Serbia Serbia - Original Chetnik items

[Lightfoot]

[Lightfoot]

[Lightfoot]

[Lightfoot]

[Lightfoot]

[Lightfoot]

The red shield on the scabbard is taken from a scout´s badge I think, and then they have attached the skull on it. The eagle on the dagger seems to have been taken from a St. Sava order.

[Lightfoot]

Unusual blade and very interesting engraving.

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That dagger I´m not sure about if it´s ok or not, very difficult.

[paja]

Here´s some originals from the military museum in Belgrade. As you can see somebody has made copys of these daggers. Because these are unique of their kind. Nobody had the same of the chetniks.

I didn't know that, very useful information!

The red shield on the scabbard is taken from a scout´s badge I think, and then they have attached the skull on it. The eagle on the dagger seems to have been taken from a St. Sava order.

Many thanks for sharing those photos with us! Absolutely amazing dagger!

I never would have guessed the origin of the red shield, I know which badge you speak of and I think that you are right. Specific detail about those badges is that all Cyrillic S letters are rotated to the right.

[paja]

One more thing, although some četniks really did use shortened regular army sabers (I've seen M1861, M1895, M1920), not all shortened sabers are četnik weapons per se.

For example I know of one case that a family of officer who died shortly after return to Yugoslavia from German POW camp sold his saber to local butcher who shortened it and that way got himself good cutting knife.

Edited December 17, 2014 by paja

[Lightfoot]

That is true, they custommade and shortened their sabres and even the army and pilots parade daggers were made into combat daggers. They reused what they had in lack of equipment.

[paja]

Historical museum, unfortunately not very good photo.

#4 labeled as M17 knife of Serbian assault units, Salonika Front.

#5 Knife of member Yugoslav Army in Fatherland (?), 1941-1945

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2014/post-7937-0-01975000-1418827881.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2014/post-7937-0-83447000-1418827816.jpg

[paja]

Kosta Pećanac's dagger.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2014/post-7937-0-55928500-1418827989.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2014/post-7937-0-48040800-1418827992.jpg

[paja]

Major Vlastimir Vesić (Властимир Весић), dagger with clearly visible skull & crossed bones on scabbard.

[Lightfoot]

That is one lovely photo and a very good photo of the dagger as you say. I can see that it is a typical crossguard of a navy parade dagger. But the scabbard doesn´t fit to that dagger. So the scabbard and dagger has probably customized to fit. The scabbard looks like a bayonet scabbard.

[Emanuel]

Greetings Guys,

All of the above pieces (except of course the ones that you post from Belgrade Museum) are fantasy pieces, copies.

What I found out that especially the ones that Paja post at the previous page, they are "Made in Leskovac" from a well known guy that can make these copies and he supplied some Ebay sellers, some people been tricked ( I know one from Slovenia) that even when he receive them he couldnt recognize the copies untill he post them in a forum and they told him about.

So, I urge you to beware when it comes to purchases on Ebay, as also I have concerns about the item at post #125 but until the dagger comes in your hands, you never know these days.....and maybe then it's too late.So BEWARE!!!

Last but no least, in a recent fair, I saw some copies of very rare Serbian badges, like the St.George Lijotic Breast badge and the Serbian Kingdom academy badge.

Two pieces of each, it was really two much I guess and had to take them in my hands, very very good copies with nice patina,unfortunatelly , I didn't had my camera to take some pictures, so watch out about these two, soon we might see them around on the net popping up

Paja, I do not have file of copies, my mistake,as I know to recognize them so there was no need, but I will bring a couple of pieces from recent sales on Ebay, in order to refresh the subject.

What I wish to advice you and focus in, is to have good literature, books knowdays do miracles and learn a lot from them, reference books are not so expensive, ONE expensive badge to buy and found out that is a copy, is enough spending,instead to have the reference material to study.

If you ain't sure, bring the photos here, there are some good collectors and guys that "bother" with the subject for years and won't hesitate to share with you some knowledge for your eventual purchase....

