Officers Equipment Company metal dies sold on eBay

[Tonomachi]

I don't know how many of you saw this on eBay but the dies for a sought after paratrooper wing sold on eBay to someone for $192.55 on November 4, 2018. There were 39 bids between 13 bidders.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-WWII-AIRBORNE-PARATROOPER-JUMP-WINGS-INSIGNIA-Badge-Medal-Mold-Die-Hub-/153236450122?nordt=true&nma=true&si=2h7mYFssR%252BQqLuCCJMBTGj8zWWw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Photo

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Photo

[Tonomachi]

I didn't know these were out there as I had purchased a set of these paratrooper wings at the ASMIC Show in San Diego a couple of years ago which didn't seem right once I got them home and began examining them with another in my collection.

[Tonomachi]

I suspect these were made after the dies left the hands of the Officers Equipment Company as these paratrooper wings has the wrong color, lack of any patina and are just too mint to be original. Now that these dies have surfaced I feel that someone has been making copies.

[Tonomachi]

I have seen a number of variations of this paratrooper wing over the years so which are authentic to WW2 or just after if of course they were made post war. Here is a sterling hallmarked wing in my collection that I feel is original to the WW2 era.

[Tonomachi]

Well how about this one as it is not marked sterling but one of the things it has going for it is the correct size hallmark. I personally would trust this one as well.

[Tonomachi]

Now this one I'm not sure about now that these dies have surfaced. Look at the size of the hallmark which are larger than the ones in Post 6 & 7. The color of the metal on the back looks like it was heated with those different hues and you can see remnants of solder. So is this an original piece or copy?

[Tonomachi]

Back

[Tonomachi]

Now there are a number of these wings that have surfaced over the years that are simply hallmarked sterling. Now that we know these dies have been out there can we trust these wings?

[Tonomachi]

Of course then there is the infamous Luxembourg hallmarked paratrooper wing that someone was trying to sell for a great deal of money. This is the very first paratrooper wing with this hallmark that has surfaced in the 40 plus years I have been searching for variations. The problem of course is if Luxembourg did produce a paratrooper wing how come no one has seen another besides this one that surfaced one eBay. So now that these dies have sold I'm guessing there will be more copies surfacing on eBay. However the only two that I would trust now is the one in Post 6 & 7 as all others for me are now suspect. Buyer beware.

[manayunkman]

They have sold all kinds of dies from rare to common.

 

Amazing that so many dies also have a finished enameled product.

[The Rooster]

i dont know anything about these, but I notice that the die does not have that half circle line going through through the upper risers like I see on the badges.

Maybe its filled with debris???

[Tonomachi]

i dont know anything about these, but I notice that the die does not have that half circle line going through through the upper risers like I see on the badges.

Maybe its filled with debris???

You are right as the piece on the squared metal does not show this but the other die on the circular base does show this inner semicircular half circle.

[The Rooster]

You are right as the piece on the squared metal does not show this but the other die on the circular base does show this inner semicircular half circle.

 

lol... I thought I was so observant, but I totally didn't look at the other piece!

Thank you for clearing that up !

 

[pfrost]

The Lux "fake" was also completely discussed in the past. With our resident AB collectors, I am pretty sure they covered all the bases in a scientifically valid manner.

 

It it worth a good read. Notice that the Officer's Equipment wing is discussed.

 

I especially liked my response: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/131767-luxenberg-hallmarked-jump-wing/page-2

"I'm going to be cold hearted on this one and say if you know enough to recognize the potential value of a Luxenberg wing, are willing to toss stupid money at it on an internet auction, and have the computer skills to sign up for an eBay account, then you have the ability to do a google search for fakes.

 

So, I can't say I have much sympathy for these guys. Heck, its hard enough for me to find good deals for ME to buy, that I don't see myself worrying for the wallets of those with not much sense.

On the other hand, it may turn out one day that Luxenberg did in fact make jump wings like that and those of us who poo-poohed these wings as fakes were totally wrong and have egg on our faces. Or not. Either way, I can live with it."

[pfrost]

Just another observation. If these two dies go together, one the mold the other the striker, then the wings produced should have a "cliche" back, in which the reverse is a mirror image of the front?

 

Or are these two separate pieces of different dies?

 

Another thought that occurs to me is that perhaps Luxenberg contracted with O.E. to produce a few wings? They did use both Blankinton and A.E. Co to make insignia with their hallmarks. Usually people think of 3 types of Lux wings, the "type 1 and 2 (made by Blackinton) and the type 3 made by A.E. Co. But I have seen a 4th unique type of Lux-marked wing in ONE collection. Clearly different than the other 3 patterns, and may also be a one of a kinder?

