Polish militaria experts help!

[3mk]

I collect Polish militaria and i always see these ``rings`` with eagles on them and im wondering if those are just fake stuff that were never awarded or real and awarded/made.Also pictures would be helpful.
Thanks

[PolAntek]

Hello 3mk,

Please post pictures of the rings that you are uncertain of. But it’s a safe bet that as with any Polish militaria / collectibles the rings you are seeing are not authentic.

Genuine military officer rings are rare. Here is a beautiful example that came up for sale recently along with its award document.

Regards,
Tony

[3mk]

Thank you PolAntek just by looking at it i can tell the others are fake.
Also you said it was up for sale did you buy it and how much was the price?
Thanks

[PolAntek]

Thank you PolAntek just by looking at it i can tell the others are fake.

Of course, there were many different styles of rings – ranging from simple to complex designs such as this one. I would be careful to judge authenticity based on style alone.

Also you said it was up for sale did you buy it and how much was the price?

Unfortunately I did not buy it, although I would certainly love to own it! It’s the only officer’s ring I have ever seen that comes complete with its award document. A very special set to be sure. This came up for auction back in November of 2006. The bidding reached about $450USD and did not meet the reserve price.

Pictured below is another pre-war ring that sold in Polish on-line auction exactly a year ago for 4351zl (over $2000USD). This beautiful ring belonged to an officer of the 5th Legion Infantry Regiment and is crafted in gold and silver with a very attractive carved ruby displaying the image of the regimental badge. It is inscribed with the dates 1933-1938. A real beauty!! And sadly I am not the lucky owner of this ring

Cheers,
Tony

[3mk]

Thanks again! all these rings seem to be out of my budget as a 11 year old lol.

[PolAntek]

Hello again,

Well, I have to say that it is fantastic that an 11 year old has an interest in Polish militaria! I have an 11 year old son, and believe me, the farthest thing from his mind is military history or an interest in his Polish ancestry!!

Collecting militaria is a wonderful hobby that will teach you much about history and if you’re careful also prove to be a good investment. You will meet some great people and have lots of fun. But a word of warning . . . it is said that next to German militaria the most faked are Polish items. So please be very cautious before buying anything. In fact, your first investment should be in good reference literature and study time. Participatiion in forums such as this one is another excellent way of preparation before shelling out hard earned cash. The market is flooded with copies and counterfeits of absolutely everything - including rings as you now know. And even seasoned collectors can get duped by products created using new computer aided faking techniques.

Guys like you are the future of the hobby, and while I certainly don’t want to frighten you away, it cannot be over stressed how dangerous the hobby can be if you rush ahead and start buying up all those wonderful old looking artifacts displaying a Polish crowned white eagle. Take it slow and easy and assume first that everything is a copy until it is verified as genuine. And keep posting your questions on sites like this.

Best regards,
Tony

[3mk]

Thank you soo much! Adleast i already now that the ww1 victory medal is fake.

[bhterrell]

PolAntek - Are you the expert Tony? I need to contact a Virtuti Militari circa 1809 expert. Can you help me? Thanks