SS skull buttons, manufacturers list

[andrewr]

Hi,
I am trying to understand who were producing SS skull buttons and marks on it. So far i have this list, my questions : is this a full list?
RZM SS 63 Steinhauer
RZM 17 A EXTRA FEIN E. W. Assmann & Söhne
RZM 57 M. Winter, Munchen
RZM M5/69 M. Winter, Munchen
RZM SS 1194/40 unknown
RZM SS 1194/39 unknown
UNMARKED unknown

Thanks for any ideas

[Winkelman]

Hello Andrew ,
that's pretty much the way I understand it , with M.Winter and S&L somehow being related since they used the same die ( like the 57 and 63 belt buckles ) .
I now have all of these , with several variations in markings , but of the RZM17 extra fein I have only a picture , and even only 1 at that .
Note that this exact same button exists with the proper M5/8 marking for Assmann , but since that marking was used on countless postwar repro's , few collectors today know that it existed for real .
It's front however is different from the well-known repro's , and the same as the RZM17 .
Somehow , like with their 3 pronged late skull , Assmann is always the odd one out ..

[AZPhil]

Note that this exact same button exists with the proper M5/8 marking for Assmann , but since that marking was used on countless postwar repro's , few collectors today know that it existed for real .
It's front however is different from the well-known repro's ..

Gent's,
For reference to the above statement.This is the M5/8 fake I purchased in the early 80's prior to the WWW. and this fantastic site.
Needless to say my copy of Jack Pia's SS Regalia didn't help at that Phoenix gun show!



Same dealer sold me the uber rare .800 silver Totenkopf skull. Yeah he got me good that day!

Semper Fi
Phil

[Anderson]

A good point Phil, the internet has given power to collectors, particularly new collectors and made it just a bit harder for the fakers (and bend dealers) to shift their stock.