1938 S/42

Guest · 2004-04-17

Greetings, I just aquired a 1938 S/42 Luger with all of the goodies. The goodies include: 1) Holster dated 1940 with the officers name and the Eagle holding the world with the swasticker in the center. 2) Two clips with various markings and non-matching serial numbers. 3) The take down tool with no markings(?). 4) The Luger itself with several markings that I am truly interested in learning the meanings of. All of the parts are marked with the last 2 digits of the serial number, but the lower frame and the upper frames first 2 digits are different. This is odd as the last 2 digits are the same as the rest of the numbers. 5) I also have the paperwork on the pistol and holster claiming them as war trophys and allowing them to return to the US. 6) Also on a personal note, I have a letter written in Europe by the soldier that had it sent to the US to hes father and explaning the history of the weapon. I would love to have any information that anyone can give me on the markings and the value of this Luger to collectors. Thanks, Mark

Edward Tinker

· #2 · Apr 17, 2004

Mark, let me talk to value first. It is worth more to you than to many collectors, as it appears to have mismatched numbers. But the best way to judge it would be to provide many pictures of each side, top, bottom of barrel, etc. Please include your holster and magazines in your pictures (or sep pictures).

The assorted markings on it are usually acceptance and proof markings.

The 1938 is the year of manufacture, while the S/42 was awar time code that showed the maker was Mauser.

I would be very interested in seeing the letter and paperwork, as I collect stories on bring-backs for a booklet I am compiling, along with pictures.

Ed

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Edward Tinker

· #3 · Apr 17, 2004

Mark, let me talk to value first. It is worth more to you than to many collectors, as it appears to have mismatched numbers. But the best way to judge it would be to provide many pictures of each side, top, bottom of barrel, etc. Please include your holster and magazines in your pictures (or sep pictures).

The assorted markings on it are usually acceptance and proof markings.

The 1938 is the year of manufacture, while the S/42 was awar time code that showed the maker was Mauser.

I would be very interested in seeing the letter and paperwork, as I collect stories on bring-backs for a booklet I am compiling, along with pictures.

Ed

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Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 19, 2004

quote:I would be very interested in seeing the letter and paperwork, as I collect stories on bring-backs for a booklet I am compiling, along with pictures.

Sorry for the image quality but the site limits filesize.

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Overall.JPG
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Side Serial Number is 4810

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Serial-Side.JPG
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Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 19, 2004

quote:I would be very interested in seeing the letter and paperwork, as I collect stories on bring-backs for a booklet I am compiling, along with pictures.

Sorry for the image quality but the site limits filesize.

Download Attachment:

Overall.JPG
29.82 KB

Side Serial Number is 4810

Download Attachment:

Serial-Side.JPG
25.88 KB

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Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 19, 2004

Serial Number on front is 4410. All other Serial Numbers are 4810.

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Serial-Front.JPG
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The Holster has what appears to be a name "R. EARHARDT" AND BELOW THE NAME "POESSNECK". Beside the name is an Eagle with a circle in it's claws with a swasticker in the center of the circle. Below that emblem is "WaA29". To the right of the emblem is the date 1940.

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Holster.JPG
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Download Attachment:

The-Works.JPG
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Also I was mistaken about the takedown tool, it is inscribed with a Bird emblem and the number 63 below it.

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Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 19, 2004

Serial Number on front is 4410. All other Serial Numbers are 4810.

Download Attachment:

Serial-Front.JPG
25.04 KB

The Holster has what appears to be a name "R. EARHARDT" AND BELOW THE NAME "POESSNECK". Beside the name is an Eagle with a circle in it's claws with a swasticker in the center of the circle. Below that emblem is "WaA29". To the right of the emblem is the date 1940.

Download Attachment:

Holster.JPG
30.86 KB

Download Attachment:

The-Works.JPG
37.91 KB

Also I was mistaken about the takedown tool, it is inscribed with a Bird emblem and the number 63 below it.

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Edward Tinker

· #8 · Apr 19, 2004

Mark, thanks for the photo's, if you want to send me larger ones, I can shrink them down, but still leave them fairly large. Your take-down tool, with the bird, is commonlly called, Eagle/63, the E/63 is a acceptance marking.

The serial numbering is too weird, being so close, yet off?

Overall, a nice gun to keep.

BTW, does the paperwork state the serial on the side or frame?

Ed

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Edward Tinker

· #9 · Apr 19, 2004

Mark, thanks for the photo's, if you want to send me larger ones, I can shrink them down, but still leave them fairly large. Your take-down tool, with the bird, is commonlly called, Eagle/63, the E/63 is a acceptance marking.

The serial numbering is too weird, being so close, yet off?

Overall, a nice gun to keep.

BTW, does the paperwork state the serial on the side or frame?

Ed

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Discussion Starter · #10 · Apr 19, 2004

quote:Originally posted by Weimar_Police
does the paperwork state the serial on the side or frame?

As a matter of fact Ed, yes it does, the paperwork has "Pistol,German Luger (1938) #4810 with holster" and the Serial number on the side of the pistol and barrel is 4810, the Date on the top of the chamber is 1938. The paperwork says "Certificate Authority for Retension of War Trophy" and has the Official Seal of the 350th Infantry. The certificate contains all of the legal jibberish that allows possesion of the firearm in the USA. As I noted earlier there is also a personal letter that was sent with the pistol addressed to the original owners Father, to which the pistol was sent. It is a very interesting piece of history that I am very happy to have. I am very new to Lugers but have collected firearms for years. I got started with my fatherinlaw and this piece was from his collection. He has gotten too old to keep up with his collection and has passed them on to me. I will keep these in my collection and do the same hopefully.

If you would like some better photos I will be glad to forward them to you. My address is [email protected] so feel free to keep in touch and thanks for all the help.

Mark

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Discussion Starter · #11 · Apr 19, 2004

quote:Originally posted by Weimar_Police
does the paperwork state the serial on the side or frame?

As a matter of fact Ed, yes it does, the paperwork has "Pistol,German Luger (1938) #4810 with holster" and the Serial number on the side of the pistol and barrel is 4810, the Date on the top of the chamber is 1938. The paperwork says "Certificate Authority for Retension of War Trophy" and has the Official Seal of the 350th Infantry. The certificate contains all of the legal jibberish that allows possesion of the firearm in the USA. As I noted earlier there is also a personal letter that was sent with the pistol addressed to the original owners Father, to which the pistol was sent. It is a very interesting piece of history that I am very happy to have. I am very new to Lugers but have collected firearms for years. I got started with my fatherinlaw and this piece was from his collection. He has gotten too old to keep up with his collection and has passed them on to me. I will keep these in my collection and do the same hopefully.

If you would like some better photos I will be glad to forward them to you. My address is [email protected] so feel free to keep in touch and thanks for all the help.

Mark

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