Please ID this WWII swagger stick.

[Rick Lee]

I was just watching Pawn Stars and got to wondering about a swagger stick I got from my dad whose dad brought it back from N. Africa in WWII. I never met my grandfather. He died when I was 10 and my dad and he did not get along. They last spoke at my folks' wedding three years before I was born. My dad knows nothing about it. I know his father brought back some other real trophies, but that they were pawned by my uncle to pay traffic tickets a good 40+ years ago. I hear one of those items was a Luger. Arrggghhhh.

Anyhoo, here are the photos. The hilt and sheath seem to be wood covered in a very thin leather. Blade is four sides and point is super sharp. The only marking I can decipher on it looks like some kind of symbol and then the letters "ARIA". What do I have here?

[slakjaw]

U wanna sell it or pawn it.

[Rick Lee]

Not looking to sell unless it's worth a lot, which I'm sure it's not.

[krystar]

well i got a buddy that's into WWII memorobilia. I'll have him come around and take a look.

[Super_Dave_D]

Chumlee - take care of this!

[911boost]

My dad still has the Luger that his uncle brought back from Africa during WWII. Its in excellent condition...

[Rick Lee]

A Luger is on my must-own-someday list. I will snoop around some more on my upcoming trip to eastern Germany, as I will be hanging with a lot of WWII vets at a friend's 84th b-day party there. One of her relatives once gave me his old NSDAP button, which was highly illegal to possess in those days in the DDR. I keep hoping one of them will pass his Luger on to me one of these days.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by slakjaw

u wanna sell it or pawn it.

lol

[gt350mike]

Don't want to high-jack this thread but after reading the comments about the Lugers I was wondering what does an authentic WWII Luger bring these days, assuming that its in B+ or better condition?

[Rick Lee]

I've seen them for under $1k. But I don't want one just to have one in the safe. I want one with a story behind it. I want to know the man to whom it was issued or the man who took it as a trophy. That's where the real value is to me. A friend in Austria once gave me a 5 RM coin with Hindenburg and a swastika on it. I could buy them all day long, but getting it from him, who got it from his dad made it a lot more meaningful.

[911boost]

When I my Dad's uncle or my granduncle (no clue what the proper term is, my grandmothers brother) was still alive, we talked about the stuff he brought back from Africa with him, the Luger and a knife. I have the knife at home, and my father has given me he Luger, but it is fine is his safe for the time being.

My uncle traded a bottle of French wine for it, the man he traded it to had taken it off a German Officer.

Bill

[RPKESQ]

Most PO-8's of WWII vintage are rife with "stories". They are almost impossible to validate. It does not matter, even with capture papers made out to the seller.

The capture papers are easy to counterfeit as well as most markings on the pistol itself. These markings (mostly contract or unit markings) can take a $500 -$1000 pistol into the $5000+ range instantly. Any tool and die man can make up a set of stamps and go at it.

Collectible firearms are the simplest fraud to perpetrate in comparison to most other valuable collectibles. Nazi collectibles of all types are fertile grounds for widespread fraud.

Buy what pleases you but do not pay extra for any "story".

As always the more knowledge you have in a subject the harder it is to be taken in and conned.

[M.D. Holloway]

True - I guess we buy for one of two reasons: 1) to re-sell for a profit or 2) to just have cuz its cool.

Re-selling is a business that requires much skill. Buying is easy if you have ballz and money.

[KaptKaos]

Likely not German. Might have Egyptian origins. Likely good for a story or two, but not worth too much.

[911FASCINATION]

My ex had an Uncle (who's still living as far as I know), who was a veteran of the actual Normandy landings. He has a Luger he took off a dead German officier with the original clip still inside it-two shots left.