MrEd Posted 17 January Share Posted 17 January Hello hive mind! I am looking for opinions on the wrights sling in this post. I have 2 ww1 dates slings. 1. Is a ‘WARINGS 1917’ dated item which I am sure is genuine and correct 2. A ‘Wrights Ltd’ which I am not 100% sure on (never have been). It came to me damaged (missing a wire from one end) and I repaired it. The WARINGS one is also slightly slimmer than the wrights one, and the 2 end pieces on the wrights one are a bit ‘squished’. There are a number of minor differences between them, and in general i think the WARINGS one is better lined up and put together which makes me suspicious of the wrights one…. I welcome comments, the WARINGS is genuine but the Wrights on I think is iffy - maybe a stamped up ww2 item? Here are some photos side by side, the wrights on the right on all of them Thanks all Ed P.S the wrights one was cheap, about the price of an unmarked generic sling, and the WARINGS one was the going rate. p.p.s i have cross posted this on a facenook group, so apologies if you see it more than once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulowen Posted 17 January Share Posted 17 January Hi Ed, There was a thread about this a couple of years ago with lots of examples, including mine which is an exact twin of your Waring's 1917 sling! I'd say your judgement was right; first one sound, second one dodgy! all the best, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander McLean Posted 17 January Share Posted 17 January Hello, Ed - For what my opinion is worth, I think that the "WRIGHTS LTD" sling is perfectly correct. Everything about it looks correct to me, and it is natural for slings from different manufacturers to have minor differences. I'm no expert on British slings, but I have 8 -10 in my collection and have see several others. Additionally, if the Wrights sling was faked, you probably would not have gotten it so cheap. Perhaps I'll be corrected by some experts, but I would be glad to add it to my collection. Regards, Torrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 17 January Author Share Posted 17 January (edited) Thanks @Alexander McLean and @paulowen - I am 100% sure the WARINGS is genuine, it’s going to go on my 1917 SMLE. Thats the thing. It was cheap and not from a militaria dealer and no more expensive than a ww2 era unmarked one. I would have thought it would be ‘priced accordingly’ if the seller had faked it. That being said it was just for sale as a ‘SMLE sling’. I have just never been 100% on it Edited 17 January by MrEd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete_C Posted 17 January Share Posted 17 January (edited) Both look dead straight to me. Most fakers don’t go beyond the obligatory and wholly unconvincing ‘ME CO 1915’ stamp on the webbing. Here’s a selection of makers’ marks on genuine examples - note that ‘Wright’s’ appear to have ditched the apostrophe at some point prior to 1916. On a GW sling related note, I’ve never seen an ME CO example after 1914, except to say there are two ME CO 1915 dated slings in the selection below. That said, the different font and the irregular alignment of the characters compared to the pre 1915 ME CO examples, suggests they’ve been manually stamped, which would indicate fake - but I’m still coming down on the side of genuine. I’d be very interested to see any other post 1914 ME CO examples. Cheers Pete And speaking of ‘ME CO 1915’ stamps, there are two items currently listed on eBay that have attracted a lot of interest from bidders who apparently don’t subscribe to this Forum - and beyond that, said Forum rules forbid further comment. edit : having just consulted The Karkee Web, I’ve learned that the correct name for the brass tabs is ‘catches’ Edited 17 January by Pete_C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 17 January Author Share Posted 17 January 14 minutes ago, Pete_C said: Both look dead straight to me. Most fakers don’t go beyond the obligatory and wholly unconvincing ‘ME CO 1915’ stamp on the webbing. Here’s a selection of makers’ marks on genuine examples - note that ‘Wright’s’ appear to have ditched the apostrophe at some point prior to 1916. On a GW sling related note, I’ve never seen an ME CO example after 1914, except to say there are two ME CO 1915 dated slings in the selection below. That said, the different font and the irregular alignment of the characters compared to the pre 1915 ME CO examples, suggests they’ve been manually stamped, which would indicate fake - but I’m still coming down on the side of genuine. I’d be very interested to see any other post 1914 ME CO examples. Cheers Pete And speaking of ‘ME CO 1915’ stamps, there are two items currently listed on eBay that have attracted a lot of interest from bidders who apparently don’t subscribe to this Forum - and beyond that, said Forum rules forbid further comment. edit : having just consulted The Karkee Web, I’ve learned that the correct name for the brass tabs is ‘catches’ Yes I have seen the two items you are talking about, they have been subject of some discussion over on the Facebook group - the seller is a known faker. Some very simple research would highlight the issues with these items, but yes we shall discuss no further here. Interested to hear your thoughts on my slings, and thanks for the photo - the one top right is similar to mine font style just mine is more worn and scratched up. The WARINGS is my favourite of the two Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulowen