DAK Panzer M40

[msteve21]

Just saw one of my old DAK M40 caps for sale here

https://virtualgrenadier.com/sale_item.php?iid=5750

Someone removed the original panzer soutchade and it appears they have replaced the original cockade and cap eagle

I guess knocking $8000 off its value

Here the cap in its original condition


MSteve

[BenVK]

I can't believe what I'm seeing!

[Glenn McInnes]

Someone removed the original panzer soutchade and it appears they have replaced the original cockade and cap eagle

But why? Were the insignia and soutache fake?






Glenn

[Mike Davis]

Thanks for posting, I have linked this discussion thread in the sales description. I can understand why someone removed the laughably fake soutache but are you sure the insignia is replaced? I can't understand why anyone would do that. Please post some close up photos of the insignia when you owned it.

[RGD51]

Any further degradation awaiting this poor Franky? What a shame.
A covetted icon of the N. Afrika campaign subject to 21st century, amateur, buggering.

Robt.

[Willi Z.]

It sure does look like the insignia was either replaced or resewn, based on the photos in the first post. I don't see the white loose threads I see in the photos on Mike's site.

Never underestimate what collectors are capable of doing to an item...

[NZMark]

Mark,
Can we see close-ups of the insignia before it passed out of your hands, please?
Regards,
Mark
NZ

[msteve21]

photos

Will hunt around for my photos and will post later today

[Mike Davis]

Based on study of the photos posted by mssteve21 and information received privately I have withdrawn the listing. Another lesson learned. Thanks to all.

[NickG]

It sure does look like the insignia was either replaced or resewn, based on the photos in the first post. I don't see the white loose threads I see in the photos on Mike's site.

Never underestimate what collectors are capable of doing to an item...

The pics with the white thread...

[Tim O'Keefe]

Remember this fine "Afrikaner" well from years ago. Sad to see it in it's current "restored" state...
The added cockade appears to to have been bleached unlike the previous one. Matches better ?

[msteve21]

cap

Only photos I've kept are what ready been posted. I've enlarged the photos which is about the best that can be done on 72 dpi shots

Cap was a Aussie veteran bring back souvenir, all insignia (including laughably fake machine stitched soutache) was original to the cap as it was sold by him back in 1994. I do recall some talk at the time that it had been in his garage near some paint tins and thinners which may explain the colour distortion to the cockade and grey stains, too long ago to be certain on that.

Unfortunately I had to sell it around early 2000s to pay for a family members medical treatment, otherwise it would have stayed in my collection.

Msteve

[OSS]

I had the opportunity to examine this cap in hand at the SOS and several things stood out to me. One was the fact that there was no hint of unfaded shadow beneath the edges of the insignia; so it was either perfectly aligned( or possibly even the original insignia), or the cap was faded under the insignia.This seemed to me unlikely as the cockade is more faded than the eagle while the thread and application appears the same. I suppose it is most likely that it is an original faded cap which has had insignia reapplied at some point.

[Max Wünsche]

Terrible treatment of a stunning DAK cap....

Who was the owner who took it upon himself to deface history....?

Name and shame I say!!!

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[msteve21]

Cap

While I know the identity of the buyer from some 20 odd years ago it would be improper to say they are responsible. The cap may have changed hands multiple times over the proceeding years

I assuming the current owner also confirmed the insignia removal and hence Mike removed it from sale, as per the message on his web site. It’s a pity more dealers don’t have the same level of integrity


Msteve