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As with all exotic Luger variations, as with the subject Chilean Trials prototype Lugers and prototype push-button board stocks, there are demands for aftermarket reproduction accessories such as push-button board stocks. Most are honestly offered and described and some are not. Although difficult to duplicate, there have been attempts to fake the second trials, fixed rear sight, Chilean production Prototype Luger with its unique design push-button rear grip strap stock lug and other unique features.
Since until only recently, there has been no prior published materiel, accurately describing the unique machining details and unique features of these very early Chilean prototype Lugers. Even now, the sole source of this new information is contained in the three volume book set, Pistole Parabellum, published in 2010 is not widely available. This is due in part to its high cost but mostly as being not acknowledged as accurate by its author, who will be publishing a new book. Therefore many collectors have shunned the first three volume book set, waiting for the new version. As a result, many collectors and dealers are not aware of the new information, and as such a fake can still enter the system and be blessed by the recipient as genuine. These fakes are getting past even long time Luger dealers not knowledgeable in the nuances of the variation. However, they can and have been identified.
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Pictured above is one such fake Chilean Trials production prototype Luger pistol that got past a major Luger dealer, despite having had several genuine examples pass through his inventory through the years, who should have known better. However, the dealer was blind sighted, emphatically convinced of its authenticity, and with only a cursory inspection, looking for a quick sale, prior to listing, offered it to a regular customer as completely genuine and authentic with the following comments: Send money…If you don’t want it, send it back right away, as I can sell it instantly from my website. Even after the fake was returned to the seller/dealer, accompanied with graphic pictorial evidence, additionally described in text in great detail, who accepted and agreed that the gun was an outright forgery.
Nevertheless, subsequently and incredibly, almost immediately after the gun was returned, the dealer officially advertised the forgery as item D-152 or D-238, in twenty-four successive, bi-monthly catalogs to date (shown below), without pictures, for sale, described as genuine. The use of a catalog has a limited, isolated individual distribution, generally directed to a non-computer audience vs. the use of a web site which has a worldwide audience, and as such, a sale through a catalog is a relatively insular transaction, having less of a chance of ever being recognized as a fake.
Addition (s): The January-February 2016 catalog, item D-238 as stated above, to advertise the 10029 fake Chilean Luger was in the January-February 2016 issue and was not in the May-August 2017 last printed issue, however, 10029 was observed on the dealer web site as of September 2, 2019 thru December 2022 as SKU: D10909 and is still listed as of December 2022 as DWM 1900 COMMERCIAL – SKU: D10909 for the ridiculous price of $14,995. Interestingly, the description is the exact same wording as appeared in the January-February 2016 catalog, except for the added word FAKE, with no other explanation. In fact, it still states in the description that the gun was: Manufactured for the second trial of the Chilean Carbine variation leaving the reader with the impression that despite the deliberately vague “FAKE” statement, that this gun was part of the 1901 Chilean trials, where in actuality, not a single component of 10029 was part of the 1901 Chilean trials, and as such, is not worth a fraction of the asking price.
This information was also concurrently presented to Dr. G.L. Sturgess, who owns several genuine examples and has written extensively on the variation in two publications: Pistole Parabellum and in The Borchardt & Luger Automatic Pistols and whose comments are presented below, who also agreed that the gun was a total fake and who also talked to the dealer whom he knows well.
What a confused mess, 100% sure it is a fake, but so bizarrely put together it defies description. The left frame cutaway under the grip is full length, with reduced width at the top above the mag release, this was not introduced until ca. sn 30,000 well into New Model production - this feature never occurred on any Old Model or transitional etc., so this was definitely a converted frame. Whether New Model (could only be a Navy frame with a stock lug) or a P.08 frame could have been the starting point, but the N-in-circle mark very definitely says it was a post 1917 frame – i.e. almost certainly a P.08 originally - they did a lot of work on converting the frame back to an Old Model, so the extra work to lengthen the frame front and fill in the stock lug etc. would not be too much work - they probably used a P.08 frame as they are cheap and readily available. The rear edge of the safety bar slot in the left frame rail appears to be angled forward at the top - i.e. P.08 pattern, rather than rearwards as New Model grip safety guns. There is also the remains of an E stamped beside the trigger pivot - an inspection location not used before 1911. Comparison between correct 1900 frame and fake 10029 frame.