RODO SS: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Too much emotion in my thread regarding the Winter 2016 article in the Military Advisor. In consequence I will make another thread keeping facts and leaving emotions.

SS buckles made by Robert Dold in Offenburg: The GOOD

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

.

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

..

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Those above pictures are showing the only two variants known by me as originals. In 2005 i found evidence of the second variant and named it type 2. Reason been since i believe the type 2 was produced after the type 1. This is due to the blue-green shade of the paint found on most type 2 which is typical of very late war paint. But note there is also very few type 1 with that blue-green paint.

Obvious difference between type 1 and type 2 is the rope we can see under the eagle's beak on type 2 attesting a different die

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

SS buckles made by Robert Dold in Offenburg; The BAD

In the late 90's, Hungary flooded the world with a new series of fakes, all stamped with a new die. It was claimed the production was made using a surviving pre-1945 die but this was absolutely not true. This die never existed pre-1990! In the following years, all the production based on this die received from collectors the name of "V chest fake"

THIS PICTURE IS COMING FROM ANOTHER EXCELLENT FORUM: THE WAR RELICS FORUM. IT IS LOCATED IN THEIR FAKE SS ENLISTED MEN DATABASE
http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/ss-buc...database-6081/

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

As previously wrote, the world was totally flooded. But obviously fakers would not stop there. The fake V chest were selling good but the fake RODO's needed more attention: it was quickly spotted due to its straight catch. That feature did not last long before the introduction of a new catch...

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Then again, this was not the most convincing catch. It was better but not close enough (Do I need to tell why?). So, once again, the world saw a new production. This was the best from the fake V chest line.

THIS PICTURE IS COMING FROM OUR FAKE SS BUCKLES DATABANK
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=252375

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

And again the world was flooded with them. All colours from the rainbow were available: field grey, silver, tropical grey, sand, white, etc.. I believe the only one I was not aware of was pink!

ONCE AGAIN THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE COMING FROM ANOTHER EXCELLENT FORUM: THE WAR RELICS FORUM. ALL THOSE PICTURES ARE LOCATED IN THEIR FAKE SS ENLISTED MEN DATABASE
http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/ss-buc...database-6081/

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

.

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

..

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

This production was so intense and so gross than even book authors were able to obtain at least one example to help readers of their book from been ripped off.

Here is what John R.Angolia wrote in 2001 in the reproductions chapter of his book "Belt Buckles & Brocades of TTR"

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

AND this is what Peter Nash wrote in 2003 in his chapter about reproductions in his book "German Belt Buckles 1845 - 1945"

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

To finish with the BAD, let me show you a last time a V chest fake since it is still in production. This picture is coming from Reddick Militaria, a well known website selling only reproductions.
http://www.reddickmilitaria.com/

You can now easily understand why the collector's community gave those fakes the name of V chest. Note very sharp edges.

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

SS buckles made by Robert Dold in Offenburg: The UGLY

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Anybody can now recognize the V chest fakes displayed on the top of the article. But the V chest fake is also the main body of this article. Anyone now can see it there