mawkie
C&R Whisperer
-Yeah, the title is accurate. I've been lusting after a 1900 Luger for quite some time. Figured if I was a good boy and lucky I'd be able to swing a nice commercial example for around $3-4k. Knew that one of the US test trial examples was waaay outside of my financial reach.
-Fast forward to today and I find a 1900 Luger with all the hallmarks of a US test trial example: no Germany import mark (this is important), no German commercial proof marks. Pulling out my copy of Michael Reese's reference book on the US Test Trial Lugers he has photos of an example with a SN just 7 off of mine (part of the Lt Palmer test report). All the features of #2345 match the one for sale which sports SN 2354.
-I then go to Jan Still's Luger site on Gunboards and dig up the most recent US test Luger list and this one is listed but not as one with provenance. It's sandwiched between a small batch of 5 pistols listed in an official test report (SNs 6339, 6342, 6344, 6345 and 6346) and the acknowledged first pistol of the Bannerman auction lot: 6361. So in my heart I'm convinced that this was a test trial pistol but it has no provenance. Could it be commercial? Maybe, but that means that DWM sold examples illegally, without the country of manufacture mark. Perhaps they took advantage of the large initial shipment to pull individual examples out to sell commercially. It's a possibility that muddies the water.
-I'm smitten anyway and it's mine as I'm the lone bidder (fine by me!). It also comes with a very fine velvet lined display case which is begging for some spare mags and a vintage ammo box.
-She arrived today and all numbers match, including grips. The magazine is the correct type and is un-numbered. The only outlier is that the takedown lever is numbered on the left and most US trials pistols are numbered on the right. Condition is very good and mechanically it's tight and smooth, just what you would expect from a 1900.
-Fast forward to today and I find a 1900 Luger with all the hallmarks of a US test trial example: no Germany import mark (this is important), no German commercial proof marks. Pulling out my copy of Michael Reese's reference book on the US Test Trial Lugers he has photos of an example with a SN just 7 off of mine (part of the Lt Palmer test report). All the features of #2345 match the one for sale which sports SN 2354.
-I then go to Jan Still's Luger site on Gunboards and dig up the most recent US test Luger list and this one is listed but not as one with provenance. It's sandwiched between a small batch of 5 pistols listed in an official test report (SNs 6339, 6342, 6344, 6345 and 6346) and the acknowledged first pistol of the Bannerman auction lot: 6361. So in my heart I'm convinced that this was a test trial pistol but it has no provenance. Could it be commercial? Maybe, but that means that DWM sold examples illegally, without the country of manufacture mark. Perhaps they took advantage of the large initial shipment to pull individual examples out to sell commercially. It's a possibility that muddies the water.
-I'm smitten anyway and it's mine as I'm the lone bidder (fine by me!). It also comes with a very fine velvet lined display case which is begging for some spare mags and a vintage ammo box.
-She arrived today and all numbers match, including grips. The magazine is the correct type and is un-numbered. The only outlier is that the takedown lever is numbered on the left and most US trials pistols are numbered on the right. Condition is very good and mechanically it's tight and smooth, just what you would expect from a 1900.
