dak ring

[wh014d4394]

right then boys. i would like to sell this baby. so please give your opinions. thank you

[wh014d4394]

i know the pics are not the best. but i keep geting flash backs.

[wh014d4394]

heres the front. solid gold top

[Bill Gaynor]

Hi Jimmy,
First, do you have a better picture of the face of the ring. Two, any markings on the inside, if so can you get a picture ?
These are a ring that are tough to judge, since they have no provenance to them such as a SS Honor Ring. If you know for a fact that it came from someone you know that acquired it in North Africa that gives it a history.
There are alot of rings from North Africa and since they were made by street venders in Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and some were made for general sale and some like yours looks to be made special for someone (with initials).
The face of the ring is probably not gold but a process known as "rose gold" which can be a mix of some gold or silver with copper. This was a common process used by these venders. They would melt down old jewelery, coins etc. for the base of ring then the face where the main design would go they would use this "rose gold" process.
The top ring guy is Gaspare, and he is on this forum, but I don't know if he will tell you yes this ring is from the DAK since there is no way to be sure. You have to buy these rings based on research and faith.
Bill

[wh014d4394]

hi bill.you can be 99pc sure. this babys right. why would a faker put the guys initials on when he could simply put a parm tree and swaz on? theres no marks in the ring. witch looks good to me. as im sure the faker would have put them on the ring. the initials i think are wb? are hw i think. but that just my two cents

[Bill Gaynor]

Hi Jimmy,
Appreciate your two cents, here is mine, your ring looks right to me, just my opinion. I would still like a better pic of the face if you could. I keep a running collection of photos of DAK rings for reference.
I will send you some photos of rings similar to yours if you like, I will need a personal e-mail to do this if you want, send a personal to me on the forum mail then I can do this.
Bill

[Sal Williams]

Looks British to me. Any silver mark?

[milcollector]

it also looks British to me.
There is really no way you will ever establish the history of this ring.
Obviously it has a link to the mid-east, and is most likely from a soldier who served there during the war, but that is really all you will ever know, unless you have reliable provenance.

It is unlike all the DAK rings I have seen.

[byterock]

I would go with English as well looks more like Somali/NW African work rather than Arab going by the style of the Camel

[wh014d4394]

hi bill. then you can take a look at my big daddy the daddy of them all this baby i just love

[wh014d4394]

so how much. would one put a value on the bottom one it does not fit my finger. so it has to go

[Bill Gaynor]

Hi Jimmy,
Thanks for the viewing . Two very different style rings. The upper one with the "niello" finish which I have seen a few of, this was a common finish process used by venders in some areas of North Africa and is a very old process. And the bottom one a nice casting, both rings probably made for maybe for an officer since both were more detailed with alot of work going into them, and it took more money to by these, just an observation .
Hard to pin point an exact price on the bottom ring since its more a question of how bad someone wants one, say to fill out a DAK collection. I would think somewhere in the range of $300.00 to $450.00 U.S.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Bill

[Dr. Strangelove]

Afrika

Pshaw!

[wh014d4394]

Pshaw!

ok now i have egg all over my FACE

[Bill Gaynor]

Dr. Strangelove,
That is truly a beauty , alot of work and detail. If you ever get sick of looking at it I would be proud to become it's caretaker for you .
Looks like a silver cast with the "rose gold" on the high point symbols.
Regards,
Bill