09-07-2004, 06:37 PM (This post was last modified: 09-09-2004, 03:23 AM by HuliganRS.)
Guys,
Seems like the Fakers are getting better and better!
This is a new breed of fakes that is slowly sweeping the marketplace.
"Be civil to all, sociable to many, familiar with few, friend to one, enemy to none." Benjamin Franklin
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Member #193
"Be civil to all, sociable to many, familiar with few, friend to one, enemy to none." Benjamin Franklin
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Member #193
A couple of months ago, in St Petersburg, I was offered such a variety of scarce and rare badges that you really have to wonder how likely it is that 3 or 4 different "collectors" have the same 1920's or 1930's badge, usually in good shape, quite detailed, patinated and with very nice enamel, and costing hundreds of $$$. Of course, each seller is ready to swear on the head of every single member of his family that his badge is genuine.
I am afraid that we have to really wake up to the fact that potentially NOTHING is not faked today (sorry about the double negative here). It has become a fully fledged industry in the FSU that is prospering on (totally or partially) gullible westerners.
Marc
PS: when I say that nothing is not fake, that goes also for cloth items; I got an inside look at "uniform restoration" as the perpetrators pudically call it, and short of the very latest types, EVERYTHING is potentially faked, INCLUDING M55 uniforms.
This particular piece is excellent but I'm told that there are still minor differences which can be spotted. Unfortunately I have never seen a real one of this badge and wouldn't even know where to begin.
Rusty.
"Be civil to all, sociable to many, familiar with few, friend to one, enemy to none." Benjamin Franklin
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Member #193
There were simply too many different ones to remember. One that stuck in my mind though is the NKVD Excellent Driver. There are two variations, and in one day, I was offered exactly 4 of the second variation and 3 of the first one, all "genuine", of course, nicely patinated, with perfect enamel. Now, what are the odds of that happening? :)
These are great fakes indeed, but if you look closer you will see that some details, like for instance letters on the banner, are quite crude. BTW, I have never seen an original Red Partisan with intact enamel.
