Newsletter 266 September 6, 2017
From: balclava@gmail.com
To: adroyster@hotmail.com
Subject: xxxxxxxxx Auctions
Date: Tue, 5 September 2017 09:16:26 –0600
Dear Mr. Royster:
In your most excellent columns, I have been following, with admitted sinking feelings, comments about so-called “paper whiteners” and the rather distressing news that they were not used in paper until 1951.
In another posting, I note several articles about the xxxxxxxxx Auctions that are certainly of a somewhat negative nature.
My unhappiness lies in the fact that I have been purchasing allegedly original German militaria-subject documents from this firm for at least seven years and when I read your comments on the paper whiteners, I at once obtained an ultra-violet light from a stamp store and tested all of my documents and letters.
Regretfully, about 95% of these did, in fact, react to the light, glowing brightly. In checking my records, I have discovered that all but ten of these came from xxxxxxxx Auctions and the others from the now-discredited Adrian Forman.
I at once wrote to the auction house with my worries and the owner responded using foul invective aimed both at myself for, as he said “daring to question him,” and towards you upon whom he heaped vulgarity upon vulgarity.
Since the money involved came to somewhat over £ 20,000, I am going to report this matter to both the American authorities, through Scotland Yard, and Europol.
A bit of further investigation on my part has disclosed that this problem (of faked documents) is not a solitary one and that there have been a number of others who have had similar problems.
That these problems have only recently been brought to light thanks to your timely comments, should not have any effect upon legal prosecutions since it has been ruled that a fraud is not deemed to have happened until the victim discovers it.
Thanking you again for your efforts in detecting fakes and their merchants, I remain,
Yours most sincerely,
Brigadier Sir John Mandeville-Repington, GCB, GCVO, CMG, DSO
English (United States) 
German
14 thoughts on “Newsletter 266 September 6, 2017”
So Adrian Forman’s book on Nazi award documents also could not be a reliable source as a reference in that area as well, right? Thanks.
Forman? Forman’s book published by Bender is reasonably accurate both for decorations and documents. He did include the postwar Kreta shield in the medal book but in general, Forman is acceptable. But his prices are old. 1993 onwards. And the Bandenkampf badge in gold with diamonds is a Kleitmann fake. Never existed. Neither did the Knights Cross of the War Service Cross in gold with swords. Speer gave out two of these but without swords and as a personal presentation, contrary to Hitler’s wishes. Interesting but not official.Maerz is worthless as a source and Kleitmann’s book has a number of deliberate “errors” in it. Still, if one knows what is going on, the book is a good reference. And ’65’ Knights Crosses have been extensively faked because an English firm bought their dies and is cranking them out.ADR
Please do not forget the boxes of RKdKvKs in gold found in the huge caverns of the Klessheim palace! All fake. No such finding. If you have one, throw it away or give it to the Salvation Army. Horst
Must you be so unkind? A number of these were sold to the trusting and the ones with swords are entirely fake. There were two without swords but these were personal gifts and cannot be classified as issue medals. Ergo, they are worth what someone wants to pay for them. And there are those who believe the Queen of England is a giant lizard and that Tyler Durden or Sorcha Faal are real people.ADR
a h auctions have an appalling record and its owner has very serious mental problems, they are now selling their paper items on facebook militaria auctions, buyer beware
The auction houses, both in the United States and Europe, are filled with a huge number of outrageous fakes. One Florida auction house takes in valuable items, insures them but if they should be broken while in their custody, refuse to pay the vender. Other auction houses, mainly in Germany, sell terrible fake “Hitler paintings” and gold-plated Army daggers masquerading as “General’s daggers.” The dagger market is so full of recent fakes as to effectively destroy the value of originals. ADR
so many fakes…..greed is king in the militaria hobby
Greed and terrible ignorance, both on the part of the dealer and the novice collector. The crap they advertise and sell would gag a maggot. ADR
When you expose one fraudster another is there to take his place, your site does a excellent job in exposing these criminals
This is true. It is my opinion that the sleazy fraud disguised as a dealer is almost as stupid as the idiots who buy such outrageous fakes as humped belt buckles or “camouflaged” helmets. This market became a bubble market and now is is sharp decline. A repainted helmet that once sold for $2,000 now is worth about $200 on the market and there are no takers.
So Forman’s books on Nazi decoration documents can still be considered as reliable reference sources in this particular area. Is that correct? Thanks.
I do not know what the particular area you refer to. In the main, Forman is reasonable accurate in the Bender book.Some medals such as the gold close combat bar presented by Hitler, the German Cross in Gold with Diamonds and the Guerrilla warfare badge in gold with diamonds plus the Knights Cross of the War Service Cross in gold with swords are all postwar inventions and never existed during the course of the Third Reich. ADR
I am referring to the two volumes of Forman’s Third Reich Award Documents as the author of the above message claims that he bought faked Nazi Award Documents from Adrian Forman so I wonder whether the books related can be trusted. I am not talking for Forman’s book on Nazi military awards. Thanks.
The two volume Adrian Forman books on German Third Reich documents are considered to be quite accurate. I have these and use them. Prices are from 1996 but the current market is very soft so the Forman prices are realistic today. And note that no Third Reich document contains paper whiteners so if you use a black light on any suspect document and it reacts, this is a post 1951 copy. On the other hand, Forman is well known to have sold many fake items, to include fake documents. The books, however, show originals. I collect documents and have been doing this for fifty years so I have some hands-on experience. I trust this answers your question. If not, write again and I will try to assist you further. ADR