Repro Alert

Introduction

Words escape me to express the strong feeling I have against people who deliberately produce and sell fake items as 'so called' genuine piece. This practice often destroys the pleasure of building up a nice collection. Often, the financial budget for a militaria collection does not permit to invest large number of dollars in this hobby. Mostly, money is saved and put aside to buy a nice piece at often expensive prices, because the item is rare and wanted much. How sad and tragic is it, that one buys a forgery and provides a huge profit for it's producer !

I therefore created this page to describe WW1 reproductions. The more descriptions we all have about fake and reproduced items, the better we are armed against these people. If you had to learn it the hard way by buying a fake item, if you are aware of any of these practices and can describe how the fake can be recognized, please let me know. I will be very happy to include it on this web site ! This page can only expand with your help.

Links to other sites

  • Altered items to make them look like German WW1 (in French)
  • Repro German items (in French)
  • German Entrenching Tool Carrier (in French)
  • Reproduced items (in French)
  • List of German WW1 items currently reproduced (non exhaustive) (in French)
  • The French Adrian Helmet model 1915 (in French)
  • Repro insignia for Adrian helmats (in French)
  • French bayonet carrier model 1888 (in French)

    Repo Death Head Skull for a Busby

    April 2001

    Fake German Belt Buckles

    May 2000:

    I know mostly about belt buckles. There are some new, perect fakes of M95 German buckles coming from Germany: Prussian, Wurt, Bav., possibly others. Made by a firm that makes buckles & such for the Bundeswehr.

    They have the correct 2 solder points. There is also a fake brass Austrian buckle: the strike is somewhat weak and the brass too thin, but could fool a novice.

    There is a German-style buckle with a raised arm holding a scimitar design, supposed to be WWI Bosnian police - may be brass. altho I have not seen one except in a catalog.

    There is also a fake M47 Imperial German Marine/Colonial buckle: again this is a piece I have not seen, but it's best to be careful. Beyond this, I would sugest you visit sites dealing in repro 1 GM militaria, such as Great War Militaria, and familiarize yourself with their copies. With some use and "aging" they can be passed as originals..

    Spike helmets plates & parts, as well as chinstraps, are widely copied.

    Compared to 3rd reich period items, however, we are still doing fairly well!

    Courtesy adibuddha@webtv.net (David Lazarus) for Before 1919..., May 2000

    Fake German Flair Pistol Holsters

    May 2000:

    Several Flair Pistol bags have been identified on the market which are sold for genuine German WW1 items. The bag can hold both a flair pistol, a P08 Lüger and several spare flairs for the pistol. All the bags show heavy use, have sometimes broken straps or teared stitches. Most bags carry German markings. One example contained a manufacturer marking and 'Berlin 1914'. Also the German marine crown was stamped in the leather.

    These bags are no WW1 issue bags. Most probably, they are later period East or West german bags with faked stamps.

    The photographs below, show clearly the bags to watch out for.

    Fake German Field Grey Trousers and Bluses

    April 2000:

    Over the past 2 years or so, German Field grey Tuchhosen have appeared on the European market. At first sight they look original, the exterior has been weathered and all 'technicalities' and details are OK. On closer inspection however, a couple of things show that we are dealing with a fake:

  • the interior is very 'hairy', which makes it obvious the trousers have never been worn and which greatly conflict with the (stonewashed?) state of the exterior
  • the liner is extremely white and coarse
  • markings are absent or in very black ink
  • the red piping is too bright and made of the wrong material.
  • modern basic materials have been used.

    Great news: these trousers but also the Blusen which have simultaneously appeared on the market have a very obvious give away: on the inside of the 2 front pockets (trousers) or waist pockets (Bluse) there is a piece of Field gray Grundtuch. This in fact is as it is supposed to be, but the fakes from this series all have a very fine red ink line across this piece of Grundtuch. If you wonder whether a piece you're looking at is from this series of fakes, just check the insides of the pockets and it will become clear. Nice to have for re-enacting but surely not worth the prices merchants dare to ask for an original.

    Courtesy Coen Wagner for Before 1919..., April 2000 (email address : c.wagner@marketresponse.nl)

    Fake UK Waterproof cover

    The winter cap was always issued with a companion waterproof cover made of khaki oil dressed cloth. This cover resembled the winter cap in that had an attached neck flap that tied up to the crown when not in use. When the issue of the winter cap was discontinued the waterproof cover continued to be issued with the Cap, Soft, SD, during the winter months (GRO 2621 15/9/17).







    This is an example of a FAKE waterproof cover with its own flap down to protect the neck.


    This is the FAKE waterproof cover being worn on the winter cap. It's being worn with the winter cap neck flap on the outside of the waterproof cover.

    This is the interior of the FAKE cover showing the misleading War Department acceptance stamp.

    A rash of forged waterproof covers has started to appear. The easiest way to tell a fake is the thickness of the cover. If it feels stiff and thick like it was made of WWII groundsheet material then its fake. Originals were made of thin cotton with a coating of rubber on the inside. Originals are extremely rare ! (courtesy : Joe Sweeny for Before 1919..., October 1999)

    Fake UK cap

    This cap is one of the most sought after items of Great War British militaria and brings exorbitant prices. However, beware most encountered on the market are 1920/30's theatrical. These are visually very close to originals and very well made. Two things are the usual give away to the theatrical makes.
    1. The first indication is the retaining loops on the neck flaps. Original loops are invariably very wide at least an inch to an inch and a half (25 mm to 40 mm). Very narrow or thin ones are a sign of theatrical make.
    2. If the cap isn't lined well with heavy thick padding and with a quilted lining made of shirt material then its not real. All the theatrical ones are lined with linen or muslin and have little or no padding. They also have a sweatband usually made of a bluish felt type material, but not always.

    For more details, click here to see our related article

    (courtesy : Joe Sweeny for Before 1919..., October 1999)

    Fake Austrian Issue Field Caps

    These caps are hard to find. Now there are an increasing number of fakes being offered on the market. Most of these follow exact patterns and either use original wools or excellent modern made wools.

    Here are the best ways to check for fakes. If there is mothing or wear to the wool, this should mostly be on the outside exposed wool. Check the back side of the flap and between the flap and cap body. On an original cap you should see much less wear and mothing in these areas. If the wool is not mothed or worn, this would be rare but not impossible. Check the stitching. The dies used for the thread was not very stable and most surviving caps show that the exposed stitching has faded to some degree. The visors were generally very thin, perhaps 3cm. A thick leather visor or a visor of varying thickness would be suspect.

    Check the edges of the sweatband. Check the backside of the leather to see how worn the leather is. Lastly, originals that I have seen have all had a loose weave linen lining. Some of the linen has a slight sheen. The copies I have seen so far have had a high grade burlap or cotton lining. I cannot say that these other materials were never used, only that I have not seen them used in originals I have examined.

    For more details, click here to see our related article

    (courtesy : Brian Calkins for Before 1919...,1999)

    A site devoted to Great War Militaria (WW1) and collectibles. We have many topics covering the following studies : World War 1 Steel Helmets, Spiked helmets, various headgear including peaked caps or képi 's , (schirmmütze), uniforms, gas mask, infantry troops and equipment , badges, Uniform and Equipment of many nations, including Germany, France, Belgium and the UK. We also have some links to reenactment groups.

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