Lappland Shield

[MaxxBrunn1938]

I've been noticing an awful lot of these shields popping up on Ebay and other auction sites. Did someone stubble on a hidden horde of these or are they repros? I've seen both in stamped style and some in trench art style.
What gives?

[Nigel N]

the lappland shield is supposed to have been awarded very late in the war, or perhaps even just postwar. two styles are thought to exist, one cast or stamped from various metals, and the other, engraved by hand on a basic shield shaped piece of metal. i would think its nearly impossible to tell fake from original! hope this is some help

[Simon O.]

Sorry nigel but that's not correct.

All Lapplands were made post-8 May 1945. Whilst you occasionally see backdated awards to the first week of may in paperwork the vast majority were awarded, on paper at least, between July and August, then tailing off during Sept and Oct with the latest i've thus far seen being awarded the 25th Oct.45

As for the actual shield, there are many, many variants that crop up, there is one variant though that we do know was not produced in the Norwegian reservations in '45 and that's the type you see mostly on E-bay.


Like this

http://cgi.ebay.de/Lapplandschild-Mo...1%7C240%3A1318

[Simon O.]

On the other hand, you would probably be safe with this one
http://cgi.ebay.de/Lapplandschild_W0...1%7C240%3A1318

[Nigel N]

thanks for putting me straight on that simon, being awarded so late, i suppose theres little in the way of provenance, soldbuch entries etc to prove an original, from a fake?

[MaxxBrunn1938]

Lappland Shield

Thanks Guys so pretty much what I can see is it's a crap shoot to get one it may be real and and may not. I know when the new unissued DAK canteens flooded the marked everyone thought they were real only to find out WRONG they were DDR issues. I know, I knew one of the guys that bought one of the warehouses.
Thanks
Joe

[Max_Porter]

Hello Joe,

if you want to be sure to buy an original, d o n´t buy this one:

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...MEWA:IT&ih=012

This seller is a forger and sold these types of shields a lot of times. Beware!

Best Regards

Max_Porter

[paddywhack]

looks abit like this one!!!!!!!! am i wrong????? (i could well be!!!!!!)

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...light=lappland

[MaxxBrunn1938]

Lappland Shield

Hello Joe,

if you want to be sure to buy an original, d o n´t buy this one:

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...MEWA:IT&ih=012

This seller is a forger and sold these types of shields a lot of times. Beware!

Best Regards

Max_Porter

Now this I would even say was a complete FUBAR Fake.. I've not seen this style tho ans glad I haven't. The one that is even just a piece if lead or zinc slab hand stamped would get me.

[Simon O.]

Hello Joe,

if you want to be sure to buy an original, d o n´t buy this one:

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...MEWA:IT&ih=012

This seller is a forger and sold these types of shields a lot of times. Beware!

Best Regards

Max_Porter

Right, this is the most common type that crops up that is considered to be genuine, i think because it appears in several publications, however, there's no way of proving it unless you can get hold of a grouping directly from the veteran and no one has yet attempted a serious study of these shields. Personally i wouldn't spend money on one of that style.

The couple of photos i've seen of them in wear both show an alluminium shield with a tapered bottom. The look to be cast but the photos are not good enough to say much more than that.

[Simon O.]

Now this I would even say was a complete FUBAR Fake.. I've not seen this style tho ans glad I haven't. The one that is even just a piece if lead or zinc slab hand stamped would get me.

As i mentioned this style crops up more often than any other (exlcuding the so called '57 type). None thus far seen were made in lead or zinc. Most are cast aluminium and in fact from personal experience i see a lot of evidence of aluminium and brass items cut up to be made into things from the reservations i go digging in.

i suppose theres little in the way of provenance, soldbuch entries etc to prove an original, from a fake?

The paperwork is a different matter and awards are far more common than dealers would have us believe. There were around 350 000 German personnel in Norway at the war's end, of those maybe 100 000 or more would have qualified. I know that not all those that qualified actually had it awarded on paper but most did. Paperwork from Norway of course also survived, especially WP and SB because every soldier was required to have both when going through screening prior to being sent back to the continent.

Now a badge along with paperwork would only help with provenance if it came from the veteran or family and even then you have to be aware of badges possibly acquired post-war through veterans organisations.

[Max_Porter]

My Lappland

Hello,

this is my Lappland Shield.

I think it´s a good one but it didn´t come directly from a vet but from the net so I don´t have any provinence. What do you think of it?

Best Regards

Max_Porter

[Max_Porter]

2:

[Max_Porter]

3:

[Max_Porter]

and the reverse: