Controversial SS cap skull: 3 edge prong design

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, now this is a controversial pattern of skull. Some people like these, while others do not.

I bought this one some 30 years ago now. It is made of zinc with the usual worn away silver wash finish which is now only visable in the recesses. Fakes in those days were not that good compared to today. Zinc based fakes were really unknown. As you can see the prongs are broken off.

The basic design of the skull seems to follow those made by Assmann.

There are certainly badly made fakes made from soft bendy metal which feature the three prong design.

No other SS skulls feature a three edge prong design which makes many very wary of these. Other opinions lead people to believe these skulls were a late war economy design, which did away with separate affixed prongs. Heer Panzer collar tab deathsheads were certainly made this way, as were Heer cap eagles.

The lack of SS/RZM contract markings again worries some. Could these be a foreign made skull?

My investment in this one is £8, so if they are proved to be bad, it will not break the bank!

Cheers, Ade.

[tonys]

These are a copy of the Assmann skull.

IMO these are fakes. I highly doubt a company as big as Assmann und Sohne would produce a crappy piece like this.

[Bob Hritz]

Assmann made some pretty crappy late war badges. It wasn't the workmanship, but the quality of materials that suffered. If you look at the evolution of Assmann hinges and catches, you will see they were very interested in simplification and less soldering.

I think these are the final pattern Assmann skull, which saw very little use during the war, and were in surplus after the war. I would love to find a perfect example complete with all three prongs.

Bob hritz

[Dimas]

Interesting that first seen by me similar scull was from the Lenfilm film studio and found it as the SS TK collartab placed to blank black tab...

[Blazej]

Hi Ade,

I think that you have done well bargain Currently I have 2 skulls of 3 pronged skulls. One of those I have dug up by myself a couple of years ago , the other I bought at military show for 25eur. I think that 3 pronged skulls are rare - over 15 years spent on searching battlefields I have found only one piece among several 2 pronged Latvian types skulls and many common makers.

I do agree with Bob, and I believe that those 3 pronged skulls are late war Assmann as they come from the same die as Assmann zinc aloy skulls marked ges gesch.

Regards,
Blazej

[Pascal BERNHARD]

what's your opinion about his one please ?

[Pascal BERNHARD]

and to compare an original 2 prongs one...

[carlsson1982]

For me It's a Original late war production, and I always defended It. I had one and the details are way too good for a so called "60's alteste fake".

[cris403]

I also believe these to be late wartime examples and have 2 in my collection.

[Maestro]

a beautiful specimen indeed