DRK - Red Cross buckle

[Zeller]

Here's my new addition to my collection

[David North]

Matt

Are you seeking an opinion on this buckle ?

Regards,

David

[Zeller]

Hello David,

opinions are welcome, of course.

Matt

[David North]

Matt

Are you able to post some better detailed and natural light images in relation to the reverse of the buckle ?

In my opinion, this buckle is a cast fake - however I would still like to see some more images.

Regards,

David

[Zeller]

Hello David,
thanks for your post.

I see that the front of this buckle may be misleading. It has been polished too much (not by me), i would say with ultrasound or sand finished. Anyway with something that has scrapped away all the finish and some metal too. It may look like a cast from the pic, though.
The back shows how the buckle was probably when found.
I am adding some more shot, together with another DRK I found and that I use for comparison. Markings and proportions are identical.

Let me know if you need other pics.

[David North]

Matt

Thankyou for the additional images and as you may have noticed, I have now posted some extremely grainy and indistinct images of the fake (cast) GES GESCH 1 DRK-Koppelschloss on the appropriate data base.

The buckle that you have shown still worries me and I dearly hope that I am totally wrong in suggesting that your buckle is one of the cast fakes.

An aluminium buckle that has a degree of corrosion, or rather oxidisation, can produce a slight bubbling effect to the metal and which sometimes looks like the tell tell signs of casting.

I thought that I detected this on the reverse of the box to the one that you have shown and more distinctly and clearly, on the pin shroud. The latter of course by an original, should be a stamped section of light gauge aluminium and then mechanically formed into a smooth surface tube. The one on your buckle and to my eyes (or monitor), possibly shows signs that it has been cast.

Again, I hope that I am totally wrong and perhaps other members would like to chip in here. It is never a healthy situation when only one member offers an opinion, although the fake cast DRK (along with the fake cast RAD) buckle, can sometimes be devilishly difficult to detect once subjected to careful artificial ageing and distressing.

Regards,

David

[Ric Ferrari]

Hello Matt,

by the obverse pic, I understand David's suspects , but after viewing the post prongs assembly I strongly believe your DRK is original : unfortunately the clean job has damnaged it.

Best

Ric

[Zeller]

Thanks Ric, I also think it's original but badly affected by an invasive cleaning.
Matt

[David North]

Ric

It is the pin shroud and the pin shroud collar to the claws which still concern me somewhat. I have seen many original aluminium pin shrouds which have been affected in various ways, however never as displayed on this buckle. It could be an aberration of digital photography, however I still detect signs of casting on this pin shroud.

Matt

You obviously have no doubts whatsoever as to the buckle being 100% original and really, that is all that matters.

Regards,

David

[Zeller]

Hi David,

there are always doubts in this field of collecting. I'll take better shots and will add them to this interesting thread later today.
regards
Matt

[Vlad]

Matt,
My opinion buckle original but dug out and worn out.
Mine buckle for comparison.

[Vlad]

*

[Vlad]

Marks is differs from yours but other details are identical.

[Zeller]

็Hi Vlad,

thanks for your post. My buckle is for sure ground dug. You can see it from the back. But for some reasons it has been cleaned till it shines on the front side...
Matt

[Zeller]

additional pics



here you can see how the cleaning has eaten away part of the front