1906 "Russian" Luger

[Michael Zeleny]

I have it on good authority that Greg Martin Auctions have authenticated this spectacular forthcoming offering as Georg Luger's personal gift to Mikhail Gorbachev.

[alanint]

But does it include the original pencil-inscribed cardboard box?

[Michael Zeleny]

No box, but the high bidder will have the option of buying a bottle of sauerkraut-flavored Stolichnaya vodka numbered en suite with the 1906 "Russian" Luger for an extra $500.

[sheepherder]

An absolutely fantastic/breathtaking find of an original Russian Contract 1906 Luger!!!

Congratulations!!!

...Ummm...You did buy it already, right???...

[Michael Zeleny]

It must be authentic, considering the chamber decoration replicating the "X" mark found on Russian-captured and rebuilt firearms.

[pitsword]

Oh gosh,what did I just put a deposit on? She told me that she really loved me, well sorta, I think. She said she was the finest Russian rework I would ever hold. Didn't have crossed rifles, rather crossed legs. Ohhh darn. Well, soon it is another year of learning. Although with much fewer coin to spend on authentic, really nice reworks. You folks are such an education.
pitsword

As an aside. Have any of you ever spent time with lobsters, you know, while the pot is coming to a boil? Been doing this for 60+ years and never thought of anything other than eating them.. However as I type on this Christmas day, I gotta wonder what those critters are trying to tell me. Haa I think it is that the pot is boiling on the grill and it is time to go. You know, me to say Merry Christmas and for them to ...you know..GO.

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by pitsword

Have any of you ever spent time with lobsters, you know, while the pot is coming to a boil? Been doing this for 60+ years and never thought of anything other than eating them.. However as I type on this Christmas day, I gotta wonder what those critters are trying to tell me. Haa I think it is that the pot is boiling on the grill and it is time to go. You know, me to say Merry Christmas and for them to ...you know..GO.

His aunt was in the garden, tending whatever flowers die at that time of year. She embraced him and together they went down into the bowels of the earth, into the kitchen in the basement. She took the parcel and undid it and abruptly the lobster was on the table, on the oilcloth, discovered.
“They assured me it was fresh” said Belacqua.
Suddenly he saw the creature move, this neuter creature. Definitely it changed its position. His hand flew to his mouth.
“Christ!” he said “it's alive.”
His aunt looked at the lobster. It moved again. It made a faint nervous act of life on the oilcloth. They stood above it, looking down on it, exposed cruciform on the oilcloth. It shuddered again. Belacqua felt he would be sick.
“My God” he whined “it's alive, what'll we do?” The aunt simply had to laugh. She bustled off to the pantry to fetch her smart apron, leaving him goggling down at the lobster, and came back with it on and her sleeves rolled up, all business.
“Well” she said “it is to be hoped so, indeed.”
“All this time” muttered Belacqua. Then, suddenly aware of her hideous equipment: “What are you going to do?” he cried.
“Boil the beast” she said, “what else?”
“But it's not dead” protested Belacqua “you can't boil it like that.”
She looked at him in astonishment. Had he taken leave of his senses?
“Have sense” she said sharply, “lobsters are always boiled alive. They must be.” She caught up the lobster and laid it on its back. It trembled. “They feel nothing” she said.
In the depths of the sea it had crept into the cruel pot. For hours, in the midst of its enemies, it had breathed secretly. It had survived the Frenchwoman's cat and his witless clutch. Now it was going alive into scalding water. It had to. Take into the air my quiet breath.
Belacqua looked at the old parchment of her face, grey in the dim kitchen.
“You make a fuss” she said angrily “and upset me and then lash into it for your dinner.”
She lifted the lobster clear of the table. It had about thirty seconds to live.
Well, thought Belacqua, it's a quick death, God help us all.
It is not.
--Samuel Beckett, “Dante and the Lobster”, 1934

[drbuster]

At least Michael put quotation marks around "Russian", which is more than the folks at GM auctions did. I know there is "truth in lending" but not "truth in auctioning"!

[Jasta2]

Gee, I thought this was December, not April already. I must have slept all through winter.

[pitsword]

Michael,
Thank you sir. That was so eloquent. The lobster salad was so, so wonderful. Alas, if they (it's), could only know the joy that they give in their passing, at least on the palate.. We all get the joy of the total passing. So very nice to be here with Friends. Like a fine wine, a perfect finish to a long year. Best to all.
pitsword

[hardinge]

Whoever buys it should engrave crossed lugers onto a mosin nagant to complete the set.

[FNorm]

"...sauerkraut-flavored Stolichnaya vodka ".... gonna have to ponder on that for a bit.


FN

[StarOfTheWest]

Originally Posted by hardinge

Whoever buys it should engrave crossed lugers onto a mosin nagant to complete the set.

ROFL!!!
Thanks, you made my morning!

[Norme]

Leaving aside the great Russian/Bulgarian debate for another time, I'm amazed at how many really questionable Lugers are in this one collection - a veritable Luger rogues gallery! It's also disturbing that a previously highly respected auction house, like Greg Martin, would participate in this charade. It's probably no coincidence that GMA is holding this sale in Las Vegas. Regards, Norm

[Michael Zeleny]

Originally Posted by Norme

Leaving aside the great Russian/Bulgarian debate for another time, I'm amazed at how many really questionable Lugers are in this one collection - a veritable Luger rogues gallery! It's also disturbing that a previously highly respected auction house, like Greg Martin, would participate in this charade. It's probably no coincidence that GMA is holding this sale in Las Vegas. Regards, Norm

As discussed here, Hermann Historica sold a Singer M1911A1, SN S800208, for 17,000 Euros + 23% as Lot 1050 in their latest auction. Numerous knowledgeable collectors in this forum have expressed doubts about the authenticity of this pistol. I reported this discussion to Andreas Lackner of Hermann Historica. In response, Andreas contacted the highest police department in Munich (Landeskriminalamt Bayern) to authenticate the questionable Singer under X-ray. In the wake of this development, Franz Hermann of Hermann Historica informed me that after re-examining the pistol very carefully and concluding that the popular opinion on the web forums seems to be correct, Hermann Historica informed the buyer and cancelled the invoice for this item.

Do we have any volunteers for replicating this procedure with Greg Martin Auctions?

[sheepherder]

I wonder why we never see any Russian Navy or Russian Artillery Lugers??? They've got to be worth more than a run-of-the-mill Navy/Artillery...

Was there ever a Bulgarian Navy or Artillery???

[John Sabato]

Kinda hard to have an Artillery or Navy model since they don't have STOCK LUGS!

[Imperial Arms]

Right now, I need a shot of Russian Vodka after my lobster Thermidor meal which I caught today near the 'rock' of Malta!

Ever try the 1906 'Fleur de Lys' vintage wine from France?

Sante,
Albert

[pitsword]

I could also do with a good shot of Stoly(unflavored). I have been plowing snow for the past 2 hours with my 1948 vintage Ford 8N. There is a reason that creature comforts and technology have improved. This Nor'easter is a major PITA, must have 16-18 " of snow and 30+mph winds. I have got some 3 ft+ drifts. Ahhh, Maine, the way life is supposed to be.
Best to all,
pitsword

[DavidJayUden]

With 16-18" of snow and 30MPH+ winds, I'm guessing that 3' drifts will be the small ones...
Good luck, we got our a--es kicked last winter.
dju