WSS Officer M43

[ROBB]

Hi Eric ,what I was alluding to is that not being an SS collector (to many fakes ,agreed) .I wouldnt even pick it up ,but if I did, and I saw the condition as being like new ,I would have chuckled to myself and put it back . But had I been an expert I would have said my my A mint condition SS cap I must add it to my collection ..........how much is it my good man .......$3000000000000000 dollars........ no problem could you gift wrap it for me ,Rob

[Langemark]

Sorry, but such caps are well known fakes.
Sometimes 'they' add original insignia to make the cap more convincing ...

Mark

[John Hodgin]

Though I'm not an SS collector, I have to agree with Langemark. I do know that superb reproduction M-40 DAK caps are being produced with original insignia sewn on.

But yes, 60 year old authentic pieces can be found in near mint condition.

[ReichsHeini]

ss m-43

If these fakes are so well known please post photographs of one of these fakes.
This cap does not have any appearance of being a fake cap with added original insignia. Please show us your basis for this theory.
I am sure you have much experience in handling Waffen SS headgear, so please elaborate, as you have now put the owner of what appears to be a perfectly original cap on notice that he just invested a lot of money in a fake.
Here is one of my SS m-43 caps that is in much the same condition.
Please tell me this one is fake too..........

[ReichsHeini]

ss m-43

interior

[ROBB]

Reichsheinis cap has lots of lovely stamps in it .bit worried about the one that says 1951,Rob

[Glenn McInnes]

Robb,The above cap is 100% original. It was used by the Statni film studios hence the Statni marking and the 1951 date. The Czechs used original Waffen SS headgear in many of their patriotic films. I too have the same hat with the Statni markingsl.






Glenn

[ROBB]

Ah ,now I didnt know that . Thanks ,Rob

[Glenn McInnes]

The 1951 date was the year Statni film studios acquired the caps for use in their films. I believe most of these original Waffen SS M43 caps came into the United States sometime in the mid to late 80,s. Nice original hat .







Glenn

[ReichsHeini]

Just to elaborate more on these Statni caps:
The date refelected, 1951 was the date the piece was inventoried at Statni. All Statni caps have a date from this 1951 inventory. After the Soviet Block crumbled, Statni sold their wardrobe inventory for profit. A well-known collector in the U.S. bought a large quantity of these from the Czech film company in 1989-1990. Others caps were sold to European dealers. There were Waffen SS m-43 caps and Allgemeine NCO and Officer visors amongst the Statni inventory. These caps all have the same stampings: Statni, 722 (location)and 1951.
Although Erichs m-43 is not a Statni cap it appears much like this cap and that is why i posted it. It is my example of a similar cap that I know to be original.

[ReichsHeini]

Thanks Glenn,
I have just purchased another Statni cap I hope to be posting on the other forum soon.
Jerry

[Langemark]

It is absolutely true that a great number of original uniforms, headdresses and equipment originated from the ‘Statni Film’. Talking here about Einheitsfeldmützen, I also agree that several original examples in Italian gabardine came from the ‘Statni Film’.
However, even before the spring had dried up, fake Einheitsfeldmützen in Italian gabardine appeared. Such fakes can be found in enlisted men’s or officer’s version with white or silver piping. Some fakes are artificially aged and a special effort is made to make apparent the place (or shadow) where the insignia ‘had been originally applied’.
The older fakes have the plain half-moon light brown leather sweatband but the recent fakes show a more elaborated “Qualitäts Marke” marked half-moon sweatband. By the way, isn’t such a half-moon sweatband the sign of a private purchase cap ? In that case, doesn’t anybody find a little bit strange that the (fake) ‘Statni’ Einheitsfeldmützen are all ... private purchase ones, including enlisted men’s ones ? It sounds as if, in the last stages of the war, there were more private purchase Waffen-SS Einheitsfeldmützen than standard issued ones !
Many fakes have the “warranty” ‘Statni’ stamps and some even the more complete ‘1951’ and ‘722’ stamps. Continuing with the ‘Statni’ stamps I can also say that many fakes of the Waffen-SS Schiffchen (in feldgrau cloth) are on the market, all bearing the convincing ‘Statni – 1951 - 722’ stamps. These usually don’t have any insignia ... but be assured that their place has been made clearly apparent !

Sorry, Reichsheini, I don’t have any example of fake Einheitsfeldmütze in Italian gabardine to show here because I’m somewhat reluctant to invest huge money in fakes. In the last ten years I have seen over a dozen of those fake Statni Einheitsfeldmützen in Italian gabardine, often coming from the East. These are sold for various prices (from 250 to 750 Euros) without insignia. The fake Schiffchen (with nice Statni markings, but without insignia) I recently saw in Germany were about 300 Euros, ... but still too expensive for a fake.
Anyway, the best way to make the difference between original and fake remains the accurate study of the construction, materials and details of original pieces. But again rises the major problem to find original pieces to compare with.

Best,
Mark<O</O

[Erich Wahl]

Mark,

Thanks for taking the time to provide your observations on reproduction M43s.

Do you see any discrepancies in the construction, materials or details of the two caps posted that would lead you to conclude they are fakes?

If not, do you feel that the mint condition and sweatband of the first one and the Statni stamps and sweatband of the second make it more probable that they are copies than originals?

Thank you and best regards,
Erich

[MGN]

Hello everyone,
Just an observation that I put together:
"In the last couple of years 1995 to present I have seen more SS m43 caps then the years 1975 to 1995! Makes me wonder where all this mint(y) stuff comes from."

Michael

[JOHN VD HEIJDEN]

re

I also must agree with Langemark
today I visit a side wit atleast 3 of these cap,s on it
i heard from other guy,s they were poping up as clouds for the sun
And then I always get a little bit suspicious


By the way how big was that Statni company????
If you believe that all products with this stamp are real Items
this would be a very large BEKLEIDUNGS-AMBT