My best wishes and Merry Christmas to all

[Emanuel]

PS: Item #123 has a leather scabbard from German hunting Solingen Dagger knife of the 50's

[Lightfoot]

Greetings Guys,

All of the above pieces (except of course the ones that you post from Belgrade Museum) are fantasy pieces, copies.

What I found out that especially the ones that Paja post at the previous page, they are "Made in Leskovac" from a well known guy that can make these copies and he supplied some Ebay sellers, some people been tricked ( I know one from Slovenia) that even when he receive them he couldnt recognize the copies untill he post them in a forum and they told him about.

So, I urge you to beware when it comes to purchases on Ebay, as also I have concerns about the item at post #125 but until the dagger comes in your hands, you never know these days.....and maybe then it's too late.So BEWARE!!!

Last but no least, in a recent fair, I saw some copies of very rare Serbian badges, like the St.George Lijotic Breast badge and the Serbian Kingdom academy badge.

Two pieces of each, it was really two much I guess and had to take them in my hands, very very good copies with nice patina,unfortunatelly , I didn't had my camera to take some pictures, so watch out about these two, soon we might see them around on the net popping up

Paja, I do not have file of copies, my mistake,as I know to recognize them so there was no need, but I will bring a couple of pieces from recent sales on Ebay, in order to refresh the subject.

What I wish to advice you and focus in, is to have good literature, books knowdays do miracles and learn a lot from them, reference books are not so expensive, ONE expensive badge to buy and found out that is a copy, is enough spending,instead to have the reference material to study.

If you ain't sure, bring the photos here, there are some good collectors and guys that "bother" with the subject for years and won't hesitate to share with you some knowledge for your eventual purchase....

My best wishes and Merry Christmas to all

[Lightfoot]

Yes you are right the main dagger fakes are from Leskovac in Serbia. One more thing about the St. George Ljotic breast badges. Yes there are popping up fakes also and hard recognizing them from the originals. The main thing is that many fakes got the same number on the back. Because they have probably made the mould from an original. Don't have the exact numbers that is fake.

[paja]

Again thank you both for very useful information, tips and warnings!

It is really unfortunate that so many fakes are sold on ebay, usual price was 500$ if remember well... About those two in post #123 and #125, were they original or not I really don't have a clue, I wrote "now some nicer ones" because they seemed to be of better quality than those that I posted before them.

[paja]

Last but no least, in a recent fair, I saw some copies of very rare Serbian badges, like the St.George Lijotic Breast badge and the Serbian Kingdom academy badge.

Two pieces of each, it was really two much I guess and had to take them in my hands, very very good copies with nice patina,unfortunatelly , I didn't had my camera to take some pictures, so watch out about these two, soon we might see them around on the net popping up

I saw some replicas of academy badges on ebay as well, photos can be found in this topic: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/63644-kingdom-of-serbia-military-academy-badge/

But these don't look that good. First badge was sold as original although it obviously isn't and the second one was offered as replica.

By the way, first seller also had very unusual box for the Order of St. Sava in mint condition, custom made, simply fake or something else?

(I apologize for going off-topic)

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[Lightfoot]

Yes you are right, there have been made some replicas of serbian order boxes too lately. Also with the manufacturers name inside the box. So beware when buying boxes too.

[Lightfoot]

Here´s my chetnik kindjal bayonet M24 CK, one of the most rarest bayonets.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Lightfoot

[paja]

One more dagger, City Museum Vršac, photo found in one of their catalogs.

[paja]

Here´s my chetnik kindjal bayonet M24 CK, one of the most rarest bayonets.

Now that's a beauty! And in pretty good shape as well, most of the ones I've seen lately are nowhere near it's condition

[paja]

Looks like there are even fakes of that skull and crossed bones badge from the scabbard...

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2014/post-7937-0-91959500-1419452060.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2014/post-7937-0-62028400-1419452063.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2014/post-7937-0-23136500-1419452065.jpg