laquer on EK_2 from salesboard

[all1knew]

Hello all,

There is a nice EK_2 for sale on a site that states that it was removed from a salesboard after the war. It is also stated that the front has a thin layer of laquer applied to it, while the reverse does not. Was this common practice or have any of you out there in Internet land ever heard of this before?

Please let me know either way. Thank you.

William Kramer

[DavidM]

Hello

Yes, I have come across both. The salesboards were used, (I believe), both during the war, but especially immediately after the end of hostilities as the manufacturers realised that the occuping forces would buy just about any Third Reich items. So salesboards with many different medals and awards were put together and sold to passing soliders as souvenirs. At first the manufacturers used up existing, wartime produced stock. As that dwindled away some, though not all, began to produce the pieces again, some using the original dies and tools.

As for the laquer, this was quite 'fashionable' about 20 years ago, as many collectors believed - rightly or wrongly - that by applying a thin coat of laquer to an item, (and it wasn't just EKs), it would help preserve the piece. In the case of the EK1 many only applied the laquer to the front as they believed it would seal the surface and thus prevent and, or stop the core from rusting. Normally the EK2s had the laquer on the front and back. If the person who did this felt it would stop rust then maybe, if some rust was already present on the front but not the back, they may have simply applied it to the front and left the rear alone. Fortunately this practise seems to have died out, and wasn't done by many anyway.

Regards
David

[Brien]

Laquered RK

Interesting thread!

I happen to own an S&L RK that has laquer on the front and just the standard eggshell sheen on the reverse.

[all1knew]

Hello,

Does this lessen the value?

How do you know if it happened during the war or not?

Please let me know either way. Thank you.

William Kramer

[Brien]

Laquer

The peice I own is a post-war S&L RK. So of course it had to have been done post-war, but why I don't know.

[DavidM]

Hello

To the best of my knowledge the laquer was something that some collectors did, and was not part of the manufacturing process - so therefore the laquer is post war.

Can this affect the value? In my opinion, depending on how it is has been done, yes. Most collectors prefer their pieces to be original, and that includes the finish. Of course, if it has been done extremely well, with only a light coat which isn't that noticeable it won't affect the value as much as one which is more thickly and noticeably coated. As with anything, at the end of the day it comes down to do you personally like the item and is it at a price you are prepared to pay.

Regards
David

[all1knew]

Hello,

Here is what I am talking about, it was done to the front, but not the reverse. So if you ever see another like this one you'll know what is going on:

http://www.sterlinggambino.com/Milit...il2.cfm?ID=257

William Kramer