Tank Splatter Mask

[Prussia]

I note that on a certain internet auction site a WW1 Tank Splatter Mask is being offered for sale. Given the well known rarity of this object I was surprised to see that this is the third such mask to surface over the last couple of months. Can any member give me advice as to what to look for to confirm the authenticity of a WW1 Tank Splatter Mask and 

details of what attributes of a genuine article might confirm its validity?

[Chasemuseum]

Hi,

They are not that rare. They were made by the thousands. As a very unusual distinctive object, they were a popular souvenir at the time. I have two, both acquired here in Australia in the late 1970s (yes I am an old ****). As the Australian Army never used tanks in WW1 and their first purchase of tanks was in the early 30s, examples of the masks in Australia were only souvenir bring backs.  Both of mine are complete but one I examined in the early 80s had the leather cover missing and had the manufacturers name and date stamped in the sheet metal. Unfortunately unless a mask is damaged its impossible to examine this detail.  Back then no one could be bothered faking WW1 items, they just were not worth the effort - Nazi material was a very different story.

 

I can only recommend provenance, dealer reputation and hands on examination of as many originals as possible.

Cheers

Ross

[Moonraker]

As an aside, I'm reading Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth, in which she tells of a major who was very particular about his men wearing "wire goggles" when making, or living in, dug-outs in stony ground because of splinters caused by shells bursting on the stone.

 

Something similar were also used a century ago by road-menders breaking up stones - IIRC Pewsey Heritage Centre in Wiltshire has a device that consists of lengths of wire dangling in front of the eyes.

 

Moonraker

[trenchtrotter]

I can't comment on the one you refer too but several have been sold of late I would not buy. 

 

They are copied and still fool people and sell at £500 plus for a wrong one!

 

Buyer beware.

 

TT

[GWF1967]

On 07/05/2017 at 10:18, trenchtrotter said:

I can't comment on the one you refer too but several have been sold of late I would not buy. 

 

They are copied and still fool people and sell at £500 plus for a wrong one!

 

Buyer beware.

 

TT

This one is much cheaper!

I have no connection to the seller, or his dog. 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233567363695

 

Edited 22 April , 2020 by GWF1967

[BIFFO]

[GRANVILLE]

I saw a tank mask featured this afternoon on the new antiques quiz show hosted by Paul Martin. Contestants had to bid on what they thought its value was. You only got a cursory look at it but my immediate response was 'is it genuine?'. Presumably it must have been because the bidding went up to its certified value of £1500!

David

[peregrinvs]

We can only hope a few inexperienced collectors take the hint and save their money.

 

However, I’d be unsurprised if a lot of the high winning bids on these are the result of shill bidding. The sellers who seem to have an endless supply of masks ( I can think of two names...) are probably not overburdened with scruples.

[the_ageing_young_rebel]

I know this is a long dead topic. But I don't suppose anybody knows where I can pick up a well priced repro tank mask? I could really use one for a project I'm working on, and all the fakes that are claiming to be real are way too expensive