UK WW2 Special Forces Insignia

[Sly]

Hi, I am interesting in investing in a small amount of UK SF insignia. Would any of you recommend a specific collector/dealer to approach or website to head to? Thanks and all the best.

[lnijherald]

There are tons of online dealers: hollandpatch.com, wdmilitaria.co.uk, buywyze.com, gnmilitaria.co.uk, monsmiliytaryantiques.co.uk, falleneagle.com to name a few.
Personally I would never buy from a certain shop just because it is reputable; there are too many examples of rubbish at dealers who should know better. I'd rather buy an item that I know is original from a dodgy dealer.


Luc

[seebee1]

Special Force Insignia usually equates with Special Prices, Special Fake-Copies-Replicas and Special help needed to sort the good from the bad, in too many instances the latter. Not an area to invest in IMO unless you have expertise and prepared to stretch your finances to the edge. Regards, Clive.

PS: This Forum is good to post images on for comment, before you buy!

[yellow]

Decide which area you are going to concentrate on. Then use the forum search tool and pull up all the images of the badges you wish to collect.

When you see an example your are interested in purchasing compare it to photographs shown on the forum. If many of the well established collectors here have given it the thumbs up then your safe to buy.

[Sly]

Luc, Clive, Yellow - much appreciated. Indeed, I imagine the area to be a minefield. It is not an area I have any knowledge of whatsoever, hence the interest in identifying specialist dealers. I will be sure to post if I find something out there of interest! Many thanks! p.s. out of curiosity, what are your views on the authenticity of the post war wings pictured below?<br><br>
<a href="http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/Sly--Sly/?action=view&current=DSCN2784.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/Sly--Sly/DSCN2784.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[lnijherald]

I know little about SAS insignia but the pattern doesn't seem correct for the style of smock. Also the canopy is usually flat where the shroud lines are attached.

Luc

[seebee1]

Looks to be a post-WW2 copy, but I may be wrong. There are a couple of fellows with specific SAS collecting interests on this forum, hopefully they will comment. I still occasionally ponder about my posting a while back of my SAS Shirt Regards, Clive.

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Don't get me started on your SAS shirt Clive

The wings posted here could be Rhodesian possibly? They don't look like a UK pattern.

[Sly]

Thank you, Jack. I really have no idea, though the smock was supposedly owned by a member of the UK Special Air Service. I posted some additional photos of the wings in this thread:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=440927

Don't get me started on your SAS shirt Clive

The wings posted here could be Rhodesian possibly? They don't look like a UK pattern.

[max7474]

Best advice for investing in UK Sf insignia is don't - the sheer amount of quality forgeries about has not only devalued the genuine items but means that unless you are an expert it is an easy way to be parted with a lot of money for something that has no inherent value. The UK SF insignia is only outperformed by 3rd reich stuff in terms of fakery.

[Sly]

Sound advice, though a shame that it's so bloody difficult to identify a decent collector/dealer and purchase without having to undertake a forensic analysis : )

Best advice for investing in UK Sf insignia is don't - fakery.

[seebee1]

Not quite that bad Sly. Through examining, study and handling of original examples you will learn to identify good pieces. I do not support an earlier comment that forgeries have devalued genuine items. There are many collectors of SF Insignia world-wide and I have not noticed any lessening in prices over the years as a consiquence, in fact the opposite. Regards, Clive.

[seebee1]

I should add to my above posting that the study and examination of copy-fake-replicas is also worthwhile IMO. I collect, for example, all patterns and variations of the Special Force Wing. The image I attach, all copies, are a small part of this collection. There are a few shown that have provenence and supposedly original pieces, but they are not. It does take time, study and effort to ensure that what you buy is authentic, even then, as all collectors will know too well, the odd rogue piece will come your way, all part of the learning process, painful as it sometimes can be, still a great hobby and past-time Regards, Clive.

[Old Smelly]

Sound advice, though a shame that it's so bloody difficult to identify a decent collector/dealer and purchase without having to undertake a forensic analysis : )

Not all dealers are crooks, there are a few out there that I would recommend without question,
Lee

[vd Lubbe]

And these dealers are Lee ? Thanks.