The Golden Luger: A Gift Between Two Nazis Who Changed History

Lot 1489: Exceptional and Historic Nazi 1939 Mauser Factory Engraved and Gold Plated Presentation Luger Semi-Automatic Pistol Given to the Nazi Ambassador Franz von Papen by Foreign Minister of the Reich Joachim von Ribbentrop with Authentication from a Mauser Factory Consultant

History is a funny thing. As hard as we humans try to document it, the facts of the matter only occasionally prevail, rarely survive, and are often up to interpretation. Much like human memory itself, we often serve as storytellers, making our own omissions and exaggerations instead of acting as stern and fact-obsessed archivists. Each camp has its own validity. The "archivists" often state that the history speaks for itself and needs no embellishment, while the "storytellers" often excuse their inaccuracies by saying it makes the history approachable, relatable, and easier to imagine those fantastic moments that stitch together the tapestry of our past.

Knowing what we do about the human memory, and our suspect ability to accurately document history, it should come as no surprise that history is often told selectively. Things are attributed to more famous names in history, while lesser known names lie in their wake, largely forgotten. This is an article about two of those lesser known names and a brilliant Luger pistol that passed between them.





The Luger itself is a Mauser manufacture pistol that began its life rather uneventfully. According to accompanying documents written by Dr. Rolf Gminder, a consultant to the Mauser-Werkes factory who had personally viewed the pistol, it was originally one of any number of Lugers in the existing stock of police guns. However, this gun was selected for something more. It began with the highest quality engraving Germany had to offer. The typical "oak leaf and acorn" pattern takes on a distinct variation with more flowing vinous scroll work and geometric shapes than typically seen on the more deep relief engraved Walther PP and PPK pistols that often served as Nazi presentation pistols.

The dark walnut grips have also been carved with the oak and acorn pattern, but while the right grip shows fine checkering in its center, the left grip bears a presentation plaque that reads,

Seiner Exzellenz

Herrn Botshafter Franz von Papen

in tiefster Verehrung
am 11ten November 1940

überreicht von Joachim von Ribbentrop

Aussenminister 
des Deutchen Reiches

That translates to:

His Excellency

the Honorable Ambassador Franz von Papen

in deepest dedication
on 11th November 1940

given by Joachim von Ribbentrop

Foreign Minister of the German Reich

Many presentation arms leave a mystery about who presented the gun and who received it. Sometimes they are decorated with no inscription at all, while others only bear the cryptic monogram of their recipient. This pistol leaves no such riddles and instead offers us an excellent starting point to explore who these men were, what they did, and the background of this extravagant Luger.

Franz von Papen

1936 portrait of Papen

Thankfully, Franz von Papen is not one of those names lost to time or a German military man of whom little information remains. That said, his deeds place him far from a spot of honor in history. In the simplest terms, Papen was a politician. Born in 1879  to a wealthy family, he entered the military early on, and by the Great War was already a military attaché in Washington. However, at the behest of the U.S. Government he was recalled in 1915 after being implicated as a spy and saboteur. After serving the rest of the war for Germany, he entered politics and found his true calling. He served in the Prussian Parliament for 11 years, before being surprisingly appointed Chancellor in 1932 by President Paul von Hindenburg, who had been undeniably influenced by General Kurt von Schleicher, an old friend of Papen's who had great influence with the German president.

Once in a position of power, Papen achieved some impressive feats considering the near-complete lack of support he had within the Reichstag. Instead he achieved his changes through authoritarian rule. In an effort to gain the support of the Nazi party, he repealed the ban on their paramilitary Sturmabteilung (SA). He also had Germany's debt under the Treaty of Versailles essentially erased. In this trend of removing previous laws, Papen also staged a coup and deposed the Social Democratic government of Prussia using police, and declared himself its leader. These authoritarian measures are marked by many as setting the stage for the rise of the Third Reich, a charge echoed in his Nuremberg trial.

Taken from a larger photo, Papen can be seen
sitting in the back seat of Hitler's vehicle.

After the coup, he called for a national election and was surprised when he still had no support from the Reichstag. Instead, the Nazis seized the moment and gained 123 seats, giving them a majority in the governing body. Papen planned to dissolve the democracy, and even had advance permission from Hindenburg. However, the Nazis had other ideas. Rolling with the tide, Papen then tried to work with the Nazis, but found them unbending and so resigned as chancellor after the November 1932 elections. After some major politicking and maneuvering between President Hindenburg, Gen. Schleicher, and Papen, with no one able to firm up support from the Nazis and the Social Democrats, Papen worked relentlessly to undermine his former friend Schleicher to give Adolf Hitler the chancellorship while he served as vice chancellor. It would not take long for Hitler and new Reichstag President Herman Göring to marginalize Papen and his office, eventually executing "The Night of Long Knives," a purging of opposing political and military ideologies that threatened Hitler's new found power. Papen would survive the event, later serving as an ambassador to Austria and Turkey before being captured by the Allies in April of 1945. He was prosecuted at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial, found not guilty of the charges of "conspiracy to prepare aggressive war" and "conspiracy to commit crimes against peace," served eight years hard labor by a West German court, and was finally released & fined in 1949 on appeal. His memoirs were published in 1952 and he died in 1969.

