Okay, so your second comparison is between an M1 helet that a VERY well respected collector made with no intentions of hurting or defrauding someone and a 2 million dollar Picasso painting. Well, there WILL be people who learn the ways of detecting frauds and therefore will not end up in a Museum, just like there are people who extensively research M1 helmets that will be able to tell if it is fake therefore it will not end up in their collection. Look at this as a learning experience and a reason to do nothing but research M1 helmets and when you have become very knowlegeable in that field, you shouldnt be worried about it. Lawdog did not hurt the person selling this helmet, the person who sold this guy the helmet as an original hurt the seller.

 

I collect patches, not helmets, but in all cases I look down on fakes/copies. There are well known patch dealers, that would be recognized in all collecting fields of militaria because they are so good, and well known, that have sold fakes unknowingly, or are not certain as the origin of a patch. No matter how famous or good, everyone will make a mistake now and then. Just because some one who has extensive knowledge in a field,like helmets or patches, does not mean that they will be able to recognize a really awesome copy. Copies have/can ruin a whole area of collecting, for example Vietnam patches are impossible to start collecting in, for the fakes are so good.

Yes Lawdog makes good helmet, But he is not making his things so you can't tell at all, Yes his aged helmet looks very good. We know that, But cmon, helmet in hand is very easy to tell a fake from a Real Deal at least I think, Making GOOD fake helmets is not ruining this hobby,However people taking them and and re selling them as "real deals" is.

 

I would stay away from painted helmets on ebay anyway...

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

 

 

Justin

Yes Lawdog makes good helmet, But he is not making his things so you can't tell at all, Yes his aged helmet looks very good. We know that, But cmon, helmet in hand is very easy to tell a fake from a Real Deal at least I think, Making GOOD fake helmets is not ruining this hobby,However people taking them and and re selling them as "real deals" is.

 

I would stay away from painted helmets on ebay anyway...

 

Just my 2 cents.

Justin

 

Yes, I agree with you but as long as you make a good fake, then you will always have profit driven people reselling the helmet, as real, which is wrong. Which creates the problem in itself.

I collect patches, not helmets, but in all cases I look down on fakes/copies. There are well known patch dealers, that would be recognized in all collecting fields of militaria because they are so good, and well known, that have sold fakes unknowingly, or are not certain as the origin of a patch. No matter how famous or good, everyone will make a mistake now and then. Just because some one who has extensive knowledge in a field,like helmets or patches, does not mean that they will be able to recognize a really awesome copy. Copies have/can ruin a whole area of collecting, for example Vietnam patches are impossible to start collecting in, for the fakes are so good.

Exactly!!!

Thats why I offer letters of authenticity with my theater made patches from my APO here in Baghdad Iraq. Because when the war is finished and yes there will be an end...to it. You will have the master fakers faking these too. Better get them while you can I only have four months left here.

David

Ok, if you don't like that comparison....then try this one.... what if you take a painting from a museum, copy it so well that the experts can't tell the difference, and then sell it. Wouldn't you consider that criminal, or deceiving? Would it be too much to ask that the helmets be not so perfect? The doors have been opened for FRAUD. Also well meaning people like the seller who was selling this helmet which he thought was good, is now hurt. Lawdog, please post a picture of how you mark your helmets. The principle of the matter is all the same. FYI I'm not picking on Lawdog, I'm writing to Lawdog as he is the matter of the discussion. One more thing if you make fakes so good that they are thought as real by the authorities in that collecting field, then that gives EVERYTHING in that field a bad name, lowers their values, and ruins the hobby. Just try to sell a really nice medic helmet, when the fakes look as good as your helmet. You won't sell it, or you won't get a good price. THUS THE HOBBY IS RUINED.

 

 

I think you don't see the difference here-

 

He does not make fakes. "Fake" means it is intended to be represented as the real thing.

 

He makes reproductions. A reproduction is intended to reproduce the original, not to be represented as the original article, and the helmet in question was never intended to be, nor sold by Lawdog, as an original

 

This next part is just my opinion, but of all the hobbies I've had- some of which have big bucks attached to them (muscle cars), getting good prices was never the hobby- the cars were.