Fake Item Discussion

[dave baker]

I was talking to a mate of mine down the pub over the weekend about fake Nazi items, and told him what a great source of informtion this forum is in order to tell the good from the bad. .

Problem is that all the ageing experienced collectors are doing when pointing out fake items here, is telling the fakers what to change and how to perfect their item!. Everyone has an opinion I know, but by casting your opinions on what is fake and what is wrong with an item, it's just adding fuel to the fire and the fakers then know what to do in order to pass the item off a genuine. All we're doing is doing their homework for them. I bet they thrive on the wealth of information they get here.

Id' be interested to know what others here think about this?

[Mat Holloway]

This is true!
But the fakes are excellent now and very hard to tell and with out a little help how can people that are new to the hobby or branching out into another area find information? It is a tricky situation. Most high end fakers in my opinion are collectors anyway to take an interest in such an unusual subject.
so they are most likely well in the know before hand its just the people who actually make the items that let them down not the guys who commission them to do it!
Medals etc are getting very difficult to tell unless you study the maker and type etc! Fieldgear is maybe a little easier but not a lot.....

[dave baker]

Agreed I suppose.

It's just that I bought a Nazi helmet on the 'say so' of the professional peoples opinion on this site a year or two ago. I then posted full pictures of two of my helmets.

Everyone replied saying that the original helmet was a fake and that the fake helmet was original.

I then went to a very well known London dealer who told me that the fake was infact the original helmet and the original was fake!!. And he has been in the business 35 years etc.

What is one supposed to believe. ?

Like I siad, by pointing out fakes we're telling them how to do it and perfect it.

[Mat Holloway]

Which london dealer did you go to?
Fakes are ever changing, items that are once believed to be original turn out to be proven fake and vice versa when new info comes up! It is a murky world and fakers are hiding i the shadows at every corner yo just got to find an area and try and stick with it and learn as much as you can!!