 

I can imagine a very small run of wings being commissioned by Luxenberg for a special order, perhaps?

 

Although considering where the current Luxenberg dies and hallmarks reside, one has to wonder.... I'll just wait until I find one for 10$ at a flea market.

 

P

[mghcal]

I had forgot to bid on these dies and was really surprised they went so cheap. I've also contacted the seller asking if they had any other full size AAC or paratrooper wings and they responded "no, I believe that was all we had". When I asked if they had sold any other wing dies offline they didnt answer. At least patina is relatively hard to fake but it's very scary to not know if they sold other dies and to who...

[Boy Howdy]

I know this is an old thread but I just won these on the bay.

They seem to match what an original is supposed to look like but I figured I'd throw it up to the wing gods. 😁

Thanks in advance!

[Tonomachi]

All three of them look good to me and are definitely post war.  

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Military-Jump-Wings-Pinback-Officers-Equipment-Company-/224060299785?nordt=true&nma=true&si=0WHn8PQZ7RMgSJcWKM4v2kEOM7o%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Military-Senior-Combat-Jump-Wings-Pinback-Officers-Equipment-Company-/224060301636?nordt=true&nma=true&si=0WHn8PQZ7RMgSJcWKM4v2kEOM7o%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Military-Master-Jump-Wings-Pinback-Officers-Equipment-Company-/373096464748?nordt=true&nma=true&si=0WHn8PQZ7RMgSJcWKM4v2kEOM7o%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

 

[CliffP]

Re: Officer's Equipment Company

 

Here is some background information on Officers Equipment Company which was owed and operated by Vincent E. Puma.

 

Born in Italy in 1895 Mr. Puma was one of 19 children, nine of whom died at birth.  He came to America in 1905 and his love for this country stimulated him to joined the service before he was twenty.  During World War One he was sent to France as a French-English-Italian interpreter and later became an ardent member of the American Legion.

 

After World War One he lived in Brooklyn, New York and became a traveling salesman for what was once the prestigious Knox Hat Company on 5th Avenue in New York and eventually became Director of Sales for the State of New Jersey.  While on a business trip to New Jersey in 1928 he saw a gigantic 10,000 square foot Victorian blue pudding-stone house with 12 rooms and 5 bathrooms called The Daniel Burns Home located in Madison, NJ at 49 Park Avenue. He bought it for $25,000.

 

During the Depression he eventually lost his job with The Knox Hat Company and worked for various other hat companies out of New York; however, he was not happy having to work from the bottom up again and in 1940 decided to begin his own company from home called The Officer's Equipment Company.  Furnishing dress equipment to officers of the three branches of service he traveled extensively during the war selling to military base PX's across the country.  His pride and reputation was high and he did very well. He retired from business in 1947 and died in 1980.

 

Pictured below is a picture of Mr. Puma's home and the photo of a beautiful 12' X 20" Salesman Sample Board which hung  in his office after the war.  Unfortunately, the photo does not do it justice.  It was sent to me in 2002 by his son *Reverend Monsignor Vincent E. Puma, Jr.

 

*Rev. MSGR Vincent E. Puma, Jr. wrote a delightful biography called "Son of a Bishop! - What A Life".  Published in 2000 by Associated Graphics, Inc., ISBN 0-9705655-0-X.

 

 

 

                

[Boy Howdy]

I appreciate all the info.

I really wanted this basic pin back one (don't have one-my reason for everything lol) and am glad I won it.

 

[Tonomachi]

Interesting salesman sample board which must have been put together in 1940 since this is when he started his insignia business.  I noticed that the sample includes a pre-WW2 officer's armored collar insignia that I thought was not worn during WW2.  There is no paratrooper wing so the sterling piece like all of the other examples must be post war.  Thanks for sharing this.

 

 

[Boy Howdy]

Just got these today.

They appear to be copper(?)

Any information will, as usual, be greatly appreciated.

[Bob Hudson]

35 minutes ago, Boy Howdy said:

ust got these today.

They appear to be copper(?)

 

Those are Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia, made in brass, which is copper-based. They were created in WWII for parachute riggers  but were worn unofficially by some jump-qualified Marines. After the war they were not used again until the 1960's when the then  new force recon units of that era got permission for them to be worn by by Sailors and Marine s who made 10 jumps. Here's a thread about the recon and the return of the brass jump wings: