Partisan testimony 1941 Fake

[Daffy Duck]

For the first time in my career I came across the fake of Yugoslav Partisan testimony 1941.

It's actually a very good fake, with lots of details on the front, and a decent back side.

It even has a four digits number and not so good two hallmarks...

Actually, main difference is in the material of production, as this weights around 18gr...

 

[Daffy Duck]

And this is the picture of it.

One is genuine, and another is fake..

And the reverse side

[BalkanCollector]

To be honest, if you didn't say one of these is fake, I probably wouldn't even question the originality looking only at the pictures. Couple of weeks ago I talked to a seller at the antique show and he told me that there are fakes of "spomenica" and that he only sells real ones. I thought he was just trying to give good impression, especially since I know this seller from before, he is all sweet talk and overall a very invasive seller.

 

Which one is fake? Now I'm questioning everything I know about these but I'm guessing the one on the left since it looks really rough and especially those cracks on the reverse which seems to point out that it's cast.

[Daffy Duck]

Actually, the left one is fake.  Normally I will get mad if I came across the fake one, but I possess five original, and I am happy to have this fake one.

I intentionally posted pictures of this two,as this should be the same lot.

Somebody must made a lot of effort to make a copy of this Spomenica.

The front side is marvellously modelled as if it is in some kind of the frame you would not spot any difference. Even the reverse side is modelled in the same manner as the original. it's not so precise detailed,but it should be produced in 1945, so someone could take it for real.

Main difference is in the weight. original silver one weights between 36 up to 38 gr, and this one is much lighter, 17.8 gr. 

I just don't understand why someone haven't used silver as it would be next to perfect copy...

Just be careful...

[BalkanCollector]

8 hours ago, Daffy Duck said:

The front side is marvellously modelled as if it is in some kind of the frame you would not spot any difference.

 

Some time ago, there was a mold for spomenica for sale at the Croatian auction site aukcije.hr. I can't find it on the site's sold items and it seems like I haven't saved the pictures either since I can't find them in my archive unfortunately. It is possible that someone got their hands on the mold and is making these fake pieces.

 

8 hours ago, Daffy Duck said:

I just don't understand why someone haven't used silver as it would be next to perfect copy...

 

Silver costs a lot more than some other metals and these fakers just care about top profit. They could easily put some lead to gain the proper weight and I'm sure they'll perfect their fakes any time soon.

[Daffy Duck]

Just be careful next time when you see Spomenica for sale. About that mold, I have spotted one, a year or so ago, but after close inspection of the pictures, I've realised that that specific one was actually for gravestones, not for original orders... It should be two pieces construction, not one...

I suspect that someone made a new mold with the original Spomenica, with the number, and that the reason why you can see proper reverse side...

[BalkanCollector]

Very interesting! I didn't know they had molds for gravestones. I guess there must be plenty of those since people died and were buried in different places.

[Von Thronstahl]

On 23/08/2021 at 08:37, BalkanCollector said:

Very interesting! I didn't know they had molds for gravestones. I guess there must be plenty of those since people died and were buried in different places.

It was very common practice in Yugoslavia to decorate gravestones of a Spomenica holders with  Spomenica castings.  

[BalkanCollector]

Here's a spomenica that looks like it could be the one for gravestones. It is currently for sale at aukcije.hr. The seller claims it's 13,5cm in size and made of duraluminum.

 

https://www.aukcije.hr/prodaja/Kolekcionarstvo/Militarija/Ordeni-i-medalje/Jugoslavija/1362/oglas/SPOMENICA-1941-PLAKETA-13-5-CM/3100967/

 

 

[Drugo]

Are these taken off actual gravestones? ?

[BalkanCollector]

21 hours ago, Drugo said:

Are these taken off actual gravestones? ?

 

I wouldn't be surprised...

[new world]

This fake can certainly fool some collectors. Fakers are getting better at their craft.

[Farkas]

On 22/08/2021 at 10:23, BalkanCollector said:

Silver costs a lot more than some other metals and these fakers just care about top profit.

For just another £10-15 in silver they could make more profit in the long run considering they are so convincing…

 

I wonder if the ‘mastermind’ trusted his elves to pour the silver and they robbed some? 
Does seem they got the hard bit done then messed up the easy bit.

 

[BalkanCollector]

10 hours ago, Farkas said:

For just another £10-15 in silver they could make more profit in the long run considering they are so convincing…

 

I agree but there's a mentality factor that needs to be put in consideration. I can guarantee you that most people here in the Balkans are only looking for a quick profit, even if that means losing money in the long run so making something dirt cheap and selling it for as much as you can is a national sport at this point. I'm not talking about these fakes only but businesses in general. Of course, those entrepreneurs don't last long.