Largely due to his Nuremberg Trial, Papen is often remembered as paving the way for Nazi power, facilitating the annexation of Austria, and being well aware of Nazi ideology as he did so.

Joachim von Ribbentrop

If Papen paved the way for the Nazi party to take power in Germany, then Joachim von Ribbentrop turned that paved highway into the Autobahn. He too served in the Great War, as a hussar on the Eastern front, but afterward he resumed the relatively normal life of a sparkling wine (Sekt) salesman until he became independently wealthy by marriage. He met Hitler in 1932 as a businessman thanks to an introduction from a fellow former hussar, and shortly thereafter he and his wife joined the NSDAP (Nazi Party). He entered the political arena by offering to serve as a representative between Hitler and his old battle buddy, Papen. Ribbentrop was not liked by many Nazis: he was a flatterer, a yes man, had no political experience, married into his fortune, and even the nobility of his name (the "von") had come from an aunt that Ribbentrop had convinced to formally adopt him for that purpose alone. Despite his lack of the "proper" credentials in the eyes of many Nazis, Ribbentrop would serve as Hitler's chief adviser on foreign affairs, and would soon prove his worth.

In short, Ribbentrop would put into play numerous policies that placated the world and gave Nazi Germany numerous advantages in the years leading up to World War II. Here is a brief list of his diplomatic agreements and similar achievements.

• 1934 - Helped quell France's protests against Germany's request to re-arm itself after the Great War. He also visited England and Rome to hasten any sanctions from those countries. In turn, Hitler promotes him to "Reich Minister Ambassador-Plenipotentiary at Large."
• 1935 - Negotiates the Anglo-German Naval Agreement (AGNA), which permanently limited the Kriegsmarine to 35% of the total tonnage of the Royal Navy, far beyond the limits set in the Versailles Treaty. The British expectation was that this would limit German military capacity, while the Germans expected it to strengthen a desired alliance between the two countries and against France and the Soviet Union. Britain did not consult with France or Italy prior ratifying the AGNA.
• 1935 - Arranges for good will visits between groups of World War I veterans. By sending German veterans abroad and accepting foreign veterans on German soil, a "never again" spirit was portrayed and did much to alleviate suspicions against Germany and its wish to re-arm itself.
• 1936 - The Anti-Comintern Pact is signed with Japan, essentially forming an alliance between the two countries should one of them be attacked by the Soviet Union. Italy would join the pact in 1937, while Poland declined. This alliance was especially unusual given Germany's previous policies of allying itself with China and its general distrust of Japan.
• 1936-1938 - Spent time unintentionally and permanently fouling German relations with England. He was called by various Britains: pompous, conceited, stupid, impossible, not too intelligent, insufferable, absent (which also earned him the nickname "The Wandering Aryan"), a stupid ass, and also managed to personally insult King George VI.
• 1938 - Ribbentrop promoted to Foreign Minister, symbolizing a German shift from cautious diplomacy seeker toward an aggressive war-time nation.
• 1939 - Pact of Steel is made with Italy. The two will come to one another's aid in case of war.
• 1939 - The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Also known as the German-Soviet Non-aggression Pact, it assured non-aggression between the USSR and Germany. but broke the Anti-Comintern Pact of 1936 by signing a deal with the communists. In no uncertain terms, this was Ribbentrop's crowning achievement and left little standing in the way for Hitler to attack Poland. This was handy since Ribbentrop's extreme bullying of Polish foreign diplomats all but ensured that Poland would have to be conquered to relinquish the territories that Germany desired.
• 1940 - German-Japanese Pact is signed to replace the Anti-Comintern Pact. Ribbentrop sends a telegram to Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet Foreign Minister, stating that the alliance was for protection against the United States and from not the Soviet Union.

Despite being hated by his fellow Nazis and nearly every foreign diplomat he ever met, Ribbentrop
almost single-handedly managed to stall the entire world from acting against Germany as they prepared to conquer Europe. This is quite an accomplishment considering that the ink on the Versailles Treaty had only dried 20 years prior and the memory of the Great War still hung fresh in the mind of every nation it touched. After the war, Ribbertrop also was a defendant at the Nuremberg Trials, but unlike Papen, he was convicted on four counts and sentenced to death. He had been charged with crimes against peace, deliberately planning a war of aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Because Göring had committed suicide before he could be hung, Ribbentrop was the first of the defendants to have his death sentence carried out.

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One aspect of the relationship between these two comrades in arms remains for a dedicated collector or historian to investigate. This pistol is dated on the grip as presented on the November 11, 1940. However, there is a documented squabble between the two men that took place sometime in, or just after, April 1939, when Papen was the newly appointed Ambassador to Turkey. It turns out that Papen, the former Chancellor, felt he should be able to take his communications directly to Hitler instead of through Ribbentrop, something he was accustomed to when he served as Ambassador to Austria. It has been written that this spat ended the friendship that extended back nearly two decades.

