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Fantasy, Repro, & Counterfeit EGA Reference Thread


cbuehler
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  • 2 months later...

snagged this on eBay, the price was right, not some crazy 100-500 insanity, I just wanted an example for a plaque or something somewhere along the line. Silver is a wash, unmarked. officer example

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  • 1 month later...
williamsmilitaryrelics

Hi Guy's,

I just received a few insignias from a friend overseas, amount them was this EGA, can you tell me what it is?, I couldn't find any marking on the back.

Thank for your help

william

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post-6240-1290469681.jpg

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I don't like the anchor.

 

Looks like a WW1 Ronson piece that has the original anchor ground off and another (looks like Navy CPO) anchor attached to make it look like an officer device. It does seem that the anchor lies atop the globe edges and soldered, like a seperate piece. The anchor does not appear to be "sunk" into it like most officer pieces. Can you post better pics of the attachment of the anchor where it meets the globe?

 

Right now I'd say it is someone's creative fantasy attempt at an officer's device. These anchors have been seen on notorious fantasy and many fraudulent droopy pieces.

 

My take.

 

Mike

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williamsmilitaryrelics

Could be theater made..? based on a "Ronson" design, I'm not sharp on Ega's but it look pretty legit to me..., the anchor is made from the same material, bronze or cooper?? so it is most likely for an enlisted?

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teufelhunde.ret
I don't like the anchor.

My take.

Mike

 

Mine too.

 

William, here is a comparison shot w/ a known "fantasy piece" created by none other than our own "usnusa" of ebay fame, whom has been selling these fantasy emblems on ebay for the past decade. Has he entered the European market with these... I do not know, or has someone borrowed his anchor to refit onto a Ronson AKA Ronson Art Metal Works emblem? Nonetheless, however they are virtually identical. Also, the anchor stock on USMC emblems has always been squared and seldom seen as being thick in overall dimension and in scale with the other features of the EGA. This tampered anchor stock has never been seen on USMC emblems and as Mike suggests has been seen on US Naval PO and CPO emblems. For this reason alone, I feel the emblem has been "tinkered with"

combine_ex.jpg

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teufelhunde.ret
does seem that the anchor lies atop the globe edges and soldered, like a seperate piece. The anchor does not appear to be "sunk" into it like most officer pieces. Can you post better pics of the attachment of the anchor where it meets the globe?

Mike

 

Agree, the original "fit & finish" of the anchor to the globe is lacking. Take a long look here, with a loop for excessive flashing at the point of assembly.

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post_6240_1290477767.jpg

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teufelhunde.ret

William, this makes me feel very uncomfortable, in the two pic's, the dress emblem pic demonstrates how makers have been assembling / affixing the rope to the anchor fluke for decades. As the rope comes about the anchor stock and makes it way directly into the metal clip and both are soldered in place, together. This arrangement / mounting I have seen on hundreds and hundreds of cover emblems. Never a deviation until...

_B_NReqgBWk___KGrHgoOKisEjlLl7pG_BKq_V_GCFw___12.jpg

On the emblem you have posted - the rope skips around the retaining clip and comes in the backside. This is a very odd arrangement that until today, I have never seen. Very unconventioanal.... very! :think:

post_6240_1290469681.jpg

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teufelhunde.ret
Could be theater made..? based on a "Ronson" design, I'm not sharp on Ega's but it look pretty legit to me..., the anchor is made from the same material, bronze or cooper?? so it is most likely for an enlisted?

ANYTHING is possible :think: Folks these days in general forget or have no connection to the depression era. Many examples of emblems with repairs and the like, emblems that have been worn and polished to the point of no details, reside in the reference section. And a few which could be classified as being field expediency in nature. The War Department reduced the monthly pay to pre 1908 levels in 32 or 33. My parents were coming of age at that time, the stories I heard from them and the grandparents about basic "survival" were amazing.

 

But, this emblem is one that I would not bet the farm on, being from that era. It does have some conceptual elements of field expediency, yet there exist element in it that are typical of fantasies and reproductions that are meant to fool the eye. These shenanigans have been going on for the last half century, perhaps longer. Nonetheless 2-3 times a year something comes out of no where that will cause us EGA enthusiast's to stop and go :w00t: Is this one of them...? NIMO. However it is a noteworthy conversation piece.

