J.J.W. WWII PARA WING ???

[joshypogi]

I bought this from a U.K. seller, just received it today. It is stamp with J.J.W. Does anyone know if this is authentic?

[Tonomachi]

I bought this from a U.K. seller, just received it today. It is stamp with J.J.W. Does anyone know if this is authentic?

 

The front of this wing looks like it was manufactured in the US but the rear pin back is of the type you see on British style wings. The stamped lettering looks kind of deep. Can you tell if this wing was die stamped or was it cast. If it is cast my guess is that it is a reproduction.

[joshypogi]

The front of this wing looks like it was manufactured in the US but the rear pin back is of the type you see on British style wings. The stamped lettering looks kind of deep. Can you tell if this wing was die stamped or was it cast. If it is cast my guess is that it is a reproduction.

 

It looks like it was stamed because you can feel the raised bump behind the wing. Is there anyone out there with another one of these for comparison? Thank you.

[pfrost]

It looks like it was stamed because you can feel the raised bump behind the wing. Is there anyone out there with another one of these for comparison? Thank you.

 

With all the caveats of not having it in hand, so one is never 100% certain, it looks cast to me. I wonder what the JJW stands for.... :think:

 

I think it is safe to say that the best thing possible is to stay away from any cast jump wings.

 

Patrick

[Allan H.]

I would recommend that anyone who encounters a JJW marked wing on a dealer's table immediately set it back down, turn around and walk away.

Allan

[Allan H.]

Could it be him? Does anybody has the same wing? or pics?

 

 

MANY years ago- mid 1980's, there was a certain notorious English militaria dealer who uesd to send these in to Manion's Auction in large numbers. Usually, they had a "christmas tree" looking invasion arrowhead and a star affixed to the wings. This was done due to the fact that there is a casting flaw in the wings and the affixed devices would cover the flaw.

 

As an aside, to my knowledge, these wings have nothing to do with Mr. ***************. They are an English contrivance.

 

Allan

[joshypogi]

MANY years ago- mid 1980's, there was a certain notorious English militaria dealer who uesd to send these in to Manion's Auction in large numbers. Usually, they had a "christmas tree" looking invasion arrowhead and a star affixed to the wings. This was done due to the fact that there is a casting flaw in the wings and the affixed devices would cover the flaw.

 

As an aside, to my knowledge, these wings have nothing to do with Mr. ***************. They are an English contrivance.

 

Allan

 

 

The seller claims he aquired this wing from his Grandfather's collection during 1940's to late 1950's. He died in 1965 so he assumes that this wing is 100% original.

[Paul S]

Although I haven't focused on WWII wings that long, I have been collecting one thing or another for some 50-odd years which has provided a kind of perspective that is useful with wings, among other things. I recall in the mid sixties to mid seventies in the field of collecting certain German firearms, that WWII veterans themselves were the principal collectors of WWII vintage pieces, and like most collectors I've encountered over the years, they were a competitive lot. Prices had been driven much higher than I could afford...the WWII generation were in their peak earning years, so they were hard to compete with on such things. Although I wasn't paying attention to wings then, I am sure they were actively collecting them along with everything else. In fact, many of the repros, fakes, and restrikes that puzzle us today, most likely came from that period...the present time does not have a unique franchise on shady characters and opportunists.

 

Allan, there were two wings recently sold on eBay that match the arrowhead and star story you told; each brought something like $300 and each had the momentous story to go along with it. There was a jump wing and a glider troop wing made up the same way and I thought at the time that making those from a $25 plain original would be fairly easy at a local jeweler.

 

I suppose my recommendation here would be the same as the one I wrote for the recent "new collector" thread; first learn to crawl, then walk, and take up running later, when you've learned how. In my view that process is a matter of years, not weeks and would involve handing hundreds of pieces, not just a couple of them, or none at all while trusting someone's story alone.

[Allan H.]

The seller claims he aquired this wing from his Grandfather's collection during 1940's to late 1950's. He died in 1965 so he assumes that this wing is 100% original.

 

Josh,

One of the very first things that you need to learn as a new collector is that you had better not EVER trust the story that comes with the item to the point that story makes the questionable item real. I am not saying that there are not honest dealers out there who do get items directly from the veterans or from their estates. What I am saying is that most purveyors of fakes will tell you that they got the fake item "directly from the vet himself." With so many vets passing these days, many times newly acquired wares have to be attributed to old collections!

 

Paul S. has imparted some excellent wisdom to you in the post preceeding this one. Make sure you read his post again as he gives some great perspective. You need to remember that when you have decided to take the plunge and collect something as competitive and expensive as WWII airborne, you had better be ready to defend yourself against all of the sharks out there who want a piece of your wallet.

 

Allan

[joshypogi]

Allan,

 

Thanks for the advice, and I returned the wing to the seller for a full refund.

 

v/r,

 

Jason