Had the two men reconciled by 1940, even if only out of political necessity? Was their falling out misrepresented as more serious than it was? It is possible, though not entirely plausible, that the pistol was already in the works when Papen was Ambassador to Austria. After all, even though he was dismissed as the Austrian Ambassador on February 4, 1938, he had arranged the February 12 meeting at Berchtesgaden between Hitler and Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg that eventually led to the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria by Germany, which was signed into law on March 13. This event pleased Hitler greatly.

However, from just prior to the 1938 Anschluss until the 1940 presentation seems like an exceptionally long turnaround time for a standard police pistol that had only to be embellished. It is perhaps more likely that the pistol was ordered to commemorate Papen's new position as the Ambassador to Turkey which he assumed on April 29, 1939. This makes much more sense since it is also known that Ribbentrop had been lobbying for Papen to receive that position since losing the Austrian ambassadorship. Given the dates between Papen's new position and timeframe of the fight, he could not have held the position long prior to their rift.  Six months is a much more plausible timeframe for a finely embellished, presentation Luger.

Despite being two men rarely heard of outside of German history or World War II educational settings, they had quite a profound impact on their country and the world. One paved the way for the Nazis to come to power, while the other pacified country after country in the name of peace, all the while preparing for war. The fact that these two men were brothers in arms who went on to be high ranking Nazis is fascinating enough. When you consider that these same individuals played huge roles in amplifying the power of Nazi Germany, and are both listed on the same classic German pistol, a true treasure of history exists. Their names may not be as infamous, but their significance cannot be discounted.

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This historic well-preserved German artifact is just one of the dozens of incredible German military pieces in our April Premiere Firearms Auction. From the incredible rarities, prototypes, and high condition arms from The Robert "The Bear" Bretherton Collection (please see below video), to the incredibly well preserved uniforms and helmets in the Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection, this auction will have it all.  Other highlights include a Krieghoff Second model FG42 machine gun, an extremely rare M.Kb.42(H) assault rifle - a predecessor to the StG44, a cased presentation copy of Mein Kampf covered completely in Amber tile and silver furniture, an authentic, original uniform from the Fallschirm-Panzer "Herman Göring" Division, a Nazi Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (with oak leaves) war medal, the entire evolution of the Walther P38, and a presentation Walther PP given to SS Untersturmfuhrer Maximilian Grabner. It's a fantastic time to be a collector!








-Written by Joel R. Kolander




SOURCES:


Bloch, Michael. Ribbentrop. New York: Crown, 1992. Print.

http://www.britannica.com/biography/Franz-von-Papen

http://www.britannica.com/biography/Joachim-von-Ribbentrop

http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/67/lid/1489

A Lifetime of Lugers

This article, appropriately enough, is being distributed on Georg Luger's birthday, March 6.  It is the 166th anniversary of the occasion.  Happy birthday, Georg!


Rock Island Auction Company has been extremely privileged during our last few Premiere auctions to host the Gene Smith Military Collection.  Mr. Smith's massive, encyclopedic grouping of German military arms has been featured in our sales since mid-2014, bringing high condition, rare, historic, and significant German firearms to the collecting community who can't snatch them up quickly enough.

Regarding this astounding collection, we bring good news and bad news.  The bad news is that our 2015 April Premiere Firearms Auction will mark the final installment of this landmark collection.  It has truly been our pleasure to see, handle, and experience such an array of amazing guns, and with one final opportunity, that pleasure can be yours as well.  The good news is that besides having one final opportunity to own an item from this outstanding collection, another convergence of extraordinary arms waits in the wings, waiting to be unleashed.  We are referring to The Lifelong Collection of Icon Ralph Shattuck.

Viewing Mr. Shattuck's passion for firearms has resulted in a "dream collection" that many aspire to match and very few ever do.  His assemblage of Lugers, Mausers, and Borchardts is unparalleled, and a multitude of other nations are represented as well.  Here, for the first time, is a glimpse at the host of rare and attractive firearms that comprise this lifetime of dedication.  Before we begin, many of the firearms pictured here by Rock Island Auction Company can already be found with descriptions in the book Lugers at Random by Charles Kenyon, Jr.  Long considered to be an important reference since its release in 1969, the book contains numerous photos and descriptions of important Lugers from Mr. Shattuck's collection.  Also, Mr. Shattuck, acknowledged as the "Dean of Lugers," has a book published on his collection aptly titled "Lugers of Ralph Shattuck," which can be easily found on Amazon for those who would like a more in-depth view of his collection.  There was even an a CD made of high-resolution photos of the guns in his collection.  People just couldn't get enough of these rare, unusual, beautiful, and high condition Lugers.

Ralph Shattuck and his wife Nancy.

