Death Head Lugers

Fla.Mallard · 10-16-2020, 06:08 PM

Are Nazi Death Head Lugers authentic or are they just a way to sell a mixmaster?

I saw one on GI months ago and it looks like it's still there.

Norme · 10-16-2020, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fla.Mallard

Are Nazi Death Head Lugers authentic or are they just a way to sell a mixmaster?

I saw one on GI months ago and it looks like it's still there.

Some of the finest minds in Lugerdom have been debating that very question for years. The consensus was, maybe yes, maybe no.
Norm

sheepherder · 10-16-2020, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fla.Mallard

Are Nazi Death Head Lugers authentic...

What do you consider 'authentic'???

Ron Wood · 10-16-2020, 07:19 PM

I do not think they are Nazi guns...my opinion is that they are Weimar era Freikorps flamethrower unit guns. There are several variants of the marking and, of course, a lot of fakes to do exactly what you suggest, sell mixmasters. For the ones that I think might be legitimate I believe they were from the flammenwerfer platoon of the Freikorps "Minenwerfer Heuschkel" detachment. The sleeve badge of the detachment featured a skull and crossbones. It is my thought that the guns carried by the flamethrower platoon were marked with a "lazy S" surmounting the skull and crossbones, the lazy S representing the pattern of the sweep of the flamethrower.
Ron

Fla.Mallard · 10-16-2020, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheepherder

What do you consider 'authentic'???

Did they really exist with the skull engraving during WW2?
That is my definition of authentic.

http://forum.lugerforum.com/album.ph...pictureid=3864

sheepherder · 10-16-2020, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fla.Mallard

Did they really exist with the skull engraving during WW2?
That is my definition of authentic.

Datig has a picture of a Totenkopf Luger in his book published first in 1955. Mine is the 1958 revised edition with the pic on pg 259.

I would imagine that they existed somewhere during WW2, but not necessarily with the Wehrmacht (or SS)..

I am a member of the camp that believes in the Freikorps explanation, as expressed by Ron Wood. Again, photos exist of the post-WW1 Flammenwerfer Totenkopf insignia/logo painted on their trucks.

I also believe there were some excellent copies made.

Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances.

sheepherder · 10-16-2020, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fla.Mallard

...Death Head Lugers...

I saw one on GI months ago and it looks like it's still there.

Is it reasonable??? If you have one, you're not obligated to 'authenticate' it. That's up to the doubters. There's no real way to disprove a Totenkopf Luger. Unless the rest of it is really poorly done. Or it's a WW2 Totenkopf. Then you know it's a fake.

I'd buy one, if the price was right and it looked 'authentic' (your word). I'd even buy a known fake if it was well done.

Sergio Natali · 10-18-2020, 12:24 PM

This topic has been debated here so many times, and in addition to what Ron said

I would only say that in order to capture unwary buyers, counterfeiters have been faking SS markings and skull-heads on a lot of Lugers for yonks, so buyers beware!

10-16-2020, 06:08 PM	#1
Fla.Mallard User Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 99 Thanks: 244 Thanked 95 Times in 37 Posts	Death Head Lugers Are Nazi Death Head Lugers authentic or are they just a way to sell a mixmaster? I saw one on GI months ago and it looks like it's still there. Last edited by Fla.Mallard; 10-17-2020 at 10:03 PM.

10-16-2020, 07:19 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: 7,022 Thanks: 1,090 Thanked 5,179 Times in 1,703 Posts	I do not think they are Nazi guns...my opinion is that they are Weimar era Freikorps flamethrower unit guns. There are several variants of the marking and, of course, a lot of fakes to do exactly what you suggest, sell mixmasters. For the ones that I think might be legitimate I believe they were from the flammenwerfer platoon of the Freikorps "Minenwerfer Heuschkel" detachment. The sleeve badge of the detachment featured a skull and crossbones. It is my thought that the guns carried by the flamethrower platoon were marked with a "lazy S" surmounting the skull and crossbones, the lazy S representing the pattern of the sweep of the flamethrower. Ron Attached Thumbnails __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

10-18-2020, 12:24 PM	#8
Sergio Natali User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Somewhere in Northern Italy Posts: 2,646 Thanks: 1,082 Thanked 1,783 Times in 1,007 Posts	This topic has been debated here so many times, and in addition to what Ron said I would only say that in order to capture unwary buyers, counterfeiters have been faking SS markings and skull-heads on a lot of Lugers for yonks, so buyers beware! __________________ "Originality can't be restored and should be at the top of any collector's priority list.