FJ-Erkennungsmarke original?

[Matt L]

Indeed often every single Kompanie made or contracted for its own discs, so this isn't surprising; of course we haven't see a 100% certain example from FJR5 so we can't say anything for sure LOL That one's as tough or tougher since the numbers are simple, and the disc is heavily patinated.

As a matter of fact, I just checked my own collection and I have one from 11./ FJR5:



I couldn't authenticate it but it was cheap and one I figured was worth the risk. I do suspect it is real becaus the crystalline deposits, which I'm doubtful can be faked convincingly since it isn't just a patina, but significant solid material, is in some of the numbers, meaning it grew after they were made. It has yet another 'font'

[WARNACH]

Hello Matt
Here is a picture of a proven (directly from the family of the man) 100% original belonging to a FJ from 7./FJR 9. - same division.
At the time I didn't buy it (regret it now...), did however pick up an other item.
Peter

[Matt L]

Very nice guys- Peter, the number style is actually fairly close to mine, eh? Other than some slightly different curvatures, the only major difference is mine are serif. But it would illustrate the idea of virtually every Kompanie having its own discs rather well- and that it seems stamps were most often not industrially produced, or at least not by machine tools spitting out large numbers of identical pieces since it really does seem that no two units' letters are exactly the same; the Wehrmacht doesn't seem to have had a large contract supplier, but more likely each unit got stamps from a local or nearby maker.

Note the significant curl on the '2's on all three (and the '5' on the one Peter posted) and the fact that overall the style of the numbers is not simple- most fakers have access to rather simple stamps with lots of straight lines and such, which are really not very 'realistic' looking. That curl is actually one I see on lots of Erkennungsmarken- it's something I see as a good feature because of it (although only as a supporting feature to other real diagnostic ones).

[WARNACH]

1. The expertise opinion presented by Matt:
- “ …I don't see anything obviously wrong…”
- “ … (markings) all seem too unusual to be bad …”
- “ … mis-stamps are a good thing …”
- “ …'snaking' corrosion pattern … to me that's an indentifiable realistic feature…”“

2. The seller sold 10 EKM the last 3 months. I placed randomly 6 of those here on the forum. They all were ok

This gave me a "go for it"-feeling and yesterday I bought the EKM for 50 $.

Thanks for the help

PS: in the proces I bought the "Hoidal II", now again available on ebay for 59 € (75 $)

[Matt L]

Cool- I'll be interested to see high-resolution photos of it when you get it if possible; I'd still like to see if that 'snaking' corrosion goes through the stamps or is under them.

Do be wary though of considering the stock of a seller good just because some seem to be so- the hazard is not someone who knowingly sells fakes, but rather the fact that virtually no sellers have the expertise to spot fakes properly and so can unknowingly offer them. This one's a good example- the seller has no idea if it's really good or not or he'd have mentioned the evidence; therefore he picked it up becuase it looked okay- well lots of fakes 'look okay' I usually suggest leaving the seller out completely and only looking at the items. That is unless the seller is clearly offering lots of fakes- then there's no point in looking at his stuff at all.

It certainly gives you a nice little detective project if nothing else; you can continue to search for information, and perhaps one day discover the true nature of this disc- hopefully finding out it's quite real

[WARNACH]

Hi Matt,
Just found out the 12./FJR8 EKM was dug up in a Russian assembly camp for German POW in "Sachsendorf" close by Seelow.
The FJR 8 never fought there!
Any opinions?
Thanks
Peter

[Matt L]

The man transferred and wasn't with FJR8 at the end, was detached for special duty someplace, was on leave or was convalescing and couldn't get back to his unit, was trying to get home in the east and was caught by the Russians- there are all kinds of possibilities

[WARNACH]

Hi Matt,
Guess we'll never know...
Thanks
Peter