QUOTE(Jim Lemon @ Jul 9 2006, 08:38 AM) [snapback]285789[/snapback]
I am afraid of getting an Imperial Helmet, because it appears to be an item that is commonly faked. The helmets bring too much money to take the chance of getting a fake one.
Jim
They are easy to spot if you know what to look for. The obvious things are to look at how the helmet plates and eagle top is attached to the helmet shell. Most fakes, they are poorly fitted and are not perfectly flush to the shell. Also look at the enameling of the Saint Andrew star. New enamel paint is being used. Pigments are too clean and bright in colors. Old enamel was baked on and was muddy in color with impurities of the pigments. Technology of the times as they used natural resources to make colored pigments. Today, pigments are mostly synthetic and are too bright and clean looking. Also, look at the detailing of the eagle tops. All fake helmets, the eagle top has been cast, cleaned up of metal slag and buffed out to reduce the amount of pitting in the metal from casting and then gilted. They lack the fine detailed lines in the feathers of the eagle wings. The originals were very well scuptured and highly detailed in workmanship. The fakes are cast copies of these and lack such fine line details. Under a magnifying glass, you will still see excess metal slag residue and pitting from casting. The fakers can never completely eliminate these things from sanding and poishing. Fakes also lack Regimental unit stamps. Almost all the originals that I have seen are heavily stamped into the shell with regimental markings and makers stamps. The Saint Andrew star helmet plate is usually made of silver and has the same quality as a regimental badge. They also would bear the silver makers stamp and assay Kokoshnik stamps identifying that it is made of precious metals.
Hope these tips are helpful.