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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

WW1 SMLE Breech Cover?


mark holden

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Is this original? The brightness of the stamp does not seem consistent with the overall wear of the cover.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WW1-1916-S-M-L-E-COVER-/330550164458?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item4cf6533bea

Mark

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Irrespective of the mark seeming to have been gone over, these almost Art Deco style MECO marks are a complete fiction anyway. And are mostly seen, although not exclusively, on breech covers....

Cheers,

GT

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Thanks everyone your info confirms my initial thoughts. regards Mark

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I think smooth flat brass outer parts of the female half of the press stud is incorrect on the images shown or linked to. I think the type that should be used is also on some SRB bags. Quite a noticable type of press stud. Regards, Paul.

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If it looks too good to be true. I probably is. :thumbsup:

John

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Why on earth would someone fake something in such poor condition?

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Why on earth would someone fake something in such poor condition?

Battered WWII vintage cover = 5 quid

"relic condition" WWI vintage cover (complete with somme year date) sic = 25+ quid

Permanent maker? 75p?

QED

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Guess so!

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Yup, moody as they come. These stamps appeared a few years ago on an improbably large number of items all at one time, including breech covers, packs, slings etc. Font totally wrong, ink too dark and clear, illogical maker marks (breech covers made by MECO in 1914 anyone?!). The main vendor was a Nottingham dealer with a shop and an on-line site (also prominent on eBay); he eventually vanished after garnering an unsustainable amount of negative feedback.

Ironically there is currently a "deceased's effects bag 1914" going on eBay with the same stamp (presumably the one that was featured in the self-same dealer's on-line shop a while back and was roundly mocked on this forum). It looks very much like a WW2 helmet bag with the addition of a moody stamp. Who'd have known that MECO were diversifying into non-web equipment items so early in the war...? Anything with these stamps should be avoided like the plague.

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They are still catching people out - I referred on another thread to a large pack dated 1914 in this same font that recently sold for £117. "The evil that men do lives after them..."!

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They are still catching people out - I referred on another thread to a large pack dated 1914 in this same font that recently sold for £117. "The evil that men do lives after them..."!

The tragedy is that "newbies" to collecting don't have the benefit of having access to the more experienced collectors as found on this forum or in wider militaria circles and wade straight in on the basis of the description given. "Caveat emptor" is all well and good, but in order to beware you have to be aware! We've all made our mistakes, and some vendors sell in ignorance. But there are clearly a few hardened fraudsters out there who think nothing of stamping up moody kit with no other aim but to deceive/profit. All the more reason to be glad of resources like this and the many SMEs who are willing to share their expertise.

Dave

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I wonder what has been inked out, that isn't oil from the action.

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