WWII US Jump Wings Pin/Hinge/Clasp Setup

[RANDALL 1953]

Every set of US WWII jump wings that I have seen have the pin setup with the clasp on the left and the hinge on the right on the reverse. Found these with just the opposite, seller states they are genuine WWII but I have never seen them constructed like this. Not saying they are fake, just unusual to me to see them like this.

[VIPER]

These look like they came out of the Wosk hoard.........but I am new too all this.

[Allan H.]

These look like they came out of the Wosk hoard.........but I am new too all this.

 

 

No offense, but there is nothing about this wing, other than the fact that it is shaped like a jump wing that makes me think it is a "Wosk" wing.

 

It does look like the catch opens on the top, so it is possible that someone was having a bad day at the factory many years ago.

 

Allan

[VIPER]

No offense, but there is nothing about this wing, other than the fact that it is shaped like a jump wing that makes me think it is a "Wosk" wing.

 

It does look like the catch opens on the top, so it is possible that someone was having a bad day at the factory many years ago.

 

Allan

None taken. As I said I am new but they did look like some I have seen reading the old posts as I am trying too learn as much as I can.

[pfrost]

The Wosk sisters are couple of ladies from San Diego who have been selling the old stock from their father's uniform supply company. Wosk was in business during WWII and they have been selling off the old stock for years. Some really nice and rare stuff came out of that "horde", as it were. Including submarine combate badges, all types of USN wings, USMC patches and ribbons, and jump wings. Most in the original packaging. They used to offer up a catalog, but IIRC it was kind of a funky thing. You had to buy lots of stuff, for every set of wings, you had to by a certain amount of sweetheart stuff, that kind of deal. I think after years of dealing with militaria collectors they had become a bit jaded. From what I understand, it is hard to find a really good deal, but what you get is more than likely almost mint, still in its original packaging and 100% vintage. You may want to check on line if they are still putting out a catalog.

 

IMHO, collecting jump wings on ebay is a kind of toss of the dice. The prices do not always go with whether or not a piece is vintage. Lots of people are just collecting to collect and will spend big money on something with little knowledge or understanding of what they are buying. On the other hand, lots of really smart and dedicated airborne collectors are also out there and THEY know what is what and the chances of getting a sleeper is rather small.

 

Still, I have found that with a little patience and some searching of flea markets, antique stores, junk stores and garage sales, it is not to hard to find a good set of jump wings for less than 20- or 30$ (sometimes MUCH less). The real trick is knowing what you are looking for. Most WWII jump wings will be marked sterling and have a pin back. Later wings tend to be clutch back and anything with an alpha/numeric code on the back is likely even later. You need to learn to tell a cast from a die struck wing (avoid cast wings at all costs). Finally, avoid the exotic and rare wings you see on ebay. Chaplain wings, English made wings--etc. Better to learn at the bottom than pay the prices at the top, if you know what I mean. Patience, experience, and knowledge are the true virtues in collecting (IMHO).

 

Patrick

[AK101]

. You need to learn to tell a cast from a die struck wing

 

Any tips/pics/info on how to avoid the cast ones?

 

THANKS

[pfrost]

Any tips/pics/info on how to avoid the cast ones?

 

THANKS

 

Howdy,

 

Telling cast from die struck is not always easy. The first thing I would suggest is to get a really good jewelry loop or magnifying glass. The second thing you need to do is carefully study good examples of die struck wings and insignia. The really best thing in the world is lots of hands on experience, but here are the rules I follow.

 

1a) Carefully study the back of the wing. In a casting the back usually has a "soft" flowing surface as opposed to a flat and uniformly even surface of a die struck wing. Careful study under the loop or glass will show areas of imperfection in the metal as well. It is hard to describe, but once you have handled a few cast wings you will start to see the differences almost immediately. I always look for signs of excess buffing or polishing on the back (especially if it is done with a buffing wheel or grinder). That is sometimes used to try to cover up or smooth out the casting signs. On some wings, the wings begins to show some natural wear and tear and sometimes it can be difficult to tell a cast from a die struck wing, but normally you can tell with a little experience.

 

1b) I also check the back for signs of the hallmark/maker mark. Those maker marks that are excised (ie raised off the back of the wing) are much harder to fake than incised marks that can simply be added with a die punch. In excised marks, I look for clean and crisp letters (except for AE Co marks which are usually horrible) that are even in size and orientation. In incised marks, I also look for evenness of the punch, and the location and placement of the mark. Again, sometimes the natural wear of an item will confuse the issue, but with experience....

 

2) Study the sides. On most (but not all) die struck wings, you can frequently see the sheer marks on the side of the wing. They are usually fine lines that run perpendicular to the wing. Since some fakers add these sheer marks (or in some well worn wings, the sheer marks get polished away), I try to look in the recessed parts of the wings (around the shoulders and edges).

 

3) Especially in jump wings, I very carefully examine the shroud lines and canopy of the wings. The shroud lines should all radiate out from the center point of the wing and each line should be equidistance from its neighbors and be clearly delineated from start to end. In many cast wings, the should lines tend to run into each other at different points. See the picture of a cast wing from another thread. The lines join each other at different points, when they should all converge at the same point!

 

Those are just a few basic pointers.

 

Patrick

[AK101]

Patrick,

 

Excellent info, I am sure it will save me from some headaches in the future.

 

THANKS!!! :thumbsup: