FAKES AND COPIES, No, 5 - FAKES: A PRIMER BY: VERKUILEN B, AGER

LESSON #1 - CLOSE YOUR EARS

"I know this medal is 100% genuine," said the spider to the fly, "because I got it from a veteran." Talk is cheap, so pay for medals not stories. Even if an award is accompanied by documents it may not be genuine. Original documents are often separated from their awards and then combined with a fake. The original medal sells it- self and the documents help sell the reproduction. This is how the unscrupulous seller can increase profits. Remember, even if someone really did obtain an item from a veteran it proves very little. The smart fly will ask himself, "and where and when, my friend, did the veteran obtain this gem?"

LESSON #2 - OPEN YOUR EYES

Perfect crimes and perfect reproductions are never detected. The less than perfect all leave evidence that will give them away. The trick is in detecting the clues and convincing yourself of the case against the defendant. You must look closely, trust your impres- sions, and use your common sense. Invest in a pocket magnifier and use it. Examine everything you can get your paws on, whether the items interest you or not. The point is to educate yourself about metals, finishes, damage, wear, methods of manufacture, and every- thing else associated with the making of medals and badges. A small folding magnifier like printers and photo analysts use are very good. These form their own stand and can be set on an item. This provides a steady view, proper focus, and high magnification.

Figure I. Obverse "A" [Fake] and "B" [Original]. German Close Combat Clasp

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Figure 2. Reverse "A" [Fake] and "B" [Original]. German Close Combat Clasp.

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Figures 1 and 2 picture a very well made reproduction of a Nazi era German Close Combat Clasp (A) and an original of the same award, (B). The former is an example of an item that could be detected as a copy by using close examination and common sense. Numbers i, 3, and 4 show obvious points of departure in the manufacture of the two pieces. These wouldn’t be apparent if you didn’t have the second piece for comparison or hadn’t been checking out lots of items with your magnifying glass. In this instance, the hinge assembly, catch, and to a lesser degree the pin could all pass for original if com- parisons weren’t made. (Just for the record, the departures really are radical: On the original, the base of the hinge assembly (4) is part of the main badge. This is typical of many of the better qual- ity Nazi "war badges". Often the catch was also integral. The base of the catch (i) was, in this case, placed in a hole in the reverse and the metal was crimped over and around it. This involved sophis- ticated processes not used on the fake. The pin of the original (3) is obviously superior, though that proves nothing.)

In this case the repro artist was relying on the raised maker’s marks to sell the badge. This was accomplished by making a cast of an original. Because castings of flat or near flat surfaces are easier to execute than areas with protrusions, the integral hinge base and crimped-in catch were cut off and replaced with a differ- ent type. The maker’s name came through rather well and that is what is concentrated on far too often by buyers.

The primary tip-off in this case is the backplate (2) that is a separate piece placed in the middle of the reverse. The center of the design had several pierced areas that were givena stronger 3-D effect by the darker metal of this backing plate. It was inserted from the rear of the badge and on the original was held in place by crimping the metal along the edges of the receiving cavity. These crimped areas appear as four round marks on item "B". The rectang- ular marks at the top and bottom of the plate (B-2) crimp the metal so that the plate doesn’t rattle up and down. On the reproduction badge the crimp marks appear but are merely camouflage. They don’t hold the plate in place! What does hold it there? A close look re- veals a tell-tale trail of epoxy cement stringing out from under the backplate (6). Common sense may tell that epoxy wasn’t avail- able in 1944-45. Common sense should suggest that manufacturers do not waste man hours on non-functional crimping unless, alas, they are trying to make something seem more that it really is.

To tell the truth, the first clue that this item was funny came from its dead weight, its smooth dampness, and the feeling that if it was a hot day it might melt in the hand like cheap chocolate. Photos cannot convey the smell, color, heft, or "feel" of an item and it isn’t really an objective thing to be discussed here. How- ever, the soft looking dent at the end of the badge (5) might be a good clue to the careful detective. Unless an item is gold, high grade silver, or lead it won’t easily suffer heavy dents, dings, or scratches. (Most German war badges, particularly in the later two- thirds of the conflict, were made of hard, brittle zinc or zinc com- pounds.) Suffice it to say, this badge wasn’t gold or high quality silver. When held vertically and applied to paper it wrote well enough to put an alias on a rubber check.

So write this as lesson #2A: (use any good pencil or fake badge) lead is a soft, dull, gray metal that is frequently used by fakers because it is cheap, easily obtained, and easily melted and poured from a pot that has been heated on the kitchen stove. Few countries, no matter how down on their luck, use it for awards. Learn to rec- ognize its feel, look, and writing capabilities. If you suspect that you have handled or own a lead badge, take care to clean your hands after you’ve touched the item. Keep it out of the reach of

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