Afrikakorps Cufftitle

[don_kihotis7]

Hi guys, i was watching this thread and i must say i am not a fan of this example.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=748935

It looks like the new generations of repros flooding ebay.

Look how mis shaped are the letters on the obverse. Compare the "K"s with an original CT. The "O" and "S" are just horrible.
The reverse doesn't show the tartan feature or the diamond shaped "O" but still it doesn't look correct.

I would like your comments on this cuff title. Thanks

[don_kihotis7]

This is the aforementioned repro lately flooding ebay.

[don_kihotis7]

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[don_kihotis7]

Here are 2 examples from my collection. Note the weave on the reverse.

[don_kihotis7]

On the contrary these have big difference in the shade of their weave. Behind the letters is more green whilst between the letters tan.

[Tony]

This was my cufftitle and decided to pull it just in case. If this was a fake it's a dangerous one. I'm posting the back of it for reference. As far as the shading goes this is the tan colored cufftitle, so I'd expect a little more of that color between the gaps (the green color is there - as seen the right). If not this would be a tell tale sign.

This was not a 70's tartan fake, no long F fake, no bridging between the A and F fake, or the same space between the O and the P fake. This was not a recent purchase, so not part of the recent flooding of the market. Open to opinions.

Tony

[Tim O'Keefe]

Tony's ct is an original later tan version imo. While i agree its not a "markee" version & the "s" is very poor, the weave from the reverse matches that of known originals including the two posted on this thread

These were found in wired bundles after the war. Some have rust stains from being wired up so long. See the Kurtz book "Afrikakorps" page # 18, there is one added to a tunic postwar. These did not see service during the War. Made sometime between Oct & Dec'42. But replaced by the Afrika ct which did not see service in Afrika either. Only the earlier olive version saw service in Afrika.

& Tony,

"This was not a 70's tartan fake, no long F fake, no bridging between the A and F fake, or the same space between the O and the P fake. This was not a recent purchase, so not part of the recent flooding of the market."

Do you mean the olive AKCT's with the same size/shape hole in the "R" & "P" ? If so those are also original though some thought otherwise from years ago. Check out this thread & posts # 23 & 24...

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...=723778&page=2

Would like to see a photo of the entire ct end to end, both front & reverse ?

[Antonio Scapini]

Tim said it all... and as always I agree with him. Both the CTs posted here are for me too wartime original pieces.
However it is correct and useful when members spent their time to do researches about TR militaria. Good work of comparison don_kihotis7.

Too bad there were a lot of different makers of the Afrikakorps CTs during the war, so it is normal exist at least 4-5 variants of this type of cufftitle.

[don_kihotis7]

Hi guys, sorry if i caused a false alarm.
The photo in post #6 is much much better and shows what i would expect to see on the reverse of an original piece.

I must say that i am still troubled about some letters on the obverse though. The "O", "S" look ugly or mishaped and the foot of the 2 "K"s is too long. Maybe different maker?

[Tony]

Tim and Antonio,

Thanks for your feedback. After reviewing the lettering, they are definitely not perfect as shown in some other examples.

Tim - yes there was a time where the shape/size hole (R &P) were the same and believed to be bad. Thanks for the link , Antonio's cufftitle looks good to me (nice one ). Variations in cloth due exist in the TR arena and sometimes not an easy call to determine authenticity. So I can appreciate the comparisons. Attached is the front/reverse end to end.

Tony

[Tony]

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