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teufelhunde.ret

Folks, these showed up on ebay today. Do not be fooled, I doubt they are actually "theater – made"… but anything is possible. Look very closely at the rear; note a new "c" clip on one, different color pin's and pin holder mounted to bottom of and the other to the top of the anchor, with pins going in opposite directions. I think someone took a legit pair of Ronson screw backs and converted to pinbacks…? At best these are a conversation piece, with little value now and certainly not the opening bid price... s/f D.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT

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_B9ykwLgEWk___KGrHqJ__hYEze_PSTv6BM6__sOHz____3.jpg

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He also has this - and it too appears to be a fantasy piece:

 

blackega1.jpg

 

blackega2.jpg

 

Are these from the guy who Washington DC who makes all the EGA's that don't look like any actual known EGA's?

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teufelhunde.ret
He also has this - and it too appears to be a fantasy piece:

 

Are these from the guy who Washington DC who makes all the EGA's that don't look like any actual known EGA's?

The lead pin pictured above is from WW2 era and referred to by most as a sweetheart type.

 

"USNUSA" is located in Illinois, http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...tab=AllFeedback he has been selling ones like the fantasy piece I included above for 10 years or more. However slacked off selling them once the forum became widely known.

 

"NCHS" http://cgi.ebay.com/b0078-USMC-EM-Bronze-E...=item3ca1547897

is located in VA and sells the reproductions.

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Quote

Folks, these showed up on ebay today. Do not be fooled, I doubt they are actually "theater – made"… but anything is possible. Look very closely at the rear; note a new "c" clip on one, different color pin's and pin holder mounted to bottom of and the other to the top of the anchor, with pins going in opposite directions. I think someone took a legit pair of Ronson screw backs and converted to pinbacks…? At best these are a conversation piece, with little value now and certainly not the opening bid price... s/f D

 

Ronson pieces? Maybe, a big maybe. No known evidence suggests that these type insignia were made by Ronson or Art Metal Works. Orgel's reference mentions Ronson as a maker for a similar looking hat device that has the same looking eagle, but again, no evidence exists (as he doesnt cite where he got that info). There are quite a number of information gaffs in that reference. I have looked in Ronson catalogues and have consulted Ronson collectors and no one knows anything or has seen anything.

 

As for these two, the left side piece is an original, possibly collar, possibly sweetheart. The right side is a poor lead looking copy, with a poor attempt at making a pin and catch. Both of these have been poorly painted to make them look like officer's insignia. I believe that matching sets do exist in pinback and screwback. I have seen these (as singles) in gold plate, gold wash, sterling silver, and blackened bronze with a plethora of attachment styles. I have only seen one set of matching bronze and I think two sets of mismatched colors. I do not own a set in my collection. I have about 4 or 5 different singles (all lefts). I speculate the majority of these as sweethearts or possibly made for jewelry as their seems to be a large amount of lefts.

 

I do have one photo of an officer wearing these in the late 1920's. However based off of their cheap appearance and oversized look, and that better looking collar versions were available, I am speculating that they were not popular nor worn to much degree.

 

This collector's opinion...and am still waiting for a "real" set.

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Leatherneck72

Really?? Is there even a question here? The ones currently listed on Ebay are OBVIOUSLY BAD. They are very clearly re-casts off of a known example, the continents are painted gold, and the pins are recently brazed on with the discoloration to the attachment points even visible in the photos. I see they are up to 300 bucks....nice. :thumbdown:

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I find it...

but, I guess it's not a good one, because of the pin type...

William,

You are totally missing the point.. the one you just posted above is fine..the crude cast one that has been painted by a third grader that is currently at auction as a manipulated " dress officer" set... is bad.

 

Mike

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williamsmilitaryrelics
William,

You are totally missing the point.. the one you just posted above is fine..the crude cast one that has been painted by a third grader that is currently at auction as a manipulated " dress officer" set... is bad.

 

Mike

 

mike

:lol: , I just love it... typical about me, for now on, I'm just gonna post pictures and try to avoid comments... :lol::lol:

 

william

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