Posted 17 January Share Posted 17 January I think I'd find the Facebook group quite interesting, but haven't come across it before. I know the Forum can't host direct links to this kind of thing but any clues would be appreciated! Ta Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 17 January Author Share Posted 17 January 8 minutes ago, paulowen said: I think I'd find the Facebook group quite interesting, but haven't come across it before. I know the Forum can't host direct links to this kind of thing but any clues would be appreciated! Ta Paul PM sent! it’s called ‘militaria fakes and forgeries’ and is run by a couple of well known chums in the collecting world Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thBatt Posted 18 January Share Posted 18 January I have a 1917 Wrights stamped the same, had it about 20ys, have seen a few the same over the years Imo legit!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 18 January Author Share Posted 18 January 7 minutes ago, 5thBatt said: I have a 1917 Wrights stamped the same, had it about 20ys, have seen a few the same over the years Imo legit!! Have you got a photo? thanks ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete_C Posted 18 January Share Posted 18 January My own Wright's example below - the other catch on this sling is blank which is unusual as all the other GW slings I've seen have the maker's stamp on both catches. 'Wrights Ltd' is Michael Wright & Sons Ltd (MW&S Ltd) the other major manufacturer of Pattern 1908 Web Equipment. MWS and ME CO were the only makers who possessed the looms capable of weaving the cartridge carriers. They're still in business manufacturing (non-miltary) webbing products and still occupy their GW premises at Wright's Mill, Quorn, Leicestershire. I'd speculate that 'Waring's Ltd' is Waring & Gillow Ltd, the furniture makers, who manufactured a vast range of textile based products during the Great War. Over the years I've seen some Patt 08 haversacks and many SBR haversacks bearing their name. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromelles Posted 19 January Share Posted 19 January On 18/01/2024 at 06:04, Pete_C said: The ME Co 1914 sling, 3rd row down and centre, because of the blackened brass, I believe may be NZ... [New Zealand Army, Personal Equipment 1910-1945 - B & M O'Sullivan, 2005] Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete_C Posted 19 January Share Posted 19 January 5 minutes ago, Fromelles said: The ME Co 1914 sling, 3rd row down and centre, because of the blackened brass, I believe may be NZ... [New Zealand Army, Personal Equipment 1910-1945 - B & M O'Sullivan, 2005] Dan Yes, I think you're right. The reasoning behind the NZ practice is not immediately obvious. It was not, as far as I'm aware, extended to the many brass fasteners and buckles of the web set, and the brass catches of the sling are usually turned to the inner side, facing the rifle, when attached in the prescribed manner, so are not that conspicuous to start with. My 1916 example above is from NZ but bears no trace of the blacking - not to say it hasn't been polished away but I suspect the practice was discontinued on the outbreak of war. It would be interesting to see other post 1914 NZ slings. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromelles Posted 19 January Share Posted 19 January 11 minutes ago, Pete_C said: Yes, I think you're right. The reasoning behind the NZ practice is not immediately obvious. It was not, as far as I'm aware, extended to the many brass fasteners and buckles of the web set, and the brass catches of the sling are usually turned to the inner side, facing the rifle, when attached in the prescribed manner, so are not that conspicuous to start with. My 1916 example above is from NZ but bears no trace of the blacking - not to say it hasn't been polished away but I suspect the practice was discontinued on the outbreak of war. It would be interesting to see other post 1914 NZ slings. Pete Apparently all brass was blacked on both the kiwi pattern 1911 and 1913 sets. I'd assume post 1915 kiwi slings will just be standard issue, but with NZ ownership markings. Other than the blackened brass, early kiwi slings are manufactured to exactly the same specifications as regular slings. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thBatt Posted 19 January Share Posted 19 January My Great War slings 1914 MECo Only 2 of these have a visable N^Z stamp 1916 Wrights Ltd The N^Z stamps on these My 1917 dated slings The markings on these 1914 MECo & 1916 Wrights would be the most commonly encountered WW1dated slings in NZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete_C Posted 19 January Share Posted 19 January Fabulous collection and outstanding presentation, thanks for sharing. Also provides a definitive answer to Ed's initial enquiry around the authenticity of his 'Wrights 1917' sling - identical font in your 1917 example above. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 20 January Author Share Posted 20 January 7 hours ago, Pete_C said: Fabulous collection and outstanding presentation, thanks for sharing. Also provides a definitive answer to Ed's initial enquiry around the authenticity of his 'Wrights 1917' sling - identical font in your 1917 example above. Pete I think I am inclined to agree now, even the rivets match. Nice 2 genuine ww1 slings! Might have to get a second SMLE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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