Here's a repro that it is often offered as real. Quite accurate but note the dark backing.
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An original with the correct lighter backing.Something of interest here is that this type of shield is sometimes found attached to non German feldgrau tunic material. Some collectors believe it therefore must have been attached post war but the easy answer is merely that the Turkistan legion were often kitted out with captured Dutch stock! -
Now if I didn't know better I'd say someone's taking the P here. Go ahead and show all my shield collection why don't youOriginally posted by Dan T
I have example A and also the 'Biz Allah Billen' resplendant with crescent minarets 
Thanks again to Tony Goodlad c1978....still Live & Learn eh ! Dan,did you see Alan Beadles Turkistan tunic ?...correct shield,M40 tunic,fuzzy picture my 4 year old could have done.
I guess it's an aside but on the topic of shields I'm planning a recon mission to the Sheffield military shop which had all those rolls of shields a few years ago...just got to ditch Jack and the girls for the afternoon
Cheers,Ian Hulley.Comment
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I've never handled an original Turkistan but have handled the repop version shown. Are the originals as stiff and feel like the backing is made of nylon like the repop?Best regards,
TonyComment
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Yes Ian I know you got stung with these early on but many are still getting ripped off by them now! I entered a well known English dealer shop in Islington to be offered one of these repros."A veteran from the eight army gave me this to me when he was in Italy". "Really?!" I politely replied.
The problem is that at first glance they look correct. Once you handle them you find they are stiff and constructed from Nylon as Tony describes. Real ones should flop over your finger and be silky smooth. Typical Bevo construction. Original cuffbands are the same feel. Ian you have been invaluable in my little mission to discover when these started to appear on the collectors' market. The late 70s is the earliest appearance I have noted from a collector.I have gathered views of many. Bob Hritz remembers them in the mid 80s in the states so it is fair to say that they appeared in England earlier. Which brings me to their country of origin.England? I don't think so. They are simply too well made. I 'm still going stick with my intial view that France is where they were made. Especially when some of the WW2 jackard looms survived post war.Comment
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The first time I handled one of these was around 1985 or 1986 down in Florida at a show in Lakeland and it was in a mix of good and bad items and I really wasn't sure of what to make of it other than it felt really odd for a period made piece.Best regards,
TonyComment
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Hi there,
is this one authentic IYHO?
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Hi "Bratwurstdimsum", this is the same type of fake as shown in the first photo. Look at the too dark green backing and the edge to the top of the shield.
Cheers, Ade.
PS. It seems strange reading a post from Tony, who has since this thread was originally started, has passed away
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Yes, this fake has been around a long time. There is now a new generation of fakes that is done on thinner cloth. The TURKISTAN fake posted is on cloth that is a bit thicker than the original that also has a different feel to it.Comment
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Does the new fake on thinner background still have the darker green color of the earlier fakes.Comment
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MMmm...something else, in Osprey's "Foreign Volunteers of the Wehrmacht 1941-45" ISBN 0850455243, the Turkistan Shield they identify has crescents on it. I know we have said this is fake, my question is how reliable is this book?Comment
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Osprey publications (with some notable expections ) are not to be heavily relied upon. They contract to different authors for a flat payment. Some are awful and some pretty good, but really are guides for military miniatures painters. I would take most of them with a grain of salt.Comment
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