UBB.threads Forums Uniform & Accessories The Honor Ring Forum All about Latvian rings

Skull ring in black enamel is not private order. All these rings were freely available to anybody and were produced for years.

remains of old stock with skulls in black enamel was recently sold on Latvian auction. So we can expect soon showing up more "period" rings in good condition.

Thank you for correction! Right!. I've messed up with ring with black enamel from this pic. So this ring with black enamel is diplomat's ring.

P.S I'm not sure about bottom rings, but I think this is early postwar period rings from 50-60s

Yes, I saw this plates on antik-war.lv forum. Strange is that skull has black eyes and plates with latvian coat of arms has dark red not transparent enamel without dashed lines design under the enamel. As I remember correctly owner told me that this plates are not silver - which also strange.

I have another information, but it's ok, this is your opinion.

Thanks for this info hap- these will fool a lot of ppl.

"I have another information, but it's ok, this is your opinion."

Trigg.,, if you have other source info please post it.. It is how we all learn.

I got to agree with Hap.. Look hard enough and most of those patterns can be found postwar..
Latvian rings are very tricky. Not for the beginner. I try and get 2 , 3 of a Axis and/or collaborating countries rings. And, I try and stay with the standards. You will find that the WW2 vintage are usually high quality design and material with nice glass fired enamel etc.

Postwar can be tricky.. On the other topic with a Danish ring. A real worn, old looking ring claimed to be Dane Freikorp is in reality a 1955 and up ring...

As I always brag,,we have a great international group of members here that freely contribute their knowledge for us to all learn. Hapur,, thanks,,,and thanks for that photo. No doubt we'll see those rings on a diggers site soon enough!

My source told me that this skull pattern from the beginning was only by request. Because youth want to wear skull rings like his German friends, but was available only with Latvian flag or Latvian coat of arms rings. Latvians that time were proud to wear Latvian items as sleeve shields and rings - that's why rings with Latvian flag or Latvian coat of arms was so popular. Skull rings was not popular - that's why they are quite rare. Yes skull ring looks strange, but plate design exist. My friends who worked with officially military archeology group called "Legenda" found few examples on fallen soldiers.

I know that hapur will blame on me that I'm misrepresent "facts" about SS ring, but Latvian SS ring (plate design) also was a private order and wasn't freely available. I'm not only Latvian rings collector, but I'm collect all Latvian SS items. Many my items comes directly from Latvian legionnaire families. As I told later in my FB group in dispute with hapur I have legionnaire memoirs (collected and documented by his wife from letters) where Latvian SS ring was mentioned. Unfortunately I can't tell you about it and show it because of perosnal reasons. But I can tell that Latvian SS ring never was freely available. This "fact" based on my research as hapur "fact" that all Latvian rings was freely available. So with big respect to audience and hapur please keep in mind both "facts".

As I told later original plates has dashed lines design (postwar has normal lines or no lines at all) under the enamel. Enamel should be bright (not dark green as soviet state standard enamels) and transparent.

P.S Those ring plates never was for sale publicly, they was only on discussion two years ago. Owner want to know just estimated price.

Those plates are long gone.



Any other info source other than something you can not show?

Like I told you earlier all these rings were available free to anybody. That is widely known fact. I knew few jewelers/craftsmens who worked before and during ww2 - I've learned a lot from them, some period dies I got from them. I've met enough legionaires in person (actually both my grandfathers were in Legion) so all of them confirmed these were available free. Kiosk where these were sold is still there on Terbatas str and Elizabetes str corner.

I will not argue with your my friend, two opinions based on own research. I think everybody will draw conclusions about this.

May be you have something to show? For instance period dies or Latvian rings?

Specially for you, it already was here on this forum some 6-7 years ago.

Also interesting ring was found by my friend. This is RPI (Riga Polytechnic Institute) Faculty of Power ring for students. Found in capitulation positions.

Also same ring but with RPI inscription. I think that this was a private order.

Nice postwar ring. They showed up first at sixties.

here is same story. Ring ground dug in Russia. They also badly wanted to believe it is wartime, BUT it is postwar because this school was founded only in 1945. Pic from Russian forum.

another Latvian ring with initials.

Famous Latvian SS rings, along all others were sold here at this kiosk during ww2. This souvenir store worked here before ww2. Originally built as vegetable kiosk in 1800ies.

