The Luger Handbook

Has Anyone got The Luger Handbook by Aaron Davis? Is it accurate as to values? I've been putting off getting Jan C. Still's books till I have the $$$ to get "Em" all in one shopping spree!


,Brandon

Boy this guy is slipping! This is one of the reviews by people who bought Ralph's book from Amazon.com. You don't collect Lugers and call Ralph Shattuck's book a book for quote "Loonies". This guy won't go far talking about Ralph Shattuck like that!!! ">

,Brandon


Lugers of Ralph Shattuck, October 11, 2001

Reviewer: A reader from Surrey United Kingdom

Review of â??The Lugers of Ralph Shattuckâ?� by Rocky


My first impression of this book is SMALL. 71/4 x 5 x 3/8 inch (185 x 130 x 10 mm) with only 48 pages. At ... it is an expensive book.

Then I wonder why it was published at all. It is not a large format, glossy book of exquisite photographs of rare and beautiful Lugers. Nor is it only pictures of Lugers from the collection of Ralph Shattuck; several examples are from other collections.

The photographs have been scanned with a poor resolution scanner, on page 10 it is almost impossible to make out the chamber markings on a Portugese Navy contract Luger.

He does introduce the concept of Lugers as historical artefacts rather than merely collectable metal. Describing some of the battles where Lugers have been used and famous previous owners. This is a good thing, many pistols have been separated from their provenance and anything that encourages collectors to research their collections must enhance our knowledge, this is especially important in the UK where famous association is one reason to be allowed to collect Lugers.

This book is not for the beginner, only Luger completeists or book loonies (guilty) should buy it. If you are interested in Lugers there are much better titles, with more information.


Rating 4/10

[Herb]

Buying a book on Luger values is like buying The Kelly Blue Book on car values. Values vary from location to location, nation to nation and are usually only of any value for a very short time. You may have a Luger that a collector wants rally bad to complete or enhace his collection, he will be willing to pay more for it than a person looking for a shooter. I personally feel that all of them are of limited value for a limited time and are not worth the asking price.

[Dwight Gruber]

The Luger Handbook is a useful little book. Prices listed anywhere--even Fjestad's Blue Book--seem to be only guidelines, they are more or less accurate depending on the moment, the gun, and the people involved. Davis's book is certainly out of date with prices, but useful as an indicator. It is also in error concerning the finish of later Lugers (see Thor's posting back-forum). All that being said, the book is indispensible for walking around a gun show (or anywhere else there are Lugers around), particularly if one is not one of the encyclopediac experts who inhabit this forum. It can't be beat as the starting point for identification and valuation of any Luger you might run across.


--Dwight

Aaron Davis lives here in Colorado. I spoke with him last weekend and his comments may help you better understand the values in the book. Krause was the publisher and has a tactic of publishing values in their books. AD had not intended to put values in his book. Rather, the values were a requirement of the publisher. AD's goal was to print a guide that would quickly enable you to identify a luger that was in your hands. His intent was not to provide valuation information though to satisfy a publisher request, he did so.

[Marvin]

mlm,


Wow, I sure am glad you posted this information! I always blamed Aaron Davis for the wild prices in the book and I was wrong! The prices in the book were to me, always on the HIGH side for the particular condition. I would take the condition and price, and then go to the next lowest condition and the price was in the ballpark for that Luger, at retail of course.


Aaron's book is very good for a gun show book and to look up quick references. Every collector should have one, but they need to know there are a few minor errors, but not major. Yes, get the book. Jan Still's are much more expensive, but do provide the most details.


Marvin

[David Jackson]

I like Lugers, I like books. I have both Davis's Handbook and the little book on Shattuck Lugers.

I guess I too, must remark on the 'Emperor's New Clothes". The Shattuck book is small. The picture quality is poor.

I was hoping for a real catalog of the Shattuck collection, which may be the best on the planet, and instead got a little booklet with computer scan photos of really dubious quality. I kept the book and the envelope it came in, as I have done with other books; hoping it may become a collector's item in its own right some day. It is not much of a gun book.

Do you have Luger the International Pistol by Kenyon? If so, is there any comparison whatsoever between the two as presentations of fine guns?

The Davis guide may be helpful for identification purposes. It may also be helpful in boosting the deflated ego of a gun collector by making him or her feel really rich! (I know it works that way for me!)

David Jackson

[Ron Wood]

Aaron Davis' book is a neat little reference to carry in your pocket, but do not use it as definitive for values. It also has some errors (as nearly every book ever written does). The description of the small parts (e.g. trigger, take down lever and thumb safety) is "cut and pasted" for every Luger in the book, so all are listed as having "strawed" finish. Oops! Also, production numbers are sometimes off. BUT, it is still a neat little reference.