Bevo skulls in Manions auction

[Tony Barto]

There are currently 3 bevo skulls listed on Manions, 1 tropical and 2 silver-grey. Here they are for your review. Do you guys think they're real or fake? Please explain why you think as you do. We could make case studies on a lot of the items they have for sale and I think presenting it in this fashion will help us all learn.

[Tony Barto]

Reverse of the first one.

[Tony Barto]

Obverse of the tropical

[Tony Barto]

Reverse of the tropical

[Tony Barto]

Obverse of the 2nd silver-grey

[Tony Barto]

Reverse of the 2nd silver-grey

[JOHN VD HEIJDEN]

re

Hello Tony IMO they both are fake
if you look at the back that is not the construction I like
they tend to be like the google-eyes fake one,s

[JOHN VD HEIJDEN]

re

Hello Tony there are 4 skulls at manions
2 tropicals and 2 white/grey ones
the one with the lowest bid is IMO an original one a tropical one

[Tony Barto]

Here is also another one on Manions. Their description reads: "SS CAMO M-43 FIELD CAP GOLDEN BEVO SKULL ON BLACK, MINT UN-CUT. THIS TYPE OF SKULL WAS USED ON THE CAMO FIELD CAP. NOTE: "3" SHAPED SKULL BONE LINE ON LEFT SIDE NEAR THE JAW HING POINT, THIS POINT AND THE BACK VIEW WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS PIECE IS 100% ORIGINAL WW-2 ERA!!! Condition: 10"

How many of you feel that in light of todays reproductions that their description of the "3" shaped skull bone line is inaccurate? Are there not originals out there that don't exhibit this trait? They mention that the back will tell you this piece is 100% original. What is it about the back that will tell us that?

[Tony Barto]

Reverse of the 2nd tropical

[Tony Barto]

Hello Tony IMO they both are fake
if you look at the back that is not the construction I like
they tend to be like the google-eyes fake one,s

John;

For those that don't have the experience that you have, what exactly is it about the construction that you don't like?

[Tony Barto]

Hello Tony there are 4 skulls at manions
2 tropicals and 2 white/grey ones
the one with the lowest bid is IMO an original one a tropical one

Hi John;

I appreciate the heads up on the fourth one. I wanted to try to keep the discussion to the 3 I orginally posted but have now included the 4th that you mentioned.

[MartyC]

skulls

Tony good idea!!

I think the reverse should basically be a negative of the front, much like a photo. With the eyes, nose and bone detail being the bright colors (opposite the obverse). I believe the 1st three are fake. They also, do not have the detail one looks for in the bone stucture.

Marty

[ReichsHeini]

bevo skulls

Tony,
I don't like any of the first three from Manion's. They are all repros in the same exact pattern in my opinion
Here is why:
1) Starting at the top front, the edge around the top of the skull appears to be flat or level with the surrounding black edge and welt. The original appear more textured in this area where the two colors meet.
2) I don't like the WHITE white on the two skulls or the pale mustard color on the tropical version.
3) The front cranial cracks are very sloppy and not to my likings.
4) While I think the "3" theory has some merits, obviously the fakers are including the "3" now in many of the stuff they produce. As seen here on these examples. However I think they did not do a very good job on the "3" and it does not have the same exact shape as on originals which have the "3". This is after comparing this "3" to the 10 or so bevo skulls I have on caps.
5) They eyes are not very good in my opinion. The left one always looks too oval on these copies. That in combination with the mis-shapen right eye are one of the worst features of this repro skull.
6) The definition of the teeth are very poor in comparison with an original.
7) The definition of the cross-bones and the details of them are not of the same pattern and quality as in an original skull
8) The back view appear nothing like an original. It lacks the random peppered highlights that appear, and it instead has this cookie cutter image of the eyes and nose. Sometimes on originals, you can see some other random color threads in the back highlighted areas too. These skulls are like little carbon copy reverse images in back.
9) I don't like the black welt backing this is woven on to start with, it is nothing like original which is smooth and soft. I bet this backing is stiff and slightly coarse texture.
10) The overall appearance on the entire back is also too flat looking.
I hope these are enough point to start a discussion on these. They are actually much better than earlier repros I think, but thankfully not exactly like an original bevo skull.
Jerry
Oh yes the last skull is an original tropical of the most common pattern. It exhibits the characteristics the others are lacking.

[Peter Wiking]

The last one (tropical post 9), is original.

Cheers Tony.
Peter Wiking