Godet Oaks Die!!

[Dave Kane]

This is an area I've kind of overlooked but now I need some quick answers if possible!!

The Godet dies are accepted as having survived the war and subsequently used to pop out a number of Oaks post war....

There was a 1st. and 2nd pattern of Oaks...so my question is which or did both die survive the war???

Thanks for any quick research...


Dave

[ChrisJ]

Never say Die

Gordon states that both sets of dies survived the war....
I am probably being provocative here, but I personally have seen no evidence to support this, or to believe that pieces have been made post 1945 using the Godet dies.

[Dave Kane]

Thanks Chris!


Dave

[ChrisJ]

More

Thanks Chris!


Dave

I have handled several pieces that come very close indeed to Godets, but a minute inspection usually reveals the discrepencies... and usually they come in about 1mm too small in both height and width and lack the crispness and (for want of a better word) "quality" of orignals. I posted pictures a few days ago of my 900/21 set...I think this illustrates the sort of quality that should be expected.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Chris

[Dietrich Maerz]

Chris,

wouldn't 1 mm too small not be an indication for casting? The swords that are just now on E-bay are clearly casted and one can see the casting marks on the rim. Have you seen anything like that on the minus 1 mmm fakes?

Dietrich

[ChrisJ]

Chris,


wouldn't 1 mm too small not be an indication for casting? The swords that are just now on E-bay are clearly casted and one can see the casting marks on the rim. Have you seen anything like that on the minus 1 mmm fakes?

Dietrich

You are absolutely right.
Dimensional discrepencies just dont add up for these items....some clearly are caste, but I have doubts about whether some of the better quality fakes have been caste. Surely, surface defects on the edge of the piece...small "blow holes" or blemishes (call them what you will) are a very negative factor. Known orinigals just dont have these and are uniformly of supreme quality, and exhibit one or two minute die traints (flaws) that clearly mark their origin. One problem with the Oaks (and the Swords for that matter) is that they are so darned small... but the advent of digital cameras and mega pixels of resolution allows a much more minute inspection, and verification, so life is a little easier these days.
My advice (for what its worth) is that if the piece offered doesnt meet exact comparison with a known orignal then reject it no matter how tempting it appears....there should be no variation other than small loss of definitiion (perhaps) in later pieces.
They are still very rare little trinkets... and well worth the pursuit !