Opinions needed on train eagle

[xmascarolmarie]

This train eagle was in my Dad's garage. How do I know if it is authentic? What do these things sell for and how do you find a buyer who collects and enjoys the item rather than a dealer who just turns around and re-sells it?

[Walkwolf]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum. It looks like a good one to me, but others
will comment who know for sure. It's missing 3 lugs on the reverse
which have been filed down or cut off.

Once it's established as original or not, there is a classifieds section
if you wish to sell it to a member here.........

[big ned]

Looks like a good bird to me. Commonest type found being a 24 1/2" eagle. Correct markings on the reverse, G.AL. Mg.Si. which is Galvanized Aluminum, Magnesium and Silicone. Below that are the stamps ZA 7 which stands for Zug Adler (Train Eagle) and LN for Berlin.

I'd estimate $1500-1800 at this time, maybe a touch more if your lucky.

Regards, Ned.

[relicz]

Pre 1970's reproduction by the look of it. It all comes down to the bosses. I had two of these a little while ago. They are worth about $200 - $300 apiece . Contact JR on WAF, if you want to be absolute.

[xmascarolmarie]

Thanks for all the quick responses. My Dad was in the 757th Railway Shop Battalion and served in Germany. I would be very surprised if he acquired a fake. Unfortunately, he has advanced dementia so I will never know the real story. I would love to hear how he got it home from Germany!

[relicz]

This thread and others like it contains pictures of what correct bolts look like, although the eagle is larger size.
http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...=448599&page=4

The set I had were from the grandson of a Lt Col that ran train yards in Germany after hauling Patton's equipment across Europe after D-Day. They were switched out with the reproductions in the 1970's after the Col death by a less than scrupulous great grand son, so that his father wouldn't know. Probably sold to a dealer or elsewhere. The photographic evidence of the two original eagles in the Col possession during the war periods exists, but the real eagles are long gone.

I believe the eagle in your pictures is the known post war 24" APAG reproduction.

[Horst]

Nice original Eagle & great provenance.

Horst

[Scout]

Some find!

[Horst]

Sorry guys after looking at it more closely I have to agree with the others that it is an early post 45 Eagle.
As they say "to err is human" -

Horst

[Feuerbach]

How come these repro train eagles always have the three lugs on the back missing? Never saw a good one missing its lugs.