I'm not sure they'd know the names Korth or Holland & Holland either...but I doubt a seller of one would think to explain it in their ad
Why is this pistol special?
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.455_Hunter
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The only problem with that line of thinking is Holland & Holland and Korth both have active websites and are currently manufacturing products. Google "Jim Martz" and first thing that comes-up is the LinkedIn for Jim Martz, Director of Engineering for SpaceX and then a bunch of links for Jim Martz, longtime sports media guy covering University of Miami athletics. Googling "Jim Martz Gunsmith" at least gets a couple of first page hits- one for a Forgotten Weapons episode and another for what appears to be an auction bid website.
The Wehrmacht Stamps, Rarity, Martz working, and popularity of this iconic "Man From U.N.C.L.E." type
firearm have just driven the market demand to unrealistic heights. Hey, every time I see a rusty Colt 1911 in a
pawn shop for 2500$+ it makes me want to puke. But, apparently, some folks are willing to pony up the dough, for these crusty artifacts.
Supply and demand is simply all there is to it. SOMEBODY out there is willing to unseat 7K$ for that pistol, like it or not...
Dudemeister
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Even if you Googled the correct name, John Martz, you would still get a different person than the one you'd expect. But if you Google "Martz Luger", you'll get the right hit.
CraigC
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You might get more pertinent Googling results with "John Martz", rather than Jim.
I don't know a whole lot about John Martz but I remember reading about his Luger carbines and the work that went into them. I suspect the reason they command such a premium is because the folks who appreciate that kind of work are willing to pay for it. Not unlike what we pay for hand built custom guns today. Some see them as "butchered". Others appreciate them as fine examples of the gunmaker's art.
I don't know a whole lot about John Martz but I remember reading about his Luger carbines and the work that went into them. I suspect the reason they command such a premium is because the folks who appreciate that kind of work are willing to pay for it. Not unlike what we pay for hand built custom guns today. Some see them as "butchered". Others appreciate them as fine examples of the gunmaker's art.
Ed Ames
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It depends on the situation. I’d never think of paying $5000+ for a 1911 - except when actually holding a nicer example in my hands. Then I do think it, and put the fancy gun down quickly so those thoughts go away. But photos in an online listing? Nah, those photos had no magic. It’s a nicely bubba’d milsurp and worth less to me than if it was still in Russian cosmoline.
That doesn’t mean it didn’t cost a lot of hours to make, or isn’t worth more to the right person. Thrift stores are full of paintings that took people hundreds of hours to finish and can’t find buyers at $5...and in some cases a buyer knows what they are looking at and flips that $5 thrift store find for a lot of money.
...and, apparently, about 70 snub p-38s.
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.455_Hunter
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Yup- My bad. Not paying attention to detail.
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