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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Trench Club Opinions Please.


glide

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Hi

Very similar items can be found on a web site that sells dug up items and relics, they have a German trench mace TMC-01 which looks identical to yours. Their item is listed as a high quality replica but as to the originality of yours.you'll have to decide for yourself.

regards

Dave

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Hi Dave,

Yes, I saw the mace on the site you mention, but as you say without a genuine one to compare it to, I will have to make my own mind up on it.

Thanks,

Martin.

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Not sure about the head's authenticity (I simply don't know) but the handle looks like it's in too good a condition to have any 'age' to speak of. There don't appear to be any wear marks of any kind and it looks like it's been turned without any hand polishing and has no patina that you'd expect of a period piece. It looks new to me, but 'made' to look old, if you see what I mean. I wonder if they've just put a new handle on an old head and made it appear 'aged and dirty' to look old, to sell it as a whole item. Fine if you know before you buy, that it's an original head but a replica handle but if they've not said anything about that then it's a bit devious of them.
All just my opinion of course, but some of my old engineering files have wooden handles that look more aged and worn than this, because they've been used a lot. They have a 'patina' that can't be faked easily without a lot of effort. They're very smooth to the touch in the places where a hand holds them, if you see what I mean. Does your handle feel smooth like that, kind of a 'hand polished' finish?

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The handle is smooth, but no patina, it also has a smell very similar to old engine oil, so possibly not sounding very good. The person I bought it from has also been selling SOE items on Ebay, you may have come across her items.

Martin.

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Sorry to say, this looks like a replica sold by "The Military Man", 11 Coronation Buildings, Brougham Road, Worthing West Sussex www.Dugup.co.uk catalogue item TMC-01 GBP25 + 3.50 p&p.

Cheers

Ross

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Sorry to say, this looks like a replica sold by "The Military Man", 11 Coronation Buildings, Brougham Road, Worthing West Sussex www.Dugup.co.uk catalogue item TMC-01 GBP25 + 3.50 p&p.

Cheers

Ross

I think you're right. Just add a bit of engine oil:

http://www.dugup.co.uk/ware13/pages/tm.01.g.06.jpg

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Hi,

Thank you for your comments, I thought it was too good to be true. I`ve emailed the seller explaining the situation and am waiting on their reply !!!!!

Martin.

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Dug Up, is a notorious 'Faker' as well as quite a few other names I could add. when he was last found guilty of firearms charges and his property searched all the equipment to copy and fake a full variety of objects was found, including all the stamps for creating Dog tags and blanks ready for aging!! His range of copied items was extensive and often peddled as 'Original' !

The handle is supposed to be (or appears to be) a 1915 Pattern Stick Grenade Handle.

A poor imitation IMHO, sorry.

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I`ve spoken to the seller and they have reluctantly agreed to a refund when I explained the situation. They also said "don`t listen to armchair experts who only know what they see on daytime television". I bit my tongue and said nothing, not wanting to poke the bear, well not until I get my refund anyway !!!!

Martin.

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Martin,

Please feel free to point out to the moronic rip off merchant that I for one do this for a living and that unfortunately leaves me no time for day time TV! Oh and it takes alot more than some chancer to worry me about issuing a good poking.

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No, I bought it from a seller on Ebay, who I can`t name just yet as it would most certainly effect my chances of a refund, but I will add it at a later date, as I don`t want others to get caught out by these items.

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That particular route to enhancing a collection is fraught with such people. I for one automatically assume everything is fake from there. A sorry fact in this day and age!

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No, I bought it from a seller on Ebay, who I can`t name just yet as it would most certainly effect my chances of a refund, but I will add it at a later date, as I don`t want others to get caught out by these items.

Did you pay by Paypal? Because they have protection for items that are sold not as described. If it says or implies it is an original item then you could have a case for a refund anyway. If you paid by card then you may have other protection against this sort of selling, worth checking it out just in case they get shirty.

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Dismissing GWF members as "armchair experts" is a nice easy get-out for people who don't want to admit they've sold a fake, knowingly or otherwise. There are some seriously knowledgable collectors and dealers on this forum, and if that seller knows of a better Internet resource for identifying repros I would love to hear of it. I'd also love to hear what his credentials are for having asserted its originality in the first place. He certainly isn't an expert of any kind if he doesn't know that's a fake, as any collector with any experience and even a bit of an eye for the real thing can spot a crass copy like that a mile away.

It's best if you don't mention his ebay name even after you receive the refund, as we are then entering "Discussion of items for sale" territory (see relevant thread under Announcements and News). I would just add that I've seen the occasional genuine trench club on ebay, sometimes selling for less than the fakes.

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Yes, you are probably right regarding naming and shaming, it`s just a lesson well learnt. I also agree with the fact that there is such a great pool of knowledge on this site, and the members are more than willing to share it.

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I trust my unanswered question has not been misconstrued as criticism - it was an honest, if inept posting made simply because I do not know!

I didn't see it that way David.

Funnily enough one of the fake sites sells items separately in the package because selling them as an intact item through the post is illegal, because they say it's a weapon, fake or otherwise. You then have to put them together yourself.

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my opinion? fake or not you would have a bit of a headache should you get hit by this item!!

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest shaggyman19

Hi guys. I'm totally new to this forum. I bought a " trench club" at a militaria fair yesterday. I wanted to post some pictures to get some feedback but I'm not sure how to do it? Do I use photo bucket or something? Thanks.

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