FJ Helmet Sterbebild

[Shaun Winkler]

I would like to show my collection so far. I think collecting deathcards to some might be a bit strange or even morbid, but I like to believe that by doing this we honour these brave men. Just my opinion !

Regards
Shaun

[John Hodgin]

Superior collection.

Remembrance is good. Often reread mine and think of them and their loved ones.

[Gowert]

I collect mainly Luftwaffe Death cards and portraits. I feel drawn to buy every single luftwaffe deathcard i find . I am currently putting them all in a book titled 'The book of Remembrance'

If you ever decide to sell shaun, please give me first refusal , would be a nice addiition to my few FJ Sterbebild

[JWL]

Thanks for sharing Shaun

[GGS]

Fantastic collection so far!

But.... I'm quite sure the Hermann Bauer deathcard is a fake...


I made a thread about it a few months ago, i'll try and find it ...

kr
Gilles

[GGS]

Here it is : http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ht=coincidence

Deathcards are and always will be a real minefield.
In my deathcard collection I have a few cards which pass the Blacklight-test,
but I'm still not 100% sure about them.Very easy to fake or... create.

Personally, I have seen the ZiBelsberger, Stadler, Hofmann, König,.. cards already ALOT on ebay.I'm not saying they're fake, but you gotta be extra careful when getting these from ebay ...

Cheers,
Gilles

[Eric JB]

Very nice cards Shaun !

I really like that Battle of the Bulge death card.

yours friendly

Eric-Jan

[Mike Yokum]

I too am drawn to death cards. I think of brave young men's lives cut far too short and those they left behind to mourn, their demise usually brought by the greedful lust of madmen.

[Shaun Winkler]

Fantastic collection so far!

But.... I'm quite sure the Hermann Bauer deathcard is a fake...


I made a thread about it a few months ago, i'll try and find it ...

kr
Gilles

Hi Gilles

I know what a mine field death cards can be, so when it comes to collecting them I can assure you I am extra careful. If anything the Hermann Bauer shows the best possible yellow paper ageing out of all of them.

This is a passage that Chris Mason wrote on the subject on how to help determine whether a Sterbebild is original or not,


WWII German award documents and Erinnerungskarten were printed by a process called letterpress. In letterpress printing, a large metal platten bearing the type (and/or image) stamps down on the paper, which is fed into the press one sheet at a time. When I was a magazine production editor in the 80's in San Francisco and we hung out together, it was still possible to find a high quality print shop in the city which had a letterpress machine. Today, however, I don't know if there is one in operation anywhere in the United States, although there well could be in Europe. The letterpress characteristically leaves a slight indentation in the paper where the metal type stamped in, and the ink is often pressed under pressure to the edges of the characters. Any document that's not made this way is certainly a fake, although the converse isn't necessarily true (any document that is, is not necessarily real.) Most of the Erinnerungskarten fakes I have seen of this current generation are done using color photocopying equipment, and are not at all convincing. The ink is very glossy, and under a 4x loupe you can see they're a bad joke. Who would have thought 25 years ago when we started collecting this stuff that it would come to this? Chris


I have personally checked each and every one of my death cards with a 6 x Loupe magnifier and all display the indentation one likes to see from the letterpress. I am very particular on collecting 100% original war time artefacts so if I am not sure on something I am the 1st one to send it back.

I know we have seen quite a few of these particular Death Cards on E bay but for you to assume mine is a fake is a bit absurd, for one the photos aren’t great . I took the photos on the lowest possible res under a tungsten light, in other words there is no way you could tell an original death card from a fake with these photographs, they are just not detailed enough.


Regards
Shaun

[GGS]

Hi Shaun,
interesting passage, I'll certainly try it out on some of my cards.

I never assumed your cards were bad, but personally I pass on high-end
cards which I see often on ebay. If yours are all good, you have an amazing
collection so far !

About the Hermann Bauer card, I don't think it's a 'copy', but imHo the name and photo are just 'photoshopped' on another, original card.

I think I've seen the 'original' (?) Hermann Bauer card in another deathcard thread, W Petz owns the card if I remember correctly ..

Kind Regards
Gilles

[Shaun Winkler]

About the Hermann Bauer card, I don't think it's a 'copy', but imHo the name and photo are just 'photoshopped' on another, original card.

Hi Gilles

If this was the case then there would be no Letterpress indentation on the original card.

Mine has the indentation and age toning thus making it 100% original in my opinion.

I am still puzzled as to why you think it is not original ? As I said it is impossible for you to tell from these photos. You are assuming that it is a fake because it is a high end card that has come up on E bay more than once.

I have studied the card and it shows all the right characteristics as all my other originals.

Anyway I am 100% happy with it and that is all that matters I guess.

Regards
Shaun

[jacquesf]

Very nice Shaun, I like the way you focus your collection. Death cards always touches me. Jacques