Greetings to all once again. This is an item that came out of an advanced collection in Minnesota. As we have all seen the fake matchbox safes that are coming out of Poland and the former Soviet States (usually SS or other elite highly sought after units), I thought this was different enough to hazard a bid on and luckily (or not), I now own it. Thankfully, few people were at the auction and even fewer yet seemed to be into Third Reich relics. In other words, it didn't go for much. Getting back to the fakes, they all seem to made out of silver or steel and are engraved with their image.
This item is nonmagnetic and appears to be made out of zinc. It did have a goldish colored wash then applied to it. Very little of this wash remains, most of it is under the car and surrounding areas. In my pictures it appears to be very silver in color. In person it is much more of a dull grayish brown. The image is stamped; obviously before it was bent into shape, as some of the design actually wraps around the left edge just a wee bit.
The image is of the famous KdF Wagen in front of the DAF cogwheel logo. Beneath this are the usual words that state something to the effect of "Grounbreaking of the Volkswagen Factory May 1938". On the back is a faint maker's mark. A circle with the word "Erlin 6" inside it, this is underlined very faintly. This is interesting in its self, as the fakes all have a circular makers mark with the word "Berlin 6" inside it.
It also came with a very brittle, beat up, empty matchbox inside it. It fits like a glove (I have heard that period matchboxes are slightly larger than current ones?). This matchbox appears to be made out of an almost balsa wood material with a light coating of rough paper. The matches inside it are my own addition and are not period. Anyone seen anything like this? Any ideas or comments? I'm very happy with this oddball item, so it's cool at any rate.
Many thanks in advance,
Eric.
This item is nonmagnetic and appears to be made out of zinc. It did have a goldish colored wash then applied to it. Very little of this wash remains, most of it is under the car and surrounding areas. In my pictures it appears to be very silver in color. In person it is much more of a dull grayish brown. The image is stamped; obviously before it was bent into shape, as some of the design actually wraps around the left edge just a wee bit.
The image is of the famous KdF Wagen in front of the DAF cogwheel logo. Beneath this are the usual words that state something to the effect of "Grounbreaking of the Volkswagen Factory May 1938". On the back is a faint maker's mark. A circle with the word "Erlin 6" inside it, this is underlined very faintly. This is interesting in its self, as the fakes all have a circular makers mark with the word "Berlin 6" inside it.
It also came with a very brittle, beat up, empty matchbox inside it. It fits like a glove (I have heard that period matchboxes are slightly larger than current ones?). This matchbox appears to be made out of an almost balsa wood material with a light coating of rough paper. The matches inside it are my own addition and are not period. Anyone seen anything like this? Any ideas or comments? I'm very happy with this oddball item, so it's cool at any rate.
Many thanks in advance,
Eric.
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