Common Pistol, Uncommon condition--

[Ronnie Fry]

byf 41
#1

[Ronnie Fry]

#2

[Ronnie Fry]

#3

[Ronnie Fry]

#4

[Steve Flanagan]

Luger

Very nice!

[cossack1648]

Nice "Black Widow" in perfect dream condition with matching mag.
Congratulations, Jack

[juoneen]

Not as common as you thought I'd say, and cossack can you explain what makes this po8 a black widow for those of us who are not sure ,is it the black grips or the letter range under the serial number or?? There is a lot of confusion why they call this type that. Do you feel it has been reblued on any parts? Looks like a very nice gun....hows the bore ?

[DECIMA]

Super!

[ValhallaMilitaria]

99% condition for sure, black widow is denoted by the grips and the later model of PO8. Lovely...where did it come from?

[Ronnie Fry]

Bore is as new...
This pistol, a Banner E/L 42, and a 1911 Erfurt from the estate of an old collector in the Panhandle of Texas...
NOT a reblue.. The Banner is even better..
I couldn't believe what I was looking at.

r

[Johnny Peppers]

I'm sure everyone knows it, but the term "Black Widow" was an advertising ploy which the late Ralph Shattuck took credit for. The late P.08 pistols with the bakelite grips and magazine bottom did not sell well. Being a salesman first, Ralph came up with the slick name "Black Widow", and now everyone had to have one in their collection.

The black grips were authorized for use when wooden grips were not available or in short supply. They were also field replacements. The bakelite grips were authorized as issue grips for new production about mid 1941

The P.08 frame designation was added in January of 1941 as a result of the adoption of the new P.38.

[Alan Smith]

Johnny,

My recollection is that Ralph Shattuck started off as some sort of salesman from the mid-west; possibly selling steel or maybe it was office equipment. Anyway, he ended up switching lines of business and began to make his living full time selling Luger pistols, eventually moving to Arizona (as I think the climate was better for his and/or his wife's health). As you stated, Ralph was alwas a salesman at heart and you see this reflected in his creations, i.e. "SPANDAU" P.08's; the "Black Widow" term; many of the prototype Lugers (expecialy ones with the "GL" proof on the rear toggle link), etc.

I'll never forget when a good friend first introduced me to Ralph; I was about 21 years old at the time. Just prior to making the introduction, the friend had slipped over to Ralph's table and told him that he was about to introduce him to a young man "who just inherited a couple of million dollars and wants to get into Lugers". Yes, I was a young man and very interested in Lugers, but I had not (and still have not) inherited millions of dollars. Anway, Ralph Shattuck rolled out the red carpet to show me all his offerings . . . even inviting me to come out to Arizona and be his guest to look over more Lugers. Super nice guy and lots of fun to talk with . . . . but you darn sure had to know your stuff when evaluating any offering that had ever passed through his hands.

I hear that RIA purchased Ralph's entire estate and is slowing selling it off via the auctions? All I can say is "buyer beware" . . .

[Gary Cain]

Very nice P08 there Ronnie. And yes, Ralph was a snake oil salesman of the first order.

[Johnny Peppers]

Alan,

At one of the shows several of us went out to dinner along with Ralph. One of the guys in the group had just gotten into Luger collecting and was spending a lot of money at the time. Ralph had the floor the entire night and all his attention was directed at the new collector, who sat there wide eyed with either amazement or fright, I was never sure which.

[petopoint]

nice one

Very nice P08 with what appears to be matching serial numbers making it all the more valuable.
Great condition, Congrats on picking up a Superior example.