Well used Erfurt Police with history

Vlim · 11-25-2014, 02:27 PM

I've been pretty quiet on the forum the last year. Mostly due to work and other commitments, but I finally found some time to pick up, clean and document some recent acquisitions.

Finding a decent Erfurt is a bit of a challenge over here, and finding a police version is even worse. So I was happy to see this one come out of the woodwork. It had been in storage from 1945 onwards. The name of the original owner is known and I will need to do a lot more research to determine what his role was. For now I know that he served at the Austrian/Italian border, the South Tirol area and remained in Austria after the war. The pistol was acquired through a family connection of this person.

The pistol was produced in 1918, went into service in Leipzig as a pistol for the intermediate police force there, and was transferred to the Leipzig police later on, receiving the sear safety modification. The magazine is a properly marked early replacement, marked with a roman I, as well as the serial number.

The grips are original, but in a bad shape. The pistol had some spots of red rust, which cleaned off relatively easily. It has been knocked about over the years, but is in a decent technical condition.

Photos are not the best, I used my scanner, but you'll get an idea.

Vlim · 11-25-2014, 02:37 PM

A catch on the side is this nice looking late 1918 DWM.
It's in excellent condition and all matching, but was refinished somewhere down the line. Interestingly, it came with an unnumbered navy marked magazine (wood bottom) and a 1937 Alu-bottom magazine.

The pistol only has 2 of the 3 military proofs.

Don M · 11-25-2014, 06:08 PM

Very nice, Gerben. Congratulations on acquiring a Luger with good provenance.

It is my observation that most of the extant Erfurts went to Sachsen.

Douglas Jr. · 11-26-2014, 12:52 PM

Nice police Luger.
If it allows further research regarding its previous owner you have a winner!
Congratulations!
Douglas

Vlim · 01-23-2015, 05:39 PM

Something I hadn't noticed before:

While doing a cleaning round, I found that the firing pin was all original, nicely Erfurt marked with the last 2 digits of the serial. I also saw that it had been modified to the fluted version. The milling marks in the pin are unmistakably made afterwards. Now I know very well that the fluted pins were introduced somewhere in the 1930s, but I never realized that they even modified existing pins.

11-25-2014, 02:27 PM	#1
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,049 Thanks: 1,035 Thanked 3,957 Times in 1,200 Posts	Well used Erfurt Police with history I've been pretty quiet on the forum the last year. Mostly due to work and other commitments, but I finally found some time to pick up, clean and document some recent acquisitions. Finding a decent Erfurt is a bit of a challenge over here, and finding a police version is even worse. So I was happy to see this one come out of the woodwork. It had been in storage from 1945 onwards. The name of the original owner is known and I will need to do a lot more research to determine what his role was. For now I know that he served at the Austrian/Italian border, the South Tirol area and remained in Austria after the war. The pistol was acquired through a family connection of this person. The pistol was produced in 1918, went into service in Leipzig as a pistol for the intermediate police force there, and was transferred to the Leipzig police later on, receiving the sear safety modification. The magazine is a properly marked early replacement, marked with a roman I, as well as the serial number. The grips are original, but in a bad shape. The pistol had some spots of red rust, which cleaned off relatively easily. It has been knocked about over the years, but is in a decent technical condition. Photos are not the best, I used my scanner, but you'll get an idea. Attached Thumbnails

11-25-2014, 02:37 PM	#2
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,049 Thanks: 1,035 Thanked 3,957 Times in 1,200 Posts	A catch on the side is this nice looking late 1918 DWM. It's in excellent condition and all matching, but was refinished somewhere down the line. Interestingly, it came with an unnumbered navy marked magazine (wood bottom) and a 1937 Alu-bottom magazine. The pistol only has 2 of the 3 military proofs. Attached Thumbnails

11-25-2014, 06:08 PM	#3
Don M Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,429 Thanks: 67 Thanked 292 Times in 191 Posts	Very nice, Gerben. Congratulations on acquiring a Luger with good provenance. It is my observation that most of the extant Erfurts went to Sachsen. __________________ Regards, Don donmaus1@aol.com Author of History Writ in Steel: German Police Markings 1900-1936 http://www.historywritinsteel.com

11-26-2014, 12:52 PM	#4
Douglas Jr. User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: South America Posts: 948 Thanks: 598 Thanked 584 Times in 254 Posts	Nice police Luger. If it allows further research regarding its previous owner you have a winner! Congratulations! Douglas

01-23-2015, 05:39 PM	#5
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,049 Thanks: 1,035 Thanked 3,957 Times in 1,200 Posts	Something I hadn't noticed before: While doing a cleaning round, I found that the firing pin was all original, nicely Erfurt marked with the last 2 digits of the serial. I also saw that it had been modified to the fluted version. The milling marks in the pin are unmistakably made afterwards. Now I know very well that the fluted pins were introduced somewhere in the 1930s, but I never realized that they even modified existing pins.