UBB.threads Forums Uniform & Accessories The Honor Ring Forum Skull ring - ALPACCA

Hello colleagues, I need a quick advice. Is this a 100% original ring or not? Thank you

I am unfamiliar with the shank scrollwork but it appears to be at least based upon a known pattern. A top-down of the ring sitting flat would be helpful as it appears to be thick in spots. If it is a nice thin ring, tapering evenly toward the back, that would be a good sign. Thick, uneven, solid, rings are often the first and second generation cast copies of these, made shortly after the war and onwards as I understand it. More and better pictures will help our members give your ring its best answer. Thanks for posting it.

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I'm sending you photos from above and from below. Hope it will be helpful.

Thanks viki it is helpful! Not many follow through when we ask for more pictures- so the extra effort is noted! I will try to make it worth the extra... so- and members please, opinions are encouraged here- please offer yours if you think it might be helpful, or at least to let people know they are not just wasting time, waving a flag in space ... even a neutral comment lets people know the ring is noticed by you and that alone is both encouraging to new and eager collectors as well as a warning that their ring is being noted by those who try to pass along or vette out fakes. They will crawl back to their darkness! Apologies for the sermonizing.., I see good things and bad things here- it looks like a good stamp, tapers to the rear, and has a join. But it does appear a tad uneven which could be from bending or casting, thicker on the right side. Looks a bit thick on the back hollow area bottom too, and can not tell, but might be a casting pearl in the hollow skull back. That is a common tell area. To be honest I would wait for some other opinions, and were it me- I would wait to hear from gaspare and others with more experience than myself. I would not pull the trigger on this blind unless the price was a no loss cost. Real pieces are not cheap, and I would be concerned that it could be a first or second gen cast piece from an original. So if it is a repro- I would say a good and old one.

Our friend also posted this on WRF. I agree with Mike. It is better to get some opinions than none.
As I commented on the WRF, this ring might be OK. Hard to say. The more I stare at it, the more I wonder if it is cast.
I have a ring with a very similar pattern but mine is silver. One difference is that the detail on the silver version is noticeably finer than on this ring. Also, the shank is much thinner. In fact it is so thin that I often have to bend it back to being circular because I wear it every day
I haven't seen this particular pattern in alpacca before. There were of course a lot of Third Reich alpacca rings but there are also a lot of fake alpacca rings. I am very interested to learn what others think but I believe caution is warranted here.
Cheers,
Stephen

Thank you for your advices. I have purchased the ring. Hope it will be ok when I will have it in hands. About the seller, He is not a ring collector. I have bought from him some silver rings recently and they were ok. This TK ring was offered to me to my request to buy more rings. Altogether I saw about six rings from this guy and only one was a copy. But I do not have reason to believe he made is on purpose. He doesn't know rings.

About the ALPACCA TK. I like the ring personally. So I hope it will be trully ok :-) If it goes well I will send better pics after it arrives.

Best regards,
Viki

Good luck! I hope the ring is real. It is also important that YOU like it. Which you clearly do. I have a few rings in my collection that I really like but whose authenticity is somewhat controversial ;o)

Viki,, welcome to the forum!.. Well sure this is a good known 3rd reich pattern. There are many out there and are early rings.. Most with a silver content and a Ln mark inside band which means its finished to a high degree.. I've seen many of these , but never an alpaca example.. But you never know..

The photos are out of focus... when you get it show us a nice straight shot of front,,well focused and lit.. Also one of one side will do. One behind skull and a inner band shot. 4 shots.
hope its a good one for you, maybe you got something rare there....,G.

Thank you ;-) I know what you are talking about. I've recently bought such ring. It is from a good and respected friend but nobody believe the ring is real. I belive it, I bought it. Maybe in some time I will get the courage to show it here :-D It was hardly discussed on FB. But I just know..

Thank you Gaspare, I will do that ;-) I have hope for good news :-D

Hello colleagues, I have got the ring today. I present you better photos. If you need some more to be sure about originality, please let me know. I'd like to have more opinions even though I like the ring.

photos 02

Photos03

photos04

It is a nice-looking ring and a known pattern. I hope it?s real. However, as mentioned previously, I thought that this pattern was only made in silver. If other, more knowledgeable members can confirm that it was also available in alpacca, you may well have an authentic ring there. Thanks for posting new pictures.
Cheers,
Stephen

Does anyone else own this pattern? Silver alpaca or otherwise? If so please post for comparison! Free pictures uploaded on gdc!

hi stephen
i have been looking over your alpacka marked ring i have fifteen skull rings left in my life time collection that i am selling im sorry to say not one has the alpacka name in my opinion even though i cant prove its a real period made skull ring but i see no red flags to indecate outher wise at all untill possibly we can see another alpacka marked skull ring just like the luftwaffe flying silver cups for thier pilots they made 800 silver they made alpacka marked cups maybe a few years in to the war they changed from silver to alpacka marked rings while materials were getting harder to obtain we dont have all the answers yet so again in my opinion i believe its a real period skull ring lets use don boyles saying to the non believers of his honor rings prove me wrong god bless merry christmas to all andy militarynut

Hi Andy,
Thanks for your advice. The ring posted belongs to Viki, not me. I have the same pattern ring but mine is silver. Never seen an alpacca version.
I agree that there are no obvious red flags and your reasoning is, well, reasonable. Silver shortages later in the war may have forced the use of cheaper alloys but, like I say, I would like to see another alpacca ring of the same type before I was convinced it is real. If they were made in alpacca, I would imagine that there were thousands of them around, at least back then.
Happy Christmas to you too.
Cheers,
Stephen

Stephen- can you post some pics of yours?

Hello. I have another idea how to define this ring. In the advertisement bellow is the exact same ring - in silver. According to my informations the ring was made by Laurin (at least the silver ones were). Would anybody have the Laurin's catalogue and could check if the ring was made also from "New silber" (as I undestand it, it means - alpacca, golding, etc). On the advertisement is written Das Haus Des Uhrmachers. Maybe in the source of this add would be the info about other materials too as I'm not sure this exact add is from Laurin's catalogue.


Secondly, I think the rings made from other materials was sell at the same time like the silver ones. It was just a cheaper version. So the soldiers could deside what quality of the rings they want as they were buying it at the canteens, jewellers' and so on...


V.

hi viki
what you just posted about these alpacca rings i agree fully with your opinion less money for alpacca rings but we still cant prove your opinos yet but im sure some one will have another alpacca marked rings thank you again for your opinion we all are learning something new every day and last its not over till the fat lady sings god bless all have a very merry christmas and a happy new year andy militarynut

Here you go. I agree with Andy and Viki that the alpacca skull is probably good. But I would love to see another one like it.

Yes, I am trying to find another example also on FB groups and between other collectors. Also the info. from the manufacturer would be helpful if somebody would have the catalogue..

Thank you for the photos! Yes please any others please post!

another interesting topic!! wish I had time. styles come and go.. This was a very popular ring pre war and early war..

- most of these are marked with the silver content,,and the Ln mark for high degree of finish and quality.. For any of us that are newspapers collectors,,, lets see that IF we can find a advert for this pattern ring lets say mid war or so that it is offered in anything other than silver,,

,sorry,, gotta go,,Merry christmas!!!!!!!!!

That is a very nice ring I can see the hints of the silver wash