I know nothing about the shoulder board space, so you'll have to wait for someone with more knowledge to tell you how those look. However, I collect cuff titles, where people use UV testing as well. My stance on UV testing is that it's basically useless, and should only be used as a literal last resort.
Think about the life of one of these items. A real item of this nature has been around since the 30's or early-40's. If they were cleaned/came into contact with any chemicals that fluoresce under UV light at any period in the last 80+ years, they will light up forever.
I would look at that materials, epaulets and the stitching as closely as possible compared against an original before looking at UV testing.
For instance, I just did a very quick search for "Panzer Hauptmann Shoulder Boards." Of the 10 or so alleged original examples I looked at, the epaulets and piping on yours look like they were made yesterday compared to the search results. There's no signs of use, at least to me. This isn't a "smoking gun" or anything like that, but if these are original, you'd have to consider they were almost certainly unused and stored away in near perfect conditions for 80+ years. I would be far more worried about that as opposed to any UV light test.
Also, looking at the few examples I looked at, it seems like they go in the $200 range for a pair. If you paid less than that (especially a lot less), that could be another sign they aren't the real thing.
In 20 years pf collecting, i have noticed that original panzer pink (rosa) has a tendency to glow under UV. There are occasional instances where original insignia can glow, but its not so much a question of “if” it glows but “how” it glows. Looking at your pictures, the glow is consistent with the few I have in my collection.
I agree with Aiur in that the UV test basically useless. The materials used and construction is what really matters. I have heard a convincing argument that says original items can be made to glow when washed with modern “color enhancing” detergents. Food for thought
Looking at the ones pictured, it does look like these were removed from a uniform based on the stitching holes. I have always been a proponent of the phrase “condition is no indicator or originality”. Mint condition items show up for sale all the time.
I agree with eagle mtn. I have see the piping glow on some originals of the panzer variety. It is the pink piping material that glows. The other materials do not.
I also would give more credit to manufacturing, materials ect then I would piping glowing.
Thanks Tim
For what it's worth in this context the UV light test is most effective in assessing paper items or similar as original items will never have been legitimately exposed to bleach like phosphorescent compounds and modern paper glow like a disco!
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
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