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Fantasy, Repro, & Counterfeit EGA Reference Thread


cbuehler
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usmcaviator

Looks like he got someone to buy it for $50!

 

According to the seller, whom I talked to at the last Pomona show, he says "you haven't seen anything yet, wait to you see the officer droop wings I have coming." He says he sells them for people who cant afford the "big buck stuff".

 

Mike

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teufelhunde.ret

Mike...Yes, it is sad to see that folks are forced to put his repro's on an otherwise impeccable uniform. With the sale of this one he has put one leg over the line into the gray area. I had a PM from the buyer today, I think he will be sharing better foto's with us... so none of us will have to go thru the expense to see it first hand, which all of us have done to see what crap is being churned out (well, most all anyway).

s/f Darrell

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God, I understand why they make repro's so re-enactors don't have to use real items or pay real item prices but for goodness sakes, why don't these damn repro makers mark their items somewhere that says, Reproduction. thumbdown.gif I think it should be mandatory to mark repro's. mad.gif

 

- Jeff

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teufelhunde.ret

Well folks, it appears we have a new seller of this fantasy junk that USNUSA has been selling for years. This seller goes so far as to claim its original too:

 

Original 1880's USMC Marine Corps Shako Hat Badge - No Reserve

 

This is a very nice, large cap badge for the 1880's Marine Shako. Large badge is 2 1/2" wide x 2" tall, and is die struck in thin copper with a gold wash. Multipiece construction - the eagle/globe, two halves of the anchor, and rope are separate piece. The gold wash has partially absorbed back into the base metal, which is what normally happens with items like this after 50-100 years have passed. Otherwise in mint condition - probably unissued stock from the Bannerman collection.

 

Guaranteed original.

 

At $4 a pop this ought to be in high demand for the type collector this year! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...A:IT&ih=017

L55_08_ega_shako_badge_01.jpg

L55_08_ega_shako_badge_02.jpg

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usmcaviator

He has always claimed that he sells reproductions for people who can't afford the expensive examples. In the past, the EGAs he has sold, could only fool a novice. He treads a fine line with what he is selling now, in regards to their detail, construction and markings and even being boastful about them getting better. I agree it makes enjoying this hobby difficult, as we are finding that a myriad of die variation and marking variation exists with original EGAs. Now we have more clutter to filter and more speculation in which to see through.

 

Honestly, after looking at that piece that started this thread, I may have been inclined to buy it if it was being sold by your average antique dealer. A bit troublesome, I agree.

 

S/F,

Mike

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Schnicklfritz
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Friends, providing an alert to a new counterfeit EGA which recently appeared on ebay recently: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...y0%3D%26fvi%3D1 and is pictured below. We have discussed this sellers products before on this site. Up to now mrmac has at least given everyone a heads up that his products are indeed repro, with this one he has stepped into the gray area, that being "you figure it out" I suppose in fairness, one might say he placed a disclaimer. I'm not inclined to agree, as he has been pumping out fantasy and repro EGA's for years AND KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE.

 

As seen this is an accurately stamped counterfeit of the Meyer series cap emblems of 1920 produced for private purchase and the front and reverse does maintain the production character of the series, however the hallmark does not belong on this emblem... Further, while there are known EGA's with the cross bar depicted for mounting the screw post, I've (for one) have simply never seen one used on a Meyer emblem and if my fading memory is correct, only on Gaunt emblems.

Howdee folks,

I was the buyer of this particular piece. I'm always leary of someone who states that something maybe original or it maybe not. Don't like the fact that he indeed had the piece made up himself and says this. It does show a lack of integrity to me even though others may consider it dancing on the edge. I wanted to see this particular EGA in my hand as it looks spot on to the original I've seen in Orgel's reference in Moran's book. I'm having issues getting pictures together, but I will post better pics in the future of this particular EGA.

 

For reference, here is the fellas website. He has some EGAs on there along with many other insignia. Nothing like the one that I bought off Ebay recently though.

 

http://www.1903.com/

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teufelhunde.ret
I'd pay 4 bucks for one for laughs

For sure the seller is laughing... $502 is what someone thought this repro hybrid was worth :blink:

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teufelhunde.ret

Here we go again. Latest version of this phony gooney for the officer's service cap. It is a composite of two previous designs generated earlier and identified in this thread. The horribly applied continents ought to be a dead giveaway, sadly someone is likely to spend allot of dollars on this thing.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...A:IT&ih=018

 

280228083212

phoney_gooney_for_service_cap.jpg

phoney_gooney_for_service_cap1.jpg

phoney_gooney_for_service_cap2.jpg

phoney_gooney_for_service_cap3.jpg

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teufelhunde.ret

Here are photo's comparing the shape continent design with a known repro. The full EGA shown below is a known repro is in my collection and posted elsewhere in this thread. The one I am sharing from my collection has been sold by USNUSA.

phoney_gooney_for_service_cap.jpg

Copy_of_post_376_1178652390.jpg

phoney_gooney_for_service_cap2.jpg

post_376_1178652390.jpg

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teufelhunde.ret

Note the identical shape, composition and outline of the dress emblem anchor stock and flukes counterfeits shown below, the new and improved version of the service emblem is identical... However the poorly wrapped anchor rope of the dress emblem has been improved with this next generation of counterfeits.

post_84_1192507417.jpg

post_376_1211797500.jpg

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the horribly attached continents will probably boost the price, people will see it as a varient!