Ralph Shattuck was born in Cleveland, Ohio on July 28, 1929 mere months preceding the Great Depression, but would go on to become one of the pioneers and giants of the Luger collecting community.  Even as a child Shattuck would ride around on his bicycle and purchase whatever pistols he could with the intention of selling them to make some money.  His home, both his first residence in Michigan and his later one in Arizona, was open to many collectors throughout the years and was nearly considered a pilgrimage site for Luger enthusiasts - containing hundreds of Lugers in his personal collection and even more in "inventory."  Ralph and his bright red suit jacket were a staple of many gun shows for decades, resulting in endless stories of his generosity, character, and genuine love of the hobby.  Ralph passed away on his birthday at the age of 81, but not before helping build one of the most zealous and educated genres in gun collecting.  Rock Island Auction Company is honored to offer such a prestigious collection from such a collecting icon and trailblazer.

Outstanding Ultra Rare DWM Model 1902 U.S. Army "Cartridge Counter" American Eagle Test Luger

This completely original and totally unaltered version of the "Cartridge Counter" Luger is one of the most desirable Lugers for both German and military collectors.  Made at the behest of the U.S. Ordnance Board in 1902, exactly 50 of these pistols with the "Powell Indicating Device" (and grip safety) were manufactured for testing the following year.  The device was simple and accurate, but ultimately deemed to fragile by the Ordnance Board, and rightly so.  The left grip would first have a slot cut into it, and then have a delicate metal strip and feeble 3 1/4" celluloid strip covering the newly created slot.  The concept itself was quite simple.  To work, the gun required a special magazine, which involved a pin poking out the left side of the magazine.  This pin was attached to the magazine follower, so that every time a cartridge was fired and the follower rose, the pin would also.  That pin also moved an indicator corresponding to the numerals visible to the user.  In a bit of a perhaps unintended redundancy, when loaded, the bullets of the cartridges were also visible through the celluloid window.

Estimate: $45,000 - $65,000

Extremely Rare Original DWM Model 1900 "GL" Marked Prototype Luger Pistol with Unique Reversed Toggle Mechanism

The photos are worth a million words in the case of this gun.  With its numerous unique and potentially one-of-a-kind design variations, not only is the gun a bit difficult to describe through text alone, but the purpose of the prototype changes is not fully known.

Note the reversed toggle "hinge" on this pistol as compared to the photo of the top of the previous Luger.  The rear portion extends into the front, instead of the other way around.

There's also this unusual undercut front sight and muzzle
with dimples on each side.  Were they for an attached
suppressor or muzzle break?  Do these tie in with the reversed toggle?

"GL" Georg Luger marked prototype.

Finest Known Exceptionally Rare Documented DWM Model 1900 Bulgarian Contract Luger Pistol

Authentic Cyrililic text appearing in place of the "GESICHERT" ("secured") marking, is always a good sign for a Luger collector. The total production of these pistols is estimated at approximately 1,000 pistols and this example is in the appropriate serial range.  While seven rebarreled Model 1900 pistols are known, it is reported that no more than 3-4 original 1900 Bulgarian contract Lugers are known as many were converted to 9mm before and after the Great War.  Most saw heavy use through WWII, with many samples being captured by Russians.  Another unusual feature of this Luger might not appear unusual at first glance.  Note the placement of the "DWM" monogram and the Bulgarian crest.  On many Lugers, this placement is standard, but on these guns one would much more commonly find the markings reversed, making this "normal" looking Luger even more rare and desirable.

























So by now, you know our April Premiere Auction will have two colossal German collections contained within in it.  Did you also know that amazing single pieces have come in as well, creating a perfect storm for German and foreign military collectors?  Here are additional highlights for collectors sure to be wringing their hands with anticipation.

Rare, Documented DWM Prototype 1900 Luger Carbine, Serial Number 58

OK, we fibbed.  One more from the Shattuck Collection, and this one presents a mystery to collectors.  This gun was featured in the aforementioned book Lugers At Random and since 1969 it has stymied Luger collectors.  The source of conflict comes primarily in determining whether this 1900 Carbine  was manufactured for commercial sales or as a prototype.  Lugers At Random is quoted in describing the gun by stating,

"The uniqueness of this variation makes it difficult to determine the proper designation for this weapon and there is support for both theories (commercial or prototype) among collectors.  The unique five position rear sight lends support to the Prototype theory, but the serial number range is of the 1900 era.  VERY VERY RARE.  Only one example is known to collectors." (Emphasis theirs)

Extraordinary, Historic Pre-World War II Walther Factory Engraved Gold Plated Model PP Presentation Pistol For King Carol II of Romania

Obviously this gun has some extensive ornamentation going for it, making it a prize for any collector who appreciates such craftsmanship, but this gun also bears some special provenance.  Just looking at it, one might be able to guess that it is a presentation gun, however, a presentation for whom is not as evident.  This spectacular Walther PP was commissioned by the Nazis for King Carol II of Romania during his second reign.  It was around 1937-38 when Nazi Germany was pulling out all the stops so that Romania and its "the playboy king" would ally itself with the Third Reich.  The fact that the Romanians were sitting on the oil fields at Ploiesit didn't hurt either.  This pistol was part of the efforts to woo the King.

As if one could look past the impressive provenance, the gun alone is capable of generating high interest among collectors.  First off, this is the earliest known factory engraved Walther Mod. PP pistol.  With a serial number of 751249, that makes this the 1,249th Walther PP!  The engraving itself is also masterfully done by the Zella-Mehlis Guild/Walther engravers and features a dense, floral scroll work mixed with an abundance of edelweiss blossoms. The gold plating speaks for itself and the grips have an inset on the left side that shows the Romanian crown over the initials "CC" (standing for Carol Caraiman, the full name of King Carol II).

Exceptionally Rare, Early Production Mauser Model 1896 20 Shot Flatside Cone Hammer Broomhandle Semi-Automatic Pistol Serial Number 91 with Matching Shoulder Stock

Everybody can recognize a "broomhandle" pistol.  The C96 has a look that people still find attractive today and a quite a following among military enthusiasts.  This particular Mauser Model 1896 is one that should be paid special attention for a number of reasons.  What is immediately most noticeable is that it is a desirable 20-shot version.  Soldiers may have griped about the difficulty in reloading the gun with two 10-round clips, but today they stand out from a gun that was produced for over 60 years and imitated by many.  Looking closely, one will also notice that the pistol is without its standard milled frame panels.  This is known as a "flat side" Broomhandle and is indicative of an early production, before the milled panels began to appear to reduce weight and save on materials.  Being an early model, it also has many of the other features found on those guns such as a cone hammer, the long extractor on the breech bolt, and many others.

Perhaps most impressive about this gun, which cannot be easily observed, is that it still has all its original parts.  Even the grips and the rare wooden holster bear the "91" that ties this wonderful firearm together.  The wooden shoulder stock/holster is an anomaly in itself.  Their large size made them prone to breakage, leaving few surviving models.  Even the stock shows "91" on its lid, attaching iron, and on the flat edge of the stock itself.  Why the number "91"?  it is yet another interesting fact about the pistol that cannot be gathered solely by its appearance.  As if all the other features mentioned here did not make this iconic little pistol rare enough, only an estimated 90-100 of this variant were ever produced with most of them being shipped to South America.  Since few things that are shipped out ever seem to find their way back home, that makes this pistol a rare bird, and its late number of "91" means it was one of the very last Broomhandles produced for those South American shipments.

Exceptional Rare Original Early Gabbet Fairfax MARS Semi-Automatic Pistol

This rare and monstrous handgun once had bragging rights as "the most powerful handgun in the world."  Considering it was only produced from 1898-1907 and would not lose that title until the 1970s, that's quite an accomplishment.  That small production time, of course, resulted in a very limited run of these guns.  Approximately 80 were ever produced in all their proprietary configurations (8.5mm, .36 (9mm), .45 Long, and .45 Short).  The example shown above is an extremely early version (c. 1898-1900) and stamped with the serial number 4.  It also has the fine blued finish and wonderful checkered walnut grips.  It remains in its all-original and unaltered condition.



The pistols were very well-made with all hand-fitted parts, and extremely powerful, but ultimately they were not to be.  Why?  A few reasons existed and they all had to deal with the gun's rather complex design.  First of all, complex designs historically tend to not render themselves well to life in military service.  Complex devices have more parts to foul and are difficult to repair/clean in the field.  Second, this complex device, utilizing a long-action recoil, had such horrendous recoil that it was prone to feeding problems.  The recoil was partially due to the powerful cartridges, but also because of the long travel of the moving parts.  It also suffered from a heavy trigger pull.  All these gripes led to the MARS being passed over for military contracts, the sole hope of its designer, Hugh Gabbert-Fairfax.  There were never any issues with its "man-stopping" ability, but its recoil was its ultimate undoing.  Fortunately, it left us with some rather entertaining quotes such as, "No one who fired once with the pistol wished to shoot it again," and "singularly unpleasant and alarming."

Even without military contracts or commercial sales, this rare curio remains a supremely desirable collectible.

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German collectors, do we have your attention yet?  These two collections combine to form a spectacular selection, the contents of which have the potential to turn good collections into great ones, and great collections legendary.  The guns mentioned here are a fine, yet small, sampling of a cornucopia of European arms.  Not only are there German arms, but the Shattuck Collection also contains such gems as an uncommon Japanese Pedersen, a rare Czech ZH29, a Heinrich Himmler inscribed Jacquemart double barrel shotgun, a 1908 Mondragon semi-automatic rifle, and many more.

Not to mention the Dr. Joel Glovsky Collection, which holds the most complete and advanced array of 7.65mm pistols ever made available - the fruits of 60 years of dedicated labor.  This collection includes most of the 7.65mm pistols from the estate of the late Sid Aberman.  It is a smorgasbord of rarity, prototypes, experimental variations, and high condition, which will be covered in a blog of its own before our 2015 April Premiere Firearms Auction.

Who will be the lucky, dedicated collectors that will not rest until these firearms reside safely in their gun rooms?  If that collector is reading this, we wish you best of luck on your bids for these incredible firearms.


-Written by Joel Kolander






SOURCES:


http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=RALPH-SHATTUCK&lc=4279&pid=144356636&mid=4331737

Kenyon, Charles. Lugers at Random. Chicago: Handgun, 1969. Print.

Centennial of the Great War

"I foresee that very soon I shall be overwhelmed by the pressure forced upon me and be forced to take extreme measures which will lead to war. I beg you in the name of our old friendship to do what you can to stop your allies from going too far."

-Tsar Nicholas of Russia writing to his cousin 

Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany in 1914, 

one hundred years and one week ago.

A composite image of the Battle of Zonnebeke created by Australian famed Great War photographer Frank Hurley.

This year marks the centennial of the Great War. July 28 marked the exact start date of one of the largest wars in all of history that would eventually claim more than 9.8 million lives, leave over 20 million wounded, and 7.7 million missing. Those numbers are incomprehensible as is the vast scale and tragedy of this world wide conflict. Short of a dedicated encyclopedia or incredibly thorough webpage, there is no way to appropriately document this event. It is with this in mind that Rock Island Auction Company will take a small glimpse into the First World War in the way it best knows how - by examining a sample of the historical weapons used in this terrible struggle, all of which have come courtesy of consignors whose collectible firearms will be appearing in the September 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction.

DWM German 1908 Maxim Heavy Machine Gun

First and foremost will be one of the most influential weapons of the 20th century: the Maxim machine gun. This particular example is an original DWM manufactured World War I German Maxim heavy machine gun manufactured in late 1918, just before the war's end in November that same year.

The designation MG 08 can be rather confusing. The Germans are said to have manufactured almost direct copies of the original 1884 Maxim machine gun as early as 1899 and with Maxim's original patent expiring in 1900, officially adopted the license made MG 01, which earned its name from the year of its adoption - 1901. As with most new technologies, it underwent many variations, adaptations, and improvements over the years. The MG 08 was developed from the MG 01 and was officially adopted in (you'll never guess) 1908. It is because the original variants were developed at the turn of the century that many sources say the MG 08 was officially adopted in 1899 (or 1901). By the end of 1908, it is said that "every German regiment of three battalions had its own six-gun battery." Long story short, both the British and the Germans had used machine guns in various colonial wars, but the Germans more seriously considered the weapon's potential and already possessed an estimated 12,000 - 13,000 of them, made by DWM, at the beginning of the Great War. After seeing their devastating effect early on, Germany would ramp up production significantly by also contracting arms manufacturer Spandau.

The guns were fed with cloth belts that held 250 7.92mm cartridges and had a rate of fire near 400 rounds/minute, relatively slow compared to the 650 rounds/minute of the original Maxim M1885. Prone to overheating, the MG 08 utilized a water-filled jacket around the barrel, that would hold anywhere from 7 pints to a gallon. This amount of water would boil after 500 rounds of continuous fire and would boil off completely and need to be refilled after around 2,000. Transportation in the Great War being poor at best made water a scarce commodity and it was not a rare occurrence for soldiers on both sides of the conflict to urinate in the water coolers to maintain their functionality.

This weapon would earn the name, "the Devil's Paintbrush" for the way it swept across the landscape similar to how a paintbrush wold sweep across a canvas. It was thought that only the Devil himself could have the invented such a deadly device.

Model 1914 Lewis Light Machine Gun

While most commonly associated with the British thanks to their widespread use of the gun, the Lewis gun was actually invented by US Army Colonel Isaac Newton Lewis in 1911 (a very good year for guns). In 1912 it was rejected by the U.S. Army, who was already using the Maxim M1885 and, to a lesser extent, the Colt-Browning Model 1895 (a.k.a. the "potato digger"). Angered by the rejections, Lewis set up his own shop in Belgium and before long he had licensed the manufacturing rights to the British arms manufacturer Birmingham Small Arms Company. Almost immediately he was making a large amount of money since both Belgium and the British had officially adopted the gun and it would be less than a year before both were at war with the Central Powers.

The Lewis gun with its distinctive air-cooling barrel shroud and "pancake" drum magazine, was most commonly found in .303 caliber, although those made by Savage were generally produced in .30-06. Its cam-driven (not spring wound) magazines were made in two sizes: 47 and 97 round capacity, which the guns would empty rather quickly with their cyclic rate of 500-600 rounds per minute. They would make their way to the Western Front in early 1916, replacing the heavy, reliable, slower to manufacture, and more expensive Vickers machine guns. At 28 lbs it may not seem like a "light" machine gun, but relative to other machine guns at the time, a machine gun that could be carried by one man was quite an improvement. Perhaps it was that weight that gave the Lewis gun the honor of being the first machine gun fired from an airplane, driving the famous and oft-romanticized dogfights of World War I.

