Tropical Cap Eagle

[Bob Hritz]

This came out of my ads, but it looks a little different from others I have seen. I have placed it on the estand and want to make sure everything is OK with this eagle.

Bob Hritz

[afrikasandman]

Well I guess I'll be the one to stomp on this fire ant hill. I think this cap eagle is a good one. It differs from one of mine on the back but I really like all the details of this eagle. I believe its the type that soo many people automatically deem to be fakes when seen on tropical M40s. This is a later eagle in my opinion and one that has no business being on a 1st model M40 but would be perfectly acceptable for a 2nd model cap. Of course its just my opinion and everyone is allowed to have one...
There are going to be those that think it has the saw teeth above the top of the eagle but if you look closely its just the thread being pulled a bit further up. I still think these are ugly but a good pattern but im probably one of the few. I prefer the other bevo trop cap eagles to these any day but an original is an original regardless of how ugly. Matt

[Fred Green]

Hello Matt,

I am having a hard time with this piece. That's why I pm'ed you. I knew you would open your mouth

Looking at the front of the eagle it appears the sawtooth pattern shows through from the back to the front side on the top of the wing. As you look at it the left wing looks different from the right wing. The space between the wings and the small wing segments looks odd to me.

Looking at the reverse of the eagle I really like the costruction! I don't see the sawtooth pattern and I see the twist in the thread that I always look for.

I think you are correct in your opinion of it being an original eagle. A little bit of variation but some key points I like to see are there.

Fred

[afrikasandman]

Fred,

you have some valid points. I have only had a few bevo eagles that have issues from the bevo process. I had truely expected to see the saw tooth from the front and it didn't have it. I think this is a crappy looking eagle and dare I say poor quality construction but I can't doom it on those characteristics alone. These are by far the ugliest variation of tropica cap eagles I have ever seen other than the occasional Italian produced sea gull looking hand embroidered examples. As I said I believe these are later products for sure as they just show the overal decline in production ablitity and quality but it doesn't make them any less real or collectible. UGLY... yes REAL... yes in my opinion. Matt

[afrikasandman]

The other thing that is odd is that these appear to be almost more embroidered looking than bevo from the front, yet are with out a doubt bevo from the back. Just an interesting point of observation.. Matt

[Bob Hritz]

Thank you very much. From the veteran family source, I knew it would be original, but the pattern threw me off. I have never seen this pattern before.

Bob Hritz