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teufelhunde.ret
the horribly attached continents will probably boost the price, people will see it as a varient!

 

Appears most realized what this thing was, it sold for 185. Far less than previous fake models have sold for. Looks like this forum is having some affect on the fake marketeers.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Leatherneck72
Quote

Well, if the shield was not bad enough as a period repro, that shako eagle went for $565

Repro eagle, lead darkened artifcially...geez someone paid alot for that. You can get the eagle by himseld for like 20 bucks..

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teufelhunde.ret
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In my humble opinion, this is a well made repro. I have owned dozens of original uniforms and disc sets over the years, and the real ones never look like these. You sometimes see this style with unit numbers affixed to them....those are also fantasy.

They are in fact, repro's. This particular style is readily referred to as the "Army-Navy store variety", not the issue type handed out to the troops in France. A large number appeared on ebay fours years back, you do seen them once in a great while on ebay being touted as originals.

 

Caveat emptor. s/f Darrell

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They are in fact, repro's. This particular style is readily referred to as the "Army-Navy store variety", not the issue type handed out to the troops in France. A large number appeared on ebay fours years back, you do seen them once in a great while on ebay being touted as originals.

 

Caveat emptor. s/f Darrell

 

 

Darryl,

 

This is the "Army and Navy Store" Variety:

 

post-594-1213836530.jpg

 

Those in the post above are fakes, but the "Army and Navy Store" variety are recognized as a legitimate 1918 vintage disks; as they show up in that firm's 1918 catalog.

 

Chris

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teufelhunde.ret
Those in the post above are fakes, but the "Army and Navy Store" variety are recognized as a legitimate 1918 vintage disks; as they show up in that firm's 1918 catalog.

 

Chris

 

Ditto, I was referring to the "style" and should have been more clear in reference to the"Army and Navy Store" variety. Thank you for clarifying my comment. s/f Darrell

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  • 3 weeks later...
teufelhunde.ret

Well folks, our favorite ebay repro man "USNUSA" has rolled out a new repro variety for 2008. He goes so far as to claim its original too, looks allot like the H&H dress emblem of WW2. Fortunately, it did not sell:

 

 

2" Marine Corps Officer's cap badge of 1919. Badge, in gold and silver plate is in good condition, HM Hilborn-Hamburger and has hand-applied "rope". Gold portion of badge has faded slightly over time but badge continues to have a fine and rare appearance.

phoney_usnusa.jpg

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teufelhunde.ret

And here is a second from him. It did not sell;

 

Pair of 1-1/8" USMC Enlisted collar badges of the WWI-style. Badges are pinback with hook-catches and badges are very nicely-detailed having latitude and longitude lines along with "continent" which is nicely defined. A very nice pair of badges which will display well in and Marine Corps collection.

phoney_usnusa2.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...
looks like there's another on the market ,,, item 300246013999

 

This is the same seller gwhistorian who had that M1916 type officer service badge with separately wrapped wire a few weeks ago. We had some discussion about it. I saved pictures. It looked a lot better than this piece of ...............!!!!!!! Gotta be careful out there! Semper Fi....Bobgee

 

EBay_Strange_Off_WWI_Obv.jpgEBay_Strange_Off_WWI_Rev.jpg

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teufelhunde.ret
This is the same seller gwhistorian who had that M1916 type officer service badge with separately wrapped wire a few weeks ago. We had some discussion about it. I saved pictures. It looked a lot better than this piece of ...............!!!!!!! Gotta be careful out there! Semper Fi....Bobgee

 

EBay_Strange_Off_WWI_Obv.jpgEBay_Strange_Off_WWI_Rev.jpg

 

...and as matter of fact has sold two copies of the service emblem this month:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...A:IT&ih=022

 

and

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...A:IT&ih=022

 

I might add, the pictures were of the identical emblem. s/f Darrell

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I picked this up a couple days ago. It is clearly cast as there is glaring evidence of mold parting seams on the rope and the screwpost. My question is....is there any evidence that these might have been cast after the war, either in France or Germany?

 

After looking it over, my assessment is that it is a replica. I've been in contact with the seller and he has agreed to take it back for full refund if I want but before doing so, I'd like to get some opinions from the EGA experts.

 

The pictures below show front and back. Since I wanted to leave them a bit larger to show more detail, only two will fit in this post so I'll follow up with other detail shots.

 

post-1107-1217633159.jpg post-1107-1217633178.jpg

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