Browning Automatic Rifle

Ah yes, the venerable BAR. Despite seeing relatively little use in World War I, barely three months in total, the time they were put into service found them to be very effective and accurate. Lighter than stationary machine guns, but heavier than a standard rifle, at 16 lbs the BAR was designed to be fired from the hip in another attempt to implement the fruitless "walking fire" concept, a theory that involved troops firing indiscriminately while advancing in order to keep enemy troops in cover. In fact, many BARs came with a cupped steel buttplate holder to both support the gun and help contain the recoil when firing from the hip. That theory, despite giving rise to the BAR and the Pedersen Device, was never realized and instead the BAR was more often used with its bipod as a light machine gun. After the Great War, Colt obtained the previously unavailable Browning patents and made the BAR available for commercial sale under the name the Colt Automatic Machine Rifle Model 1919. Despite its many variations through the years the BAR would not be adopted until 1938 when the threat of World War II forced the Army to adopt the M1918A2. The model shown was manufactured by Winchester and is accompanied by many of the accessories that soldiers would have received with the firearm such as magazines, web belts, and even one of the aforementioned steel cups to assist in "walking fire."

M1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol

While the history and variations of M1911/A1 have been more thoroughly covered in previous articles, this was the first chance for the United States to test out their newly adopted pistols on a large scale. Sure the fighting in the Philippines and the Pancho Villa Expedition were good tests, but this was the big leagues. Also designed by the renowned John Moses Browning, these legendary pistols would serve from their adoption in 1911 over seven decades until 1985. They would also enjoy much success in the civilian market serving as reliable handguns and a readily modified platform for many performance target shooters. The pistol's most noted use is almost certainly by that of Sgt. Alvin York, whose heroics involving his M1911 resulted in 28 dead Germans, 32 captured machine guns, and 132 surrendered.

This is a relatively short section on the M1911 compared to some of the other firearms examined, but for more information on the rich history of this indefatigable sidearm, please read the stories linked in the first sentence of this section. The example in the photo above is Colt M1911 Serial No. 147, likely made in January 1912 during the first full month of production. It was shipped to the Commanding Officer of Springfield Armory on February 3, 1912 in a shipment of 200 pistols.

Mauser Model 1918 Tankgewehr

New technology begat more new technology in the Great War. Airplanes were used in combat for the first time and so were ways to bring them down. Widespread poison gas use brought about better gas masks and new filters. The prolific rise of machine guns long stymied each side trying to mobilize their troops, but would eventually prod the development of modern tanks. The presence of tanks, in turn, brought about the development of anti-tank weapons. One of these weapons was the anti-tank rifle. While not well-known as many of the other rifles and pistols to come out of the First World War, this tankgewehr is an especially rare item to find today as nearly all were destroyed in accordance with the Versailles Treaty. Similar to an overgrown GEW bolt action rifle, these 37 lb behemoths were single shot weapons developed in 1916 with a 16 inch long, solid steel receiver that fired a 13.2mm round capable of penetrating the thin and primitive armor on early British tanks. The officially designated Tankgewehr 18 was known by German troops as the "Elefant-Buechse" or "elephant gun." Roughly 15,800 were manufactured in 1918. The example shown is all original and unaltered.

Obviously we can't show all the World War I era weapons that appear in our September 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction, but this is a pretty good start. The catastrophe of the Great War cannot be understated. However, it is of course possible to look back on those events with fascination and awe without trivializing them. The weapons that came as a result of World War I provide intriguing insights into the technology of the time, advances in engineering, and human ingenuity. Not only did the war force people to make better planes, engines, firearms, armor, and so on, it also resulted in such inventions as air traffic control, mobile x-ray machines, sanitary napkins, Kleenex, sun lamp treatments, tea bags, the popularity of the wrist watch, the zipper, stainless steel, and industrial fertilizer. Nonetheless, it is inventions such as flamethrowers, interrupter gears, new poison gases, tanks, tracer rounds, and aircraft carriers that contributed to the tremendous loss of life for which World War I will be, and should be, forever remembered.

Canadian troops go "over the top" during the Battle  of Vimy Ridge

Stocks, Bonds, or Barrels?

Ask any firearms collector if guns are a good investment and you're bound to receive a response in the affirmative. It's not exactly an unbiased answer, but it is still drawn from sound personal experience. Besides, wasn't the economy's most recent low spot in 2008? Haven't such indicators as the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 recovered nicely since then? What about gold? I keep hearing about its value skyrocketing.

These are reasonable questions from someone debating on whether or not to invest some money into firearms versus other more traditional investment vehicles. Of course, we're not talking about the stocks of firearms companies as investments (although those are doing quite well for themselves currently), but the firearms themselves. Are guns a good investment? Aren't all the "good ones" taken? Not so fast. Here's some information that might make you think otherwise.

1.  Values Are Up

Gun values are up and it's not just some bubble in the market. Yes, modern sporting rifles (a.k.a. "assault rifles") saw a recent price bubble, but over the last five years the vast majority of guns in their usable life have seen and maintained an increase in value. Guns past their "useful life" and in their "collectable life" have been largely gaining value for decades.

2.  Increasing Gun Values Exceed Other Market Increases

The examples we list below are only the beginning. While their values have increased, and done so at a handsome percentage, other genres of collecting make these look like small gains. Through research and careful selection, one stands to outperform even such vaunted standards at the S&P 500 and even gold! Haven't each of those investments vehicles been improving since 2008? Didn't the S&P 500 just experience a new record high this week? The answer to both questions is "yes," but the right guns readily show larger gains in leaps and bounds.

