Whose initials are those

[Peter Meyer]

Hello Members my first post I hope the attachment makes it to the forum. Any one out their that has a possible I.D. in regard to whose initials those are?
Thank you for any comments.
Happy Hunting!
Peter

[herd118]

There has only been supposition of who "KB" is.
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/62/757

[Peter Meyer]

There has only been supposition of who "KB" is.
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/62/757

Thank you for your reply, I do have this info for some time. Had this gun posted on a other forum also send info to family in Germany contacted some Buhligen but everyone is close mouth and does not want to talk or know anything about the past. So I am hoping by chance one of the member of this forum possibly could shed some more light on this gun.
Happy Hunting!
Peter

[JoeW]

Well I think RIA has a habit of taking totally unexplained initials and associating them with the most famous military or political/police personality they can find. As for this pipe dream, the ace did all his famous work during the war and the gun is pre-January 1940. He was in fighter school. How can they possibly have linked it to him?

And are the initials KB or BK? I think the gun went on the high end for being a nicely engraved PP with someone's initials, that can't ever be determined. I don't care for the mag base plate. Those oakleaf/acorn engraved models have base plates featuring O&A engraving, not the artsy work on this one.

[Peter Meyer]

Joe... thank you for your reply, as for RIA or anyone else busting the speculation as to whom something belongs do, why would anyone speculate KB the street sweeper ? It sure would not help the sale. Now to the gun its self, based on the serial number 139762 places the gun in to 1938 I do believe this serial range falls right in to a block of guns set aside for engraving if so that tells me the got engraved when ever between 38 and 45 the situation came along to do a engraving that included some special request. No this does not make it Kurt Buhlingens gun or really disprove it, but it some guys with the initials KB. All this is IMHO but I love the hear every once facts and also opinions.
Happy Hunting!
Peter

[JoeW]

Peter, I was not intimating that the purchaser or recipient was a person of little means or fame. I was just railing against the RIA habit of going for the big names with absolutely no informatino other than the initials. They did it on an SS officer connection engraved gun just a year ago I think.

I just point out that it is simply guessing because there are no other clues. Take for instance the famous engraved PPK with SA insignia in the grips and engraved with initials AR and a date. With the data and the probable SA connection, I was able to reasonably conclude the gun was presented to an SA General whose birthday was on that date (see article in Auto Mag and on forum). But here were have no other information. And while the serial places it in those prepared for engraving, the proofing shows it was finished and sold before January 1940.

[Peter Meyer]

Joe again thank you for your reply, I am fully aware that you have no intentions or imply to belittle anyone. It just is a problem that we have to look past. My opinion is "Purchase the item not the Story" Thanks again.
Happy Hunting!
Peter

[JoeW]

It is what it is. A beautiful engraved Walther with someone's initials engraved thereon.

[Alan Smith]

Joe: I appreciate your comments re: identification of the PPK with engraving and initials . . . now attributed to an SA General.

IMO, your work with the SA presentation PPK confirms what I have long suspected re: the majority of the really fancy/engraved Third Reich era firearms: that such firearms can not be assumed to have been presented to/owned by really well-known persons or a "war hero" (as is so often the attribution given by the owners/sellers of such firearms). Take your SA General for example: someone who was obviously well connected and could get a pistol permit, and (presumably) a person of financial means sufficient to pay for an engraved presentation pistol (and/or who had wealthy friends). But was the SA General someone who would have been a "household name" in Nazi Germany? Probably not.

I've always suspected that many (if not most) of these fancy/engraved firearms are simply the trappings of well-to-do "establishment" type persons in the Third Reich; persons of means and some stature during that period, most of which were not particularly well-know or famous (infamous) persons.

So, just like your last post says . . . for an engraved piece with initials of unknown meaning . . . all we can says with certainty is that it is a beautiful pistol "with someone's initials on it." Heck, the initials could just as easily be those of some Third Reich rich guy civilian who owned a dog food factory, rather than a famous war hero fighter pilot.

BTW: I use the "dog food factory" example as there is a guy in Texas who owns a significant number of vintage warbirds that are maintained in flyable condition . . . . this very expensive hobby being funded by his pet food manufacturing business. I have no idea whether selling pet food was profitable in Nazi Germany, but I think everyone gets the point of the example.