military handguns for many years the idea of finding a 60 year old military issue pistol in that condition was unbeliveable! The Luger was from the first production run at Bern. The serial number placed it in the first 30 Lugers made there in 1919. (15,216 - 15,246) The only thing that disappointed me was that the rear sight had a "square notch" rather then the correct "v notch". I was assured by some RKI's that this wasn't unknown. Some of the Swiss Officers who bought their own pistols had this "professionally" done to improve the sight picture. Fast forward (6) years, I had decided to sell my collection. Most of the stuff went pretty quick but I was having trouble selling the Bern Luger. A co-worker knew Mel Torme he suggested I call him "as he was interested in getting back into Lugers". When I called Torme he invited me up to his home in the Hollywood hills. This guy had a ego that was unbelievable, he was his own favorite subject! I was there a better part of an hour, most of it was taken up with his ex wives and how he had to sell his guns to pay for the divorce, yada! yada! yada!. He did show me some albums with fabulous gun pictures, both Lugers and Colt SAA's. Before I left he offered me $1800, which I turned down. The next time I saw my co-worker, he told me Torme had called him and he was "really pissed". I would up selling the Bern about 6 months later to a local gun show hustler who gave me $1900 + for it. This guy had a reputation for peddling guns south of the border. I often wondered if the Bern wound up down there? I like to ask If any of the members have or know of a early production Bern Luger with a variant rear sight? Hope the Bern is still around and not in some coke baron's collection. <img src="graemlins/offtopic.gif" border="0" alt="[offtopic]" /> __________________ RICHARD

09-25-2002, 03:35 PM	#3
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,670 Thanks: 770 Thanked 1,614 Times in 525 Posts	Great story, Richard. I, too, would be interested in knowing if anyone can pinpoint the exact location of your Bern Luger. Please provide the exact serial number. As for Mel, "The Velvet Frog" (or was that "Fog"?), I'd rather listen to Jimmy Buffett any day!

09-01-2003, 05:09 PM	#8
Michael Zeleny Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 525 Thanks: 129 Thanked 138 Times in 76 Posts	A 1906 American Eagle from the Mel Torme Collection, in a 97% condition, is listed at http://www.midwestfirearms.com/ for $1850.00. You will need to ask the webmaster for a password in order to view the Luger section of the web site. __________________ 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

09-01-2003, 06:21 PM	#9
Doug G. User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 713 Thanks: 1 Thanked 53 Times in 17 Posts	swissbern9mm __________________ Suppose you were an idiot.....and suppose you were a member of Congress.....But I repeat myself" ~~ Mark Twain

09-03-2003, 10:50 PM	#10
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	It seems like there haave been quite a few posts about Mel's ego both on this forum and on the old forum. Sometimes that happens on celebreties. I t never happened to me because my parents always raised me as just one of their children and never made a big thing of my good looks and talents. So now that I have added a great body, I never let it go to my head. Arnold Swartz-in-something, move aside. <img border="0" alt="[king]" title="" src="graemlins/r.gif" /> Big Norm

09-17-2003, 03:24 PM	#11
Sgt Art User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SC Posts: 58 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I remember one night years ago on Torme was on the Johnny Carson Show showing off a couple of his guns. One of them was Colt SAA that he was bragging about (I don't recall the particulars) when onto the stage comes Don Rickles. Rickles pretty much told him to put his toys away, that no one cared about his stupid guns (his words more or less) and took over the interview basically shutting Torme off. It was priceless, Torme was at a complete loss for words and sat there with the most bummed out expression you can imagine. I actually felt kind of bad for him, but he knew better than to try to take on Rickles.