3.  You Can't Shoot Stocks

OK, so this may not be an apples to oranges comparison, but it's a huge plus to investing in guns. Firearms are useful beyond their investment value. You can display them, you can clean them, you can take them to shows, you can take them hunting with your old man, you can teach a youngster about them, and they're a lot easier to trade than stocks. Truth be told, you may not want to fire a high dollar firearm into which you've invested tens of thousands of dollars as you may harm the value, but many of the other activities still apply.

Guns can be enjoyed in ways other investments cannot. You may hear one collector excitedly telling another about a recent purchase that he has chased for years; you'll never hear that from a day trader. You might hear the pride in a collectors voice as he describes his collection; the only time you'll hear financial experts talk that way about a portfolio is if it makes money. In gun collecting, there's so much more than money, like history and the pursuit. Not only is investing in guns worthwhile financially, you can use them as tools as well as for recreation.

4.  Guns Are Tangible

This section isn't meant to be some "the sky is falling" message about our government or the stability of the world economy, etc. However, there is a lot of risk present to investors today: the Eurozone, a government shutdown, debt ceilings, recessions, defaults, and so on. It is in unstable climates that investors seek stability. One only has to look at the popularity of precious metal commodities in the last several years to know that people want finances that aren't just potentially vulnerable electronic numbers in a bank or on the stock market. People want things they can touch, things that they can hold on to and guarantee its security. Collecting firearms provides that opportunity. You can hold them, they're worth an increasing amount of money, and you don't have to worry about losing them if a bank or market collapses. 

Examples

Now, we're not licensed financial planners or sages of what the future may hold, but we can speak from the experience of selling over 22,000 firearms a year and evaluate some past information in an intelligent fashion. We are not licensed financial advisors.  Please due your own due diligence or contact a professional before making any and all financial decision.  We simply have the good fortune to possess loads of data and we're not afraid to use it. All data that we used to derive the information below was obtained in the following way:

• We only used guns that are in 95-100% of their original condition

• We attempted to eliminate as many "special" guns as possible (unique history, one-of-a-kinds, etc) since they can cause larger swings in value.

• All dollar figures shown are a yearly average.

• Values for gold, S&P 500, and Dow Jones are year end figures, except for 2013, which uses October 16 as its final day.

Keep in mind, the amount that you bought/sold a gun for may not match the figures that we provide below. Our figures are averages. They take into account many different finishes, barrel lengths, grips, calibers, serial number ranges, boxes, letters, and so on. These numbers are not published to a pricing guide of any sort, merely to indicate a rising trend in value for several of the most popular firearms that we have sold in the last 5 years.

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 Last 3 years: 72.68%

 Last 6 years: 183.31%

There's more than a dozen Colt Pythons to choose from in our upcoming auction in varying barrel lengths and finishes.

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 Last 3 years: 43.84%

 Last 6 years: 52.78%

This classic piece of American firepower, called "the greatest battle implement ever devised," has also enjoyed quite the rise in value over the last several years. Patton would be proud.

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 Last 3 years: 123.52%

 Last 6 years: 107.93%

Colt 1911s have been a proven high riser for several years.  The numbers on the left don't even reflect the high dollar 1911s such as Singers, high condition first year production models, prototypes, and especially not the world record Singer than we sold in 2010 for $166,750.

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 Last 3 years: 111.89%
 Last 6 years: 79.95%


There are over 15 different high end Model 12 shotguns to choose from in this auction!  They include two engraved and gold inlaid by Master Engraver Angelo Bee, several trap and skeet grade models, and of course some of the ever popular trench shotguns.

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 Last 3 years: -9.39%

 Last 6 years: 52.24%

Despite gold's popularity and media coverage as a high performing investment, it still lacks the gain in value attached to many genres of firearms

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 Last 3 years: 36.89%

 Last 6 years: 17.24%

The S&P is finally starting to look like its old self and is actually breaking some records as of late.  However, even considering that record breaking performance the returns still pale to that of numerous genres of guns.

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Last 3 years: 32.79%
Last 6 years: 17.75%

Even at its historic highs, the mighty Dow Jones fails to match the growth of collectable firearms.

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We could list guns, pictures, and charts for numerous pages, we could also spend an entire month comprising values and breaking them down and making them as specific as possible, but this is not a pricing guide.  What we are doing is drawing trends and averages by looking back at the data from hundreds of sales of the firearms selected.  As with any rise in value there may be a few segments left behind.  Even in a bull market, not every stock gains money or even gains every year.  However, by taking a step back and looking at those trends over a larger period, it becomes easy to see that guns have been a sound investment for quite some time.  This financial benefit comes almost as an aside to most people who buy guns simply to enjoy them, use them, and be a part of that community.  It's yet another added perk to do what you love.

Best of luck in your collecting, investing, and of course, your shooting.