Let's all "Gung-ho"and discuss this M43 Einheitsfeldmutze

[TONY Q.W.]

Hi CollectRussia,

Now, that's the real thing (if you guys tell me there is something wrong with this M43, that would be my last post )

Tony

[CollectRussia]

insignia and buttons

[derspiess63]

insignia and buttons

Collect Russia.....as far as WE know this cap COULD be made with worn cloth and faded thread....if we'd judge it from pictures alone!
It surely looks the part and definitely is more convincing than the one my friend has bought,not to mention the fact that WE ALL take for granted that you've posted an ORIGINAL specimen....but this is not the point of the thread;we all have posted genuine M43s in many M43-oriented threads in the past but the one I've started was aimed to draw the attention of THREE people,FOUR at max,who had got what I meant to say in the first place and one of them is the one with whom I've had an exchange of PMs lasted a few hours, discussing to which extent the fakers have pushed themselves with THESE caps!
Nobody here,me for one, doubts about your cap, but let me tell you(I'll play the Police Officer's part here...disclosinmg a trick or two...but not entirely!)that a Q-tip dipped in a bottle of any strong bleaching agent,a razor,a piece of coarse wet 'n dry,a cigarette lighter,a copper drain and a bucketful of muddy water could turn Andrea's M43 into a salty"been there","Vet BB","Stalingrad Relic","out-of-the-Normandy-woodwork" veteran within a few hours with the former five "Agents" and within two or three days putting the six of them to good use!Add a week or two of strong sunlight and hey presto!The very same M43 that kept Fritz company from February 23rd 1943 to May 8th 1945!
Cheers
Manny

[derspiess63]

Sorry Collectrussia....I didn't notice that Tony posted the message to which I replied!Whatever.....enen Janke's stray bullets could become dangerously deceiving with the care of "F.A.K.E.R.S. Racing Team" and a few details added or swapped for others!
Best

Manny

[sean weber]

Get Your 43's out

Heres my 43 feldmutze bought before the days of pro reenacting and super repros (I Hope) it would be a good idea to get as many caps on here as we can, thus making a online photo reference of "right caps"

Sean

[lenny]

Why on earth should I "PM" you the seller's name?
Here you go:

Dave Cantwell

Manny

as in "helmetsandheadgear.com" ???

[Glenn McInnes]

The funny thing is I have spoke to some 30/40 year militaria dealers about the finer details that Manny and I spoke of in our PM's and they had NO clue as to what I was talking about and still don't.

Both caps look OK to me but would like to see pics such as the ones Manny posted with his Bud's cap. Soft headgear is tough from pictures unless you show the details in which he did, and even then you may need to see it hands on just to be sure

Glenn

[derspiess63]

The funny thing is I have spoke to some 30/40 year militaria dealers about the finer details that Manny and I spoke of in our PM's and they had NO clue as to what I was talking about and still don't.

Both caps look OK to me but would like to see pics such as the ones Manny posted with his Bud's cap. Soft headgear is tough from pictures unless you show the details in which he did, and even then you may need to see it hands on just to be sure

Glenn

Salut Glenn,
you're darn right in what you say in your last lines...... and those 30/40 year militaria dealers really don't or rather PRETEND they don't have any clues?
You know as well as I that the finer details we discussed in our PMs are very,very important yet, even if or when they're present it doesn't necessarily mean that the cap is genuine!Last year Norbert Graetz of German-Militaria dot com had amongst his listing an M44 tunic which was a perfect replica...down to "that"detail often(not always!)found at the waist and a pound or two of bias material inside the collar yet..........nylon thread a go-go on that one!It was aged inside and out but it was nothing but a t#rd!A friend of mine bought it,showed it to me,listened carefully to my opinion and to my explaination as to why the tunic was a fake and got rid of it a few weeks later!
Manny

[Glenn McInnes]

Hi Manny,

I saw a similar M44 last year but it was Waffen SS! It's my understanding that it was made by an individual in France and it was very well done,using period wool and lining material, right down to the markings.

It really scared me for sure!!

Glenn

[derspiess63]

as in "helmetsandheadgear.com" ???

yes!

[keifer kahn]

I can understand collectors that aim to have only mint items in their collection but surely this scenario is typical of what a lot of people must be confronted with.What hope would a novice collector have in determining something like the cap Manny presented.
Mint scares me and to be honest most of my headgear is stuff that people just simply wouldnt touch due simply to their uncollectible condition.But i like my moth and mice eaten items.I like my fieldcaps that dont have any wool nap left due to wear.I dont care if my caps look like someone run over them in a tank.
But thats me.

As for norbert graetz .

Hes been mentioned before in regards to other questionable items.