Nazi Armband... Is it real

[bsweeney]

Please give your opinion as to originality of this piece,,, there is no label on it.

[John G.]

bsweeney,
Looks o.k., but really need to see construction of the swastika and how the white circle is sewn to the red band to be 100% sure.....(could be printed, multi-pc., bevo, chain stitched, etc. etc.).....however the materials look proper.
Is VERY clean.....check with blacklite to see it has been modern laundered. (Not a good thing)
John G.

[bsweeney]

It is printed.

[John G.]

bsweeney,
Printed is difficult, so very easy to fake.....materials look correct but it's awfully clean.....
Don't know if better pictures would help....but avoid printed whenever possible....fakes of all types abound!
John G.

[bsweeney]

Here is photo of inside.

[Ian Hulley]

I would've thought that this was a classic candidate for the old blacklight test.

So long as it was cheap it'd do as a display piece.

Ian

[cpittman]

I don't see any red flags.

[bsweeney]

I am interested... what would you expect to see as a red flag.

[cpittman]

This example shows a lot of ink bleed-through to the reverse which is typical of period printed insignia. Most modern textile screen printing processes leave ink sitting on the surface of the fabric. The way it is sewn together is also typical of period armbands. The graphics look plausible and there are none of the rubber stamps that the Eastern European fakers love to stamp on these types of items. These are easily faked and hard to authenticate but I think this one has a good chance.

[bsweeney]

Thanks'
Are there any further suggestions you might have to help me establish its authenticity?

[John G.]

bsweeney,
Other than hitting it with the blacklite, there not much else one can do. We're only talking a $30.00 to 50.00 armband....assuming it's real. If it doesn't B.L., I'd be satisfied that it's passed all the other tests.....
John G.

[bsweeney]

So under the black light it will fluoresce if it is new and not if it is old, that correct!

[cpittman]

So under the black light it will fluoresce if it is new and not if it is old, that correct!

There is a lot of original pre-1945 material that glows and a lot of reproduction stuff that will not glow. The blacklight test is a tool but is certainly not conclusive. These items can be quite hard to authenticate.

[bsweeney]

Probably a good reason to avoid this area of collecting...

[John G.]

Printed armbands are always dangerous.....as I stated earlier, especially when it somes to Swastika Armbands....90% were multi-pc, bevo, or only the swast. was printed on a seperate white circle.....all printed is very late. Getting the feel for the material helps (known originals, Deutsche Wehrmachts, Volksstrums, In Deinst der..., all have a feel that modern textiles usually can't copy....

The Blacklite is only a tool.....but on this sort of armband if it Glows brite (kinda lavander brite) or if the thread on the edges glow....it would definately be a repro. (if laundered by modern means/dry cleaned it would also glow....but this would have bleed if laundered). White will sometimes have a soft glow....but when you hit something synthetic it lites up "like a xmas tree"......
John G.