Just picked up a P08 Luger with LOW serial #300...

[TheGuyOfSouthamerica]

In German there is no propper specific word (my first language is German, then Spanish, then English) for Barbecue.
Simply due to the fact forests are mayorly gone in Germany since 1850's and so no hunting takes place anymore and there is simply no room in that people packed tiny country called Germany.
Neighter are there heard's of 1000+ beef cattle known as are still today in Southamerica (a few rich posess about 95% of the land in average in any country in Southamerica) and were known in the "settler" wild west times in the US as well from 1850 on and prior (Pennsylvania was owned by a Mr. Penn as I recall. Imagine you posess whole Texas or Wisconsin, etc as your own cattle ranch and have 12 million of cattle).

Since beef is somewhat a rarety in Germany since it has to be imported then they did not develop a specific word for BBQ (or here in Southamerica it is called "asado").
Observation: since "asado" BBQ has become widespread here the cancer rates have risen dramatically as well (before dialy meat consumption became normality, cancer was almost not known as an terminal sickness over here).

 

[44 AMP]

There is no proper, specific word in German, and in a lot of other languages for items and concepts that originated after the 18th-19th century, or for things that are/were not common in their societies. Those languages usually use a adoption of another language's word.

There is no proper German word for "moose" (the animal), for one example. Moose are not native to Germany. Another example is refrigerator. In German its Kuhlschrank, which translates as "cold closet". And the German word for Stewardess is "Stewardess".

English is my native language, but I had 4 years of German (graduated with honors) and lived for over a year in Germany in the 1970s.

They do still have forests. There is beef in their diet, though not to the level common in the US.

Pennsylvania was owned by a Mr. Penn as I recall.

If you look at it the right way, every one of the original American Colonies was "owned" by someone, (usually the investors that sponsored the colony) at the time. That hasn't been true for well over two centuries.

 

[TheGuyOfSouthamerica]

Not to argue with someone but...

Moose is very well known in Europe most likely in Scandinavia. Germans are the Brothers of Scandinavians so Moose is in german "Elch".

The Elch (Elk) is a very well know german word.
Like here

But the principle is correct just this example is a bit a misshappen.

 

[James K]

The engraving is (North) American, not German, and it is unlikely that the name is that of a German. The whole thing looks like what were once called "Spoofpistolen" (when Lugers could be bought for $20 and P.38's for $15). I once saw another Luger with "Feldmarshal von Mott" engraved on it. Since the rank is misspelled and neither "Wer ist Wer" nor "Wer war Wer" listed any officer by that name (Mott is a north of England name, not German), I mentally filed the gun under "interesting fakes" and passed on the "rare collector's item" for only $2000 (a lot of money at that time!)

Jim

 

[roaddog.]

Nazi era presentation piece?

I don't recall ever stating it was a "Nazi era presentation piece".

It is what it is... a cool looking, 104 year old gun I picked up at an auction. It has a questionable history at best. There's simply no way to trace its history between when it was manufactured in 1913 to when it was traded for in the 1940's.....30+ something years later.

What I do know:
• There are many fake/altered P08's out there. After speaking with the grandson and widow, I tend to believe their story......or the story GP told them. BUT, there is no proof.
• After comparing the serial numbers and date to known originals, the gun appears to be a true Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) 1913 pistol.
• It was part of a 1908 Military Contract, 2nd Issue - produced 1908-1914. Caliber 9mm Parabellum - 4" barrel. A new system of numbering was initiated wherein the block of numbers never exceeded 9,999. Once that figure was reached a letter was added beneath the numbers beginning with “a” and so on through the alphabet.
• Unfortunately the engraving destroyed some of the proofs and markings. 00 is visible in many locations on the gun. Serial number 300 is clear beneath the barrel on the frame. It is impossible to see a letter under the 300 because of the engraving.

• Oh, the "GESICHERT" under the safety in not the engraver. It means "secure". Safety ON

Attached are some additional pictures.

 

[roaddog.]

I'll send more pics tomorrow. File size is too large to upload to your site