Warning: Reproductions!

[DougD]

OK, I have always wondered (though i have been suspicious) about the uniforms of a certain E dealer. I will not come out and say who, but you all know who it is (did i mention last year I had a great trip to London where I got to ride a DOUBLEDECKER bus, and even got to visit alot of AUCTIONS). Anyway, I'll refer to the original E sellers as "them" or "they" to be fair : )

Anyway, the pics they use on E raise alot of red flags, but I have never been able to actually handle any uniforms from "them". I have always thought they mixed real and fake items; I was wrong and will explain below.

Recently though I have been contacted by 2 collectors who have asked me to sell uniforms they have bought from "them". In the first instance the collector did not send me the uniforms for inspection, but this time I was able to handle them. I will not show full shots of the uniforms, but will only use detail shots.

I am not sure if these collectors are selling because they have found "issues" with these uniforms or simply need money. I will not make a judgment on that. However, what it does mean is the following: uniforms from "them" are now showing up from buyers; i.e. they are becoming second generation sales. Someone who would be scared off from buying a high end uniform on E (as anyone should) might buy from another collector, not knowing where the uniform is from. It also means that there are other outlets for these uniforms. I would love to see what shows up at the SOS, but I will have to rely on my partner Dave to check things out.

Now, to the uniforms.....they are FAKE. No mixing (other than postwar pants), just bad items....these would not really fool an established collector, but I could see them fooling a novice.

What to look for: The uniforms all seem to share the following:

1. "they" fake easy to fake uniforms; no M1945 generals, but rather field pullovers, M1940, 43, etc. Higher ranks, but uniforms that do not require a huge amount of embroidered detail, etc.

2. They are "sets"; sets are very tough to find, and for officers and EMs almost never found. Yet, "they" always have sets.

3. Incorrect ,material on both caps and tunics / pullovers. Same for the caps, as soon as you feel one you can tell.

4. STAMPS STAMPS STAMPS! I have sold a huge number of uniforms and the number of real, surviving WAR TIME stamps I could count on my finders and toes; "they" have stamps on EVERY item; they are clear, detailed, bright and easy to read. Again, all to make the novice feel like he got a good wartime uniform.

5. Overaged parts; like buttons that are caked with dirt on tunics with NO wear; caps with cap buttons that have have "wear and rust" on hats with NO wear. They are still new at this and they seem to either not age something (they almost glow!) or overage them.

I'll try to explain more with photos (am home today due to the ice storm, so i have the time for this). My camera is not great though.

I would really like to hear from others and would love to see more examples of uniforms bought from "them" if they are willing to share.

DougD
Moderator

[DougD]

OK, lets start with caps.

First, they all seem to have this high, "German like" peak (was the forger a previous german forger?).

Here are three caps from "them"; not the identical peaks; the third cap has the wire taken out of it to look a bit different but it is the same identical construction, material, etc, as the other 2.

DougD

[DougD]

Lets look at some of the details of the caps:

Here is the "NKVD" officers cap:

Note the high peak, the very poor quality sweatliner with no wear, the brim with no wear, the buttons with heavy rust ( though no rust marks on cap), the very thin and incorrect cap badge pins.

Note the nice and bright "wartime" stamps.

As soon as I had the cap in my hands I knew it was bad; if you have handled real ones the feel of the repro is obvious.

DougD

[DougD]

Here is the "NKVD Frontier Troops" cap. Note that it has the same tell tale signs as the "NKVD" officers cap.

1. the cheap and poorly made sweatliner
2. the high peak
3. the rusted buttons on a pristine cap
4. the incorrect material (you have to feel it really)
5. The thin repro cap badge prongs
6. the "wartime" stamp

DougD

[DougD]

Now lets look at uniforms. Again, I will try to point out details using this pre-43 "NKVD Frontier Troops" uniform.

1. the repro, non aged buttons; made to look WWII, but of low quality.
2.the low quality colalr tabs with insignia that does not fit well, and is pin back; avoid pin back! Not all pin back is fake, but its a bad sign.
3.Overly aged branch insignia on tunic with NO wear.
4.note the collar hooks with NO wear.
5.pullover of wrong, postwar, material
6. and of course, the nice bright stamp with everything but the name of the guy who made it!

DougD

[DougD]

The ultimate sign of "them". The super-stamp! Nice clear, perfectly readable!
DougD

[Dzerzhinsky]

Fortunetly, I do not collect WWII cloth, but it amazes me why this guy asks so much money for these items! I have monitored his auctions frequently and I could never afford his prices anyway... Even if his stuff was good, he could never sell it properly on ebay anyway. This is due to the fact that most astute collectors know they can only acquire good WWII stuff from Doug or others in the Soviet business... Likewise, I have seen many of his 1920's Budyionovkas for sale as well, and they all look suspicious. Anyway, I am greatful that I am not a victim of his selling. Thank you for the post Doug...:thumbsup

[DougD]

Please, lets say DDA, not DD; DD sounds too much like me!!! : )

Honestly, i think the prices they have for some of the ultra-rare items are good (ignoring the fact that the items are 100% fake!); take for example the M1935 Marshal USSR complete uniform; if i had one in, that was real, and complete, it would be well double what they want (at least).

For some of the items they have that might be real, I agree, the prices are a bit high.

DougD

[DougD]

Some of the uniforms have been on e-bay again as re-sales; i am conflicted in that I think the original buyer did not know what he was getting and really got taken by the original seller. On the other hand I do not want new colelctors to get hurt by these uniforms either. But, looking at the low bids, it does seem like maybe this site is doing its job : )

DougD

[komarovski]

Gimnastiorka mod 43 dated 1941 ...

Marc