1st class Silesian eagle good or bad

[elmer1007]

Came out of a regional auction in a large mixed lot.

[Jean-Claude]

Hi again!

Sorry but I have strong doubts about that one: looks like a well known repro to me. Hard to say for sure because of the angle but the eye seems to have a large round pupil (instead of a small dot) and the enamel seems to be uneven with the metal cloisonné which is typical of epoxy being used instead of true cooked enamel.

Attached is an original matched set by this maker but just comparing the eye should be a good indicator

Cheers

JC

[elmer1007]

Close up of head

Close up. I have this on approval. So can take it back.

[Jean-Claude]

Hopefully, someone that really knows his stuff (like Brian) will step in but, personally, your enlargement still doesnt give me a warm and fuzzy feeling...

Because of the glare, hard to say what the eye is like (unless they got smarter and decided to fix that tell tale flaw by removing the pupil altogether and just epoxy it) but the "enamel" (or faximili thereof !) definitly "caves in" in the middle of the detail in a number of places which is typical of epoxy (unlike true enamel it shrinks over time after curiing)

JC

[Brian L.]

I agree with JC that this looks like a fake known as the double-line eye. Usually these have a clamshell screwback. So, using this type of hardware which is a type used in the 1920s and 1930s on authentic crosses may be a new attempt to get these past collectors.

[elmer1007]

Thanks everybody. This one is going back.