Fake P08 holster ?

[Acez84]

I made a bad trade with a fellow and in return I got to keep this ?fake? holster he sent me. The reason being I had paid through the nose on postage to him on an original helmet. He claimed to have bought it from worldwidearms as an original holster... I have never bought anything from them, are they legit?





Now he has returned to claim it back. He is threatening to report me to the police believing that it is in fact an original holster. I was hoping someone could verify my beliefs that this is a reproduction P08 holster.

As a reference, a very similar holster is being sold here: Source

Here is what put me off by it. I do not collect these, and know less about them than other german ww2 items. I sent this list to him aswell.

1. The holster smells new, fresh leather (After 75+ years, unlikely?)
2. The wear and tear under the lid is peculiar. Like somone drew a screwdriver across it.
3. The strap in front is a thinner leather, and very easy to bend. Also typical of fresh leather. The buckle seems cheap somehow. Like nickel.
4. There is no real wear or tear on the outside compared to the inside.
5. The stamp is identical to the one on the reproholster on D&B Militaria. Cie 1936 Berlin. The same clear stamp on right side vs. unclear stamp on left side.
6. What seems to be artificial aging on the inside is badly done, you see
uncolored leather in some areas.
7. The straps on the back seem more vertical, straight and thicker than the original. Pictures of originals also show the straps being lower and thinner?
8. No real wear or tear on the straps on the back.
9. The tool pouch is of a VERY thin leathetype.

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Picture 4
Picture 5
Picture 6
Picture 7


In any regard. I am going to return it to him now that he suddenly throws a fit over it being genuine. Im guessing that failing to trick me has made him hope to push it over on somebody else. If it actually IS real. I want to appologize to him. Oh, and he threatens to tarnish my name to other collectors.. forgot that bit. Lovely fellow.

I really appreciate the help.

[me6_130]

I wouldn't take this one. Those things that you have mentioned do seems clear. The inside botton should be iron not brass in 1936. The shape of the cover is strange also.

Carles

[juoneen]

Looks like a fake to me...BUT.... Id send it back ...make him pay for shipping. You've paid enough...we call that indian givers over here...might i say, also, i'd stop messing with sellers that don't know what they are doing. Stop trading also stick to buying only, as you also seem to need to get a little more schooling before you try that again. Try and find something to laugh about today anyway....and move on, and that guy can step off. cheers.

[pvluger]

Looks like the whole upper flap section is a replacement on an original shell body IMO.

[Acez84]

Looks like a fake to me...BUT.... Id send it back ...make him pay for shipping. You've paid enough...we call that indian givers over here...might i say, also, i'd stop messing with sellers that don't know what they are doing. Stop trading also stick to buying only, as you also seem to need to get a little more schooling before you try that again. Try and find something to laugh about today anyway....and move on, and that guy can step off. cheers.

Thank you for the advice juoneen. A couple of lessons there I had though about myself too.. never trust bad pictures, stick to selling, and move on... In any regards I think I am done with selling only domestic.. People pay less, and you end up in bad situations with buyers who live in ignorant bliss about what they own and buy.

[leondes]

I have to vote for it being a total repro. The belt loops are not attached in the original manner...staggered and slanted and I can see no evidence of old stitching holes. That's my best guess based on what I can see.

Any time you see belt loops that are attached straight up and down and are both even/horizontal across the top, that is a dead giveaway of a repro. At least, I have never seen an exception. The same is true of P.38 hard shells.

Regards, Leon

[juoneen]

Heres the rule i follow: If theres any problems at all either in personality or you just get a bad feeling dealing with anyone right off the bat ....ITS OVER, and i don't go back ever. Follow your gut feelings....if it don't feel right.. It aint. You can sell stuff locally and still make out , international does have its own problems although....Imagine what some of the bigger dealers have to put up with at times with some of the nimrods that becken their sites. Glad your seeing the light JKD.....now go out there and do some local hunting ....just might make up for this minor loss. Happy hunting, and that guy just hung himself with his own rope. Put his contact info in the round file, but don't forget him, he also has schooled you well, thats how we all learned .

[Gimpy117]

what stands out to me is the closure strap. I Used to ski on rope tows and we used leather glove protectors. The little strands of frayed leather seem to look a lot alike, obvious signs of recent abrasion.

[MikeP]

Some good red flags being waved.

[Jerry Burney]

That Luger holster is as fake as John Kerry's purple hearts!
The guy you are dealing with is an IDIOT. You should tell us who he is so we can stay away from HIM.

Jerry Burney

[JasonA]

Hi Jon,

I would concur with most everybody here. My initial reaction was that it was not a Third Reich holster, and could have perhaps been made by a foreign country or manufacturer outside of the WWII period - Lugers have been made since 1908! But after after seeing all the pictures, and the Nazi stamp, this is indeed a poorly manufactured fake, in my opinion.

Details of contruction do not conform to Third Reich manufactured holsters, as Leon noted.

Best of luck with your return,

Jason

[ValhallaMilitaria]

That Luger holster is as fake as John Kerry's purple hearts!
The guy you are dealing with is an IDIOT. You should tell us who he is so we can stay away from HIM.

Jerry Burney

I echo the sentiments expressed here.
Eric

[Acez84]

Thank you all. The guy decided to let me keep it (again) thanks to this thread and the comments within. Not that I really want to keep it either. Maybe some reenactor needs something like this.

regards
Jon

[Craig H]

Post war repo . Too many problems to list . Jmo