CliffP Posted June 29, 2010 Share #176 Posted June 29, 2010 Somehow I missed seeing this section of Patrick's post: ... is it me, but does it seem that the most recent Pink and Green book went from being a well researched and critical examination of USAAF wings, to a catalog of someone's very expensive (and currently being auctioned off) collection? :think: Several have been sold for very expensive prices but are they all of them really as good as others might wish to have us believe? While most wing badge collectors are aware of lost wax casting to make reproductions, how many know about another process called centrifugal casting? Centrifugal casting is a means of making better quality badges not possible using the lost wax casting method. The technique works something like this: With the aid of a small electrical motor an articulated arm is used that is free to spin around a vertical axle. The entire mechanism is usually enclosed in a tub or drum to contain any hot metal should the mold break or an excess amount of metal be used. Single use molds are first prepared using the lost wax method. Then a small amount of metal in a crucible (a sort of ceramic pan) next to the mold is heated with a torch. When the metal is in a molten state the arm is released, forcing (by centrifugal force) the metal into the mold. The high forces imposed on the metal overcome the viscosity, resulting in a finely detailed badge with few or no air bubbles. Similar results may be obtained via vacuum casting or pressure casting. Odds are that no one is using this process today... at least not to any great degree but several years ago there were a few fellows around that were known to. Caveat emptor and let those interested draw their own conclusions. While I am not implying that any specific badge that was offered or will be offered is a bogus one, it is strongly suggested that several of them deserve a much closer look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #177 Posted July 3, 2010 Here's five wings currently listed on ebay by the same seller. Opinions? Ebay #160449835332. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #178 Posted July 3, 2010 Back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #179 Posted July 3, 2010 Ebay #160449835654 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #180 Posted July 3, 2010 Back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #181 Posted July 3, 2010 Ebay #160449836053 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #182 Posted July 3, 2010 Back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #183 Posted July 3, 2010 Ebay #160449837702 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #184 Posted July 3, 2010 Back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #185 Posted July 3, 2010 Ebay #160449837702. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #186 Posted July 3, 2010 Back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted July 3, 2010 Share #187 Posted July 3, 2010 Back. Every one a hideous fake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #188 Posted July 3, 2010 Larger image of Ebay #160449837702 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #189 Posted July 3, 2010 Larger image of Ebay #160449838723. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #190 Posted July 3, 2010 Every one a hideous fake. Absolutely my friend! But big money continues to be thrown down for this seemingly unending collection of crap. Did you see the final prices on the five he listed last week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #191 Posted July 3, 2010 Recap: Ebay #160446787016 sold for $761.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #192 Posted July 3, 2010 Ebay #160447426936 sold for $292.00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #193 Posted July 3, 2010 Ebay 160447428950 sold for $241.49. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #194 Posted July 3, 2010 Ebay #160447430734 sold for $228.51. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 3, 2010 Share #195 Posted July 3, 2010 Ebay #160446783275 sold for $161.50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfortress Posted July 3, 2010 Share #196 Posted July 3, 2010 Buyer beware although there are already bidders on two of the wings. Lots of fraud and deception on eBay and too many uneducated buyers. Sad commentary for the collecting community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted July 4, 2010 Share #197 Posted July 4, 2010 Buyer beware although there are already bidders on two of the wings. Lots of fraud and deception on eBay and too many uneducated buyers. Sad commentary for the collecting community. It is ironic because novice collectors probably have the best opportunity to learn about wings than all of us who have preceded them in the collecting world ever had. Between internet resources (like this one), the high quality and clear photographs of a wide range of wings in the first two Pinks and Greens books, websites, and even ebay, no one should ever be able to argue ignorance anymore. Oh well. Maybe the mods can at least move these pictures to the fakes and reproduction thread? Thanks for posting them Russ. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horsa Posted July 4, 2010 Share #198 Posted July 4, 2010 It is ironic because novice collectors probably have the best opportunity to learn about wings than all of us who have preceded them in the collecting world ever had. Between internet resources (like this one), the high quality and clear photographs of a wide range of wings in the first two Pinks and Greens books, websites, and even ebay, no one should ever be able to argue ignorance anymore. Oh well. Maybe the mods can at least move these pictures to the fakes and reproduction thread? Thanks for posting them Russ. P The first act of a potential buyer, especially on Ebay, should be to size-up a seller. Not by looking at feedback ( most selling fakes have 100 percent ) but by seeing what else the seller is and has been selling. In my experience most of those selling fakes tend to be people who specialize in Militaria. Sometimes it's a means to get rid of bad purchases on their part, mostly it's a deliberate effort to defraud. But by looking at a seller's history it's often possible to characterize a seller. This is by no means foolproof, but I think when contemplating a purchase on Ebay it should the first step. Next step is to work from a premise that the item is a fake, and then work towards what makes it genuine. Coincidentally an airborne wing with British-made pin identical to the one that was discussed here recently is now on Ebay, so there must be a batch of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted July 4, 2010 Share #199 Posted July 4, 2010 Larger image of Ebay #160449837702 The one in Post#12 might have been a genuine "sweetheart" wing that has been "upgraded" by punchmarking a heap of stars on the top of the shield and sticking on the "US". Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted July 5, 2010 Share #200 Posted July 5, 2010 The first act of a potential buyer, especially on Ebay, should be to size-up a seller. Not by looking at feedback ( most selling fakes have 100 percent ) but by seeing what else the seller is and has been selling. In my experience most of those selling fakes tend to be people who specialize in Militaria. Sometimes it's a means to get rid of bad purchases on their part, mostly it's a deliberate effort to defraud. But by looking at a seller's history it's often possible to characterize a seller. This is by no means foolproof, but I think when contemplating a purchase on Ebay it should the first step. Next step is to work from a premise that the item is a fake, and then work towards what makes it genuine. Wise words horsa. Your approach to Ebay buying is a must for us all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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