seems fakes have been around a long time!

[NZ Allblacks]

Thought this might give the serious collectors a giggle and in my defence online forums were not around when I was a teenager!

Over 40 years ago when I was at school I began taking an interest in WW2 German items and saved my pocket money like mad for what seemed like forever to buy my first dagger.

As far as I was concerned I had got my hands on a real important piece of history so much so this dagger has followed me around when I moved to England, then emigrated to Australia and many years later back to Ireland. I think you will all agree it is indeed a thing of beauty...



unfortunately a few months ago I decided to google the makers mark to get some history



yep, all these years Ive carried around the world a cheap spanish copy
Ah well, had it so long now I've decided to ignore its a fake and on the bright side I started buying fakes in my youth which seems to have carried on to my adulthood! Cheers, Dave.

[Gwar]

40 years ago is only 1983, fakes go even farther....

[NZ Allblacks]

Maybe that could be a new thread - who has owned a fake the longest!

[Larry C]

Welcome Dave to the community and the reality of fighting against deceit and fake producers.

Your journey can either begin or continue here on this website with Edged weapons and also other collectibles that you may be interested in.
There are 2 similar threads that is pinned at the top of the general Dagger forum here.

"The Best of the Worst...a Study in Edged Weapon Alter Art

Near Perfect Edged Weapon Reproductions

In those threads listed above are examples of what most new collectors from the past and even to the present are suffering buying for the first time what they " thought" were real.

There is much to learn and study here and you will gain more here now than what you have known from before.
Enjoy your stay

Regards Larry

[Paper]

Damn that *****
The 80s was a great time for 3rd Reich collecting, a lot more plentiful war antiques
no wonder some were fake

[NZ Allblacks]

Yeah, I did subtly mention ‘over’ 40 years as can’t believe how old I’ve become! It would have been late 70s when first became a victim of fakery.

Really appreciate the links Larry. I’ve that much much information going into my head last few days it is about to explode but it is a really interesting hobby that could easily slip into obsession I fear!

Thankfully I have a couple of small items arriving shortly the guys on here gave the thumbs up to so hopefully heading the right direction.

Cheers again, Dave.

[MAP]

Well we know the fakes started back in the 1940's but Delta, Unique Imports and others were pumping out the stuff in the 70's!

Delta Int'l Catalog

[Anderson]

Organized production of post war re-creations of TR daggers goes back 60 years and began with Jim Atwood and his cosy relationship with cash strapped Solingen makers who gladly assembled parts daggers post war with some finished with post war made fittings, screws etc. The Spanish repros came later filling a GI market gap after the genuine parts dried up, and date from the 1970's.

[NZ Allblacks]

It was the late 70’s when I purchased the dagger so that makes sense. The daggers being made up of genuine spare parts is a worry as next on my list is a SS dagger. More headaches!

Cheers, Dave.