Printed ArmBand-Your Opinions Please

[Presley M. Cheshire]

Hello, This is my first post on the forums. I have just started collecting, though I have been interested in The Third Reich since 1962. The reason for my post is I picked up this printed armband and would like to get your expert opinions on it's authenticity. I haven't recieved it yet so these pics are from the seller. Any comments good or bad will be apprieciated.

[Presley M. Cheshire]

Bump!

[Presley M. Cheshire]

Is this so obviously a fake that it is not even worth a comment? If it is, and I've been blatantly stupid, please let me know! I can take it, rude comments are also acceptable if warrented!

[Radcollector]

printed armbands..

Hello

when you get it test the white part with a blacklight(this is 100% accurate but it will weed out the bad fakes!)if it glows there is a problem(I wouldnt take it anyway!)one of the main reasons ive stayed away from printed armbands like this is there are alot of higher quality multi piece constructed armbands for the same prices that ive seen these printed ones go for ($35-$65)and i allways wonder about these printed ones,most of the repro ones ive seen for sale have been the printed kind.sorry i couldnt be more of a help.

yancy

[Presley M. Cheshire]

Yancy, Thank you very much for your reply! I appreiciate the tip with the black light (I think I have one around here somewhere from the 60's... or was that the 70's), any way I'll give it a go. Do you know if this works on all original era cloth?
I got this armband because I wanted one of a differant construction than the normal 3 piece to show variety of style. I hope it turns out to be original. Otherwise I have learned a lesson and have an example of a fake. This old rookie thanks you for your help. All the Best! Presley

[Radcollector]

Hello,

The black light test is just a start and not 100% accurate in determining if an item is fake.If the item was made from 60 year old material then it wouldn't glow even if it was made post war,or if the item is original and was washed in the washing machine to clean it(Ive heard of people doing this)then it will glow.there are still things you can do,check dealers and colectors sites for similar armbands and check the style of stiching the, thread pattern etc.Your armband looks it age,but you should still try to compare it to others if you can find a trustable person/dealer who has a 100% original.It might take a while to find one identical to yours on someones site but it will be worth if if you can be confident that its original.

Yancy

[Bill D.]

Hans...
When you receive the armband, try to read the rubber stamp that is on the material. Many reproductions would be stamped with almost any "official" looking stamp, even fake stamps, to try to give them the appearance of originality. However, if it can be read and if it is in fact an appropriate stamp for a political armband, that would weigh in favor of authenticity. An original stamp would most likely be an NSDAP Party stamp, with the earlier style political eagle, and with the name of an NSDAP ortsgruppe or kreis on it. It might also be an SA gruppe stamp if original. Additionally, if it for an organization that wore this style of armband as part of its uniform, that would be a good sign as well.
Let us know, and welcome to the Forum!
Best regards...
Bill

[Presley M. Cheshire]

Well I have recieved the armband. I have put it to the blacklight test and it does not glow at all. Unfortunately, the stamp is worn enough that I can not make out any of the wording on it. I can kind of make things out if I examine it with different lighting angles and a magnifyer. I will keep on trying as I might get the right combination. Thanks again for your help and the warm welcome to the forums! All the Best! Presley

[Rick Research]

I've had one that looks just like this since the 1960s, when I was a kiddo. It was my first one, and cost me something like two bucks back then. It doesn't glow either, but mine is stamped in a straight line and in OLD ENGLISH (NOT German Gothic) "Sturmabteilung M/36"

Sooo, my best impression would be these are "old" and "clever" (for the days when fake badges were hand cast lead lumps spray painted) fakes from the Johnson Administration.

Either that, or I have a Very Rare British NSKK Motorstandarte 36 "Leamington Spa" armband!

[Mohawkwarrior]

Memories of World War 2 Ltd. lumpy lead repros.

[Rick Research]

Tada! Haven't been down the particular subterranean passage where this one is for years (those of you who are Association Members: where the tunnel forks beyond where the stuffed owls are )...

Actually, my fading memory was wrong: when I blacklit this just now, the WHITE disk (actually about as white as a smoker's bicuspids) goes all electric uh-oh blue-- but NOT the body of the armband itself or the black swastika!

[Rick Research]

Back when Heyhey LBJ was Prez, this seemed quite spiffy to a very young me. Note what looks like a foolishly trimmed out RZM tag stub up top.

Alas, as I found out too late (it's these little nitpicky details...) the typeface of the straight stamp is wrong: "Olde Englishe" and NOT "Gothic."

The tag stub blazes bright blue too, but not the body of the armband.

Hans: sometimes all it takes is a catchy initial title or a couple of responses to see what is going on. I don't collect Third Reich anymore, so this only drew my attention today. Rick