My panzer M43 cap for opinions

[90th Light]

Thanks Chris because that reminded me of something else I wanted to say.

For some reason, it seems that any cap whether it be a visor or fieldcap that has just a size stamp like this is now associated to Clemens Wagner and then it's judged as original or fake stamp based on that assumption.

To believe that Wagner was only firm in the whole of the Reich to stamp their caps this way is utter nonsense.

Well Ben, I have added to the discussions about M43 caps for some time now.

I certainly do not believe that Clemens Wagner was the only maker to size stamp only their caps. However, they are one of the makers with clear proof of both size stamps only and size stamps with their makers stamp. Thus the font of the stamps used for their sizing is worth taking note of in this case.

Some time ago I asked a stamp maker, how easy it was to make a rubber stamp like the circular stamps seen in Soldbuchs. He replied not that hard but there are some things like the exact fonts and size of characters that he could not perfectly copy. He could get it very close to the same but not exact.

Now for some reason here on WAF, there are many members who follow these rules of thumb;

1/ An SS M43 can not have an RB number or and RF number. Original SS M43 either have a size only or a size with makers stamp

2/ WH M43 caps always have an RB/ RF number or in lesser cases a makers name stamp with the size stamps.

In my opinion, these rules of thumb are only collector folklore. There are original SS M43 caps with RB/ RF numbers and there are original WH M43 caps with a size only marking. They are a minority in each case but there are originals like that out there.

Having said this, there are fake SS M43's with RB/RF numbers and there are fake WH M43's with a size only stamp. Fakers stamps have common fonts too.

So how does one tell good from bad ?

Answer: various manufactures/ period known footprints which includes the font/ sizes of the stamps used,

Chris

p.s. have left the date stamp out of this post but have observations I can share about the presence or absence of that in each case too.

[BenVK]

Just to clarify, I wasn't referring to you Chris as one who blindly follows assumptions such as size stamps.

[90th Light]

Just to clarify, I wasn't referring to you Chris as one who blindly follows assumptions such as size stamps.

Thanks Ben,

I did not think you were but saw it as a chance to explain in a little more detail of the collector folklore around stamps in M43 caps.

HBT linings are another one which I know you are already well aware of,

Chris

[BenVK]

Personally, I'm more confident in my ability to identify CW caps by their construction and particular type, weight and strength of the sewing thread they used rather then the ink stamps which can vary IMO.

[90th Light]

Personally, I'm more confident in my ability to identify CW caps by their construction and particular type, weight and strength of the sewing thread they used rather then the ink stamps which can vary IMO.

Yes I know you are and these are good examples of the types of manufacturer footprints one needs to know to recognise an original cap by that maker.

Thus all I have probably achieved is that the font of the size stamp looks to be that of a WW2 stamp maker who sold stamps to cap makers to stamp the sizes with.

However, there will also be those reading this asking themselves, have the fakers now copied the CW font to size stamp there reproductions with ?

Chris

[BenVK]

have the fakers now copied the CW font to size stamp there reproductions with ?

The answer to that is yes, they have.