Gaunt British Made Airborne Wings WW2

[fallschirmjager]

This Gaunt looks good in places and bad in places! Would welcome others opinions?

 

 

 

Cheers Mike

[LuftStalg1]

The maker mark looks week but I don’t know if that is a problem with these. The spotty tarnish is something I stay away from as it typically points to someone using chemicals to enhancing or add artificial tarnish. It looks like it is caked with dirt to which is odd for something that was not just dug out of the ground? The guys fluent with the construction and markings on these will have something to say.

[pfrost]

The maker mark looks week but I don’t know if that is a problem with these. The spotty tarnish is something I stay away from as it typically points to someone using chemicals to enhancing or add artificial tarnish. It looks like it is caked with dirt to which is odd for something that was not just dug out of the ground? The guys fluent with the construction and markings on these will have something to say.

 

This looks like a good one to me.

 

Patrick

[fallschirmjager]

Here is one which i understand to be original, there are significant differences but I realise that gaunt will probably have used different moulds!

[fallschirmjager]

Thanks chaps!

 

No other gaunt experts out there! I understand they made these post war with some changes not sure if thats true?

[Allan H.]

Thanks chaps!

 

No other gaunt experts out there! I understand they made these post war with some changes not sure if thats true?

 

 

I think you'll be hard pressed to get anyone to want to give you a definitive answer on your wing based on your photos alone. Anymore, you almost have to hold them in your hands and have a known original for reference to be able to tell for sure.

 

As for your question about post-war made British wings- I can't say that i have ever encountered a veteran that had them nor can I think of a reason that the British manufactures would be pumping them out. The only post waar pieces I can think of are the fakes that have been coming out of England since the mid 1980's. Unfortunately, you start warning people about the flaws and the fakers refine their methods to fix their blunders making the next generation of fakes to look that much better.

 

Allan

[fallschirmjager]

genuine ones posted on other thread:

 

 

 

to compare!

 

I'm still not sure!

[fallschirmjager]

This looks like a good one to me.

 

Patrick

 

Patrick

 

Thanks - any bad points in your opinion?

 

Mike

[pfrost]

Patrick

 

Thanks - any bad points in your opinion?

 

Mike

 

I think Alan summed it up nicely. But what I look for are clean and distinct shroud lines on the parachute canopy (most of the fakes have the lines merging at different levels), that the hallmark is level on the back (many of the fakes seem to have the hallmark at a distinct angle), and that the patina and finish look like it has some aging. All those seem to fit, but as the fakes get better, it becomes harder to know 100% without holding them and even then, some doubt will exist. I suspect and fear that soon the Gaunt wings will be like the NS Meyer restrikes, with most people developing their own little tricks to tell the good ones from the bad.

 

Patrick

[BigJohn#3RD]

One of our forum members has a good site for marking so US Military Badges among them are JR Gaunt Wings

 

http://www.wartimecollectables.com/zhallmarks.htm

 

This should help you, but like others have already said, you really need to get around reputable people and handle the wings to get a real feel for what is good and bad, it would also help to have a good magnifying glass or jewelers loop .

Regards

John

[fallschirmjager]

Many thanks chaps!

 

The problem is getting 'good' wings in the first place in order to compare against others, there are not that many WW2 USa Airborne 'Vets' in the UK LOL!