Spandau Luger Story...

01-26-2002, 12:44 PM

I noticed on the Luger Forum page for "Technical Info.", logo-1 shows a Luger toggle marked "Spandau".

In Fjestad's Blue Book (22 edition) on page 841, a sentence read as "Spandau Lugers - beware of fakes, since they are all fake !!!"

What is the history behind the Spandau ?

tom · 01-26-2002, 02:29 PM

There are about 4-5 known...Ralph Shattuck has one, Mike Morris has one and there are a couple of others out there. The "All are fake" statement is controversial to say the least. If you do some serious research, there are several independent sources that attribute a small quantity of Lugers made-actually rebuilt-at the Spandau arsenal.

The story is long and fraught with potential misunderstandings; the sales price on these, when they occasionally come up for sale, is often in the low five figures. So, I guess the question is: Do you feel lucky enough to bet that kind of money that something with ZERO official government documentation is genuine?

I do not.

Hope this helps,

Tom

lugerholsterrepair · 01-26-2002, 11:22 PM

Tom, My luger mentor who is now 81 years old has told me the story of a Spandau Luger he bought in 1946 just after the war for 50 bucks. He said he had it for many years and finally traded it off for a Navy. Since he was in the Navy as a flier he was interested in anything Navy. Consequently I have always believed that the Spandau Luger is real and not fake. No one was faking anything in 1946. Jerry Burney

Jon · 01-27-2002, 01:23 AM

Luger is briefly profiled in Guns of The world, copyrite

1977 Bonanzana Books,page#313.

01-27-2002, 02:24 AM

FWIW, "Handguns of the World" by Ezell on page 195 estimates that about 150 Lugers were assembled at Spandau in 1918. Most likely a WAG, but the book is a fine reference source.

01-27-2002, 03:48 AM

A story was circulating last year at a local gun show (a wonderful place to hear WAG's and total fabrications but I have wondered about this statement ever since). It was stated that Kenyon spoke before collectors at a show and said the Spandau's were all fakes because he knew who made them and when. Has anyone heard this statement or can comment?

LHR's mention of the 1946 purchase of the Spandau is very interesting and would likely not coincide with the Kenyon rumor. Of course, comparing information from Jerry B and a gun show wag is a no brainer. I now am leaning toward the Spandau's legitimacy.

01-26-2002, 12:44 PM	#1
Wm. "Pete" Ebbink Guest Posts: n/a	Spandau Luger Story... I noticed on the Luger Forum page for "Technical Info.", logo-1 shows a Luger toggle marked "Spandau". In Fjestad's Blue Book (22 edition) on page 841, a sentence read as "Spandau Lugers - beware of fakes, since they are all fake !!!" What is the history behind the Spandau ?

01-26-2002, 02:29 PM	#2
tom User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 269 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Spandau Luger Story... There are about 4-5 known...Ralph Shattuck has one, Mike Morris has one and there are a couple of others out there. The "All are fake" statement is controversial to say the least. If you do some serious research, there are several independent sources that attribute a small quantity of Lugers made-actually rebuilt-at the Spandau arsenal. The story is long and fraught with potential misunderstandings; the sales price on these, when they occasionally come up for sale, is often in the low five figures. So, I guess the question is: Do you feel lucky enough to bet that kind of money that something with ZERO official government documentation is genuine? I do not. Hope this helps, Tom

01-27-2002, 01:23 AM	#4
Jon User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 37 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Spandau/Serial#7732 ? maybe Luger is briefly profiled in Guns of The world, copyrite 1977 Bonanzana Books,page#313.

01-27-2002, 02:24 AM	#5
Bill Utterback Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Spandau/Serial#7732 ? maybe FWIW, "Handguns of the World" by Ezell on page 195 estimates that about 150 Lugers were assembled at Spandau in 1918. Most likely a WAG, but the book is a fine reference source.

01-27-2002, 03:48 AM	#6
mlm Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Spandau/Serial#7732 ? maybe A story was circulating last year at a local gun show (a wonderful place to hear WAG's and total fabrications but I have wondered about this statement ever since). It was stated that Kenyon spoke before collectors at a show and said the Spandau's were all fakes because he knew who made them and when. Has anyone heard this statement or can comment? LHR's mention of the 1946 purchase of the Spandau is very interesting and would likely not coincide with the Kenyon rumor. Of course, comparing information from Jerry B and a gun show wag is a no brainer. I now am leaning toward the Spandau's legitimacy.

01-26-2002, 11:22 PM	#3
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,772 Thanks: 4,940 Thanked 3,124 Times in 1,434 Posts	Re: Spandau Luger Story... Tom, My luger mentor who is now 81 years old has told me the story of a Spandau Luger he bought in 1946 just after the war for 50 bucks. He said he had it for many years and finally traded it off for a Navy. Since he was in the Navy as a flier he was interested in anything Navy. Consequently I have always believed that the Spandau Luger is real and not fake. No one was faking anything in 1946. Jerry Burney