This is the classic Imperial Model made by Erfurt. The Royal Arsenal at Erfurt Germany manufactured Lugers for the German Military from 1910 until 1918 in Prussia.  Made for the Imperial Army these models are all military versions.   This is a 9mm Parabellum with a 100mm barrel. (542)

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The barrel length is 4" (98mm) and is chambered for 9mm. This Luger is all matching and is extensively Erfurt proofed. One of the proofs is the Crown R/C with tells us that the gun was factory altered or rebuilt.

The first toggle link is marked with the Erfurt monogram, and there is the "V" rear sight on the last toggle link.

This weapon has the stock lug and clean walnut grips. The grips are serial numbered to the gun. Inspection proofs are visible all over the individual parts of the gun.  These include the Imperial Army acceptance proof on the barrel and the side frame plus the inspectors stamps on all small parts.

The gun is clean but showing  wear on the muzzle, the side plate and  rails. All the wear is surface, there is no apparent pitting and the bore is excellent.

A clue to the history of the gun is the milling on the front top of the receiver. The small indent at the barrel location above the date tells us the receiver was originally intended or was an artillery model. At some point the barrel was changed at the factory and the Crown R/C proof applied along with the Erfurt acceptance eagle. The 1910 Erfurt Imperial Acceptance stamp with the cross of peace and the bar of justice is found on the right frame and right barrel.

Everyone needs one Erfurt in their collection just to study proof marks.  This is a basic collectors gun that has all the study proofs you could ask for. This weapon is designated as a Curios and Relic (C&R) and be sent to those licensed persons. If you have Sam Costanzo's World of Lugers Proof Marks you can spend days looking up all the proofs this gun has. Every Luger can tell you a story if you're willing to explore and learn from it.

This is an all matching Erfurt Police model including the magazine and grips . The magazine proof of 1920-1933 early police proofs.  These are usually found on the early Haenel/Schmeiser magazines.

SEAR SAFETY:  In this case you can see the sear safety probably fully installed at the original time of production. This was the invention of Ludwig Schiwy, a gunsmith and the owner of F.W. Vandry & Company, Berlin.  It consisted of a spring-steel bar on the top of the trigger plate which spring down into a recess in the sear bar, locking the mechanism, if the trigger plate was removed.  This device was patented in 1929 and was mostly adopted by the Prussian Police and rejected by the Bavarian Police. This modification again dates the conversion to police use to the late '20s.

It is entirely subjective to give any Luger a rating of excellent or fine, just as it is to declare it xx% blued or strawed. Few Lugers are out of the box new and these are premium priced. Bluing percentages is like Beauty, in the eye of the beholder. 

This is a Excellent Example of the Imperial Erfurt Luger that comes with all the basic Imperial proofs and has been factory converted to German police use with all the matching proofs and serial numbers.  At true historical example of the WWI and Weimar period Luger this gun is offered for $1,995.00 over the counter.  Questions to: josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com