SS Stalingrad Officers Totenkopf Skull Ring

[cadman]

Hi, does anyone know how to identify whether the ring I have is genuine or fake. I was given the ring, a WW2 German tunic and two WW2 German helmet in the Ukraine. Ring and one of the helmets was dug from a battlefield near Kiev. I was informed that the ring was a SS Stalingrad Officers Totenkopf Skull ring but wish to clarify if the ring is real or a fake.

Many thanks for any input

Best regards
Tony

[Adrian]

I have a feeling it will be declared a fake but I'll move it to the SS forum where there are more knowledgeable collectors in this field.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Tony, welcome to the forum!

Sorry to say the ring is a fantasy item.

The SS never fought at Stalingrad either.

Cheers, Ade.

[Paul D]

Yes unfortunatley Ade is quite correct a total fake ring , the SS had no units that were involved in the Battles at Stalingrad the nearest were Wiking and they were hundreds of miles away over the Kalmuck Steppe and on the Caucasus Front.

[cadman]

12.03.11
Hi Guys, many thanks for your input & thanks Adrian for moving the thread to the correct forum. As a newcomer, I did ponder over the many forums before starting the thread…..daunting, cheers

Maybe I set-up my query wrong……….maybe the ring has nothing to do with Stalingrad! The detail & patina of the ring is unbelievable and superb. Are you stating that this design of ring was never utilized and is there any defining point, design, etc that you know of that truly would state it was a fake?

The subject is so interesting, many thanks again

Best regard
Tony

[Paul D]

Hi Tony actually the detail is pretty poor typical of the many modern fakes !!

[Adrian]

12.03.11
Hi Guys, many thanks for your input & thanks Adrian for moving the thread to the correct forum. As a newcomer, I did ponder over the many forums before starting the thread…..daunting, cheers

Maybe I set-up my query wrong……….maybe the ring has nothing to do with Stalingrad! The detail & patina of the ring is unbelievable and superb. Are you stating that this design of ring was never utilized and is there any defining point, design, etc that you know of that truly would state it was a fake?

The subject is so interesting, many thanks again

Best regard
Tony

Don't be daunted Tony, everyone has to start somewhere and we've all ended up with things that aren't quite right in our collections somewhere along the way so don't be afraid to ask questions, especially as a newcomer. Everyone here will try and help as best they can.
I would suggest the ring is loosely based upon the SS Officers Ehrenring or Honour Ring but it is very different from originals.
Here's a link to another similar to yours, being sold as a copy taken from a mold of an original dug up at Stalingrad:

http://gb.ioffer.com/i/ss-officers-totenkopf-skull-ring-sterling-silver-nazi-158704185

[Paul D]

The one Adrian has shown is very similar to the one you have posted but that is at least advertised as a copy , although his claim that the original was dug up at Stalingrad is a complete fabrication, as we've said anyhting SS purporting to be from Stalingrad is rubbish !!

If you are interested in a Totenkopf Ehrenring or Honour Ring there are anumber of copies which are of a much better design and detail , closer to the original than the ones shown , hope this helps,

regards

Paul

[Frundsberg]

I saw this fake ring first time 2-3 years ago and it is not only a fake but also very badly made fake. I'm sorry to say there are very many fakes on the market and many of them also extreemly well made. Maybe we have to start a new topic about fake and fantasy rings.

[Glenn66]

I could never buy a ring based simply on the fact that there are so many fakes in the market, it's just too risky (and expensive)