1917 DWM Artillery Rig

**Franz1944** · 02-17-2012, 08:15 AM

maybe that why they are hard to find when he has 3000 lugers.

Nice find

**ObKrieger** · 02-17-2012, 08:21 AM

Holy Lugers!

**samnev** · 02-17-2012, 04:19 PM

by Franz1944

maybe that why they are hard to find when he has 3000 lugers.

Nice find

He had a lot more than 3000. He also had at least that many in his private collection. He was featured on the Military Channel show about the Luger that aired a few years ago. That is why I was so blown away. You had to see it to believe it.

**Nick Hessens** · 02-17-2012, 04:43 PM

Beautiful!

Regards

**samnev** · 02-20-2012, 03:33 PM

Thank you Ingrid

**command450** · 02-23-2012, 09:46 PM

Ralph was the "king" of lugers. no one did more for collecting lugers than he did,as far as I have ever known. My dad knew him, and as a young button buck we visted his place many years back,when he still lived in Michigan. through out the years, at the gunshows,he always remembered me and ask how the family was. I always thought that was cool as hell.......regardless of what some have said over the years about him, to me, HE WAS THE MAN.

on a side note......damn, I wish the military channel would show that episode,instead of the same stuff over and over !

congrats on the 1917 artillery rig, samnev

**samnev** · 02-23-2012, 10:28 PM

Command450,
Thanks, I visited Ralph twice and thought he was a real gentlemen. He treated me with respect and carefully explained all the ins and out of Luger collecting. He stripped all 3 Luger's I bought from him and showed me what some of the more infamous dealers did to the unsuspecting collector. I wasn't a novice back then but it was still an education listening to him.
Regards,
Sam

**command450** · 02-23-2012, 11:45 PM

hey sam, what ever happened to his collection after he passed away?

**samnev** · 02-24-2012, 01:30 AM

by command450

hey sam, what ever happened to his collection after he passed away?

You know I have know idea. I didn't even know he had passed. I'll see if I can find any information on it. If I do I will let you know.
Regards,
Sam

**habicht** · 02-28-2012, 04:55 PM

His retail guns, about 900, were sold enmasse to an auction house. His collection, consisting of about 800 guns went into storage to be sold at a later date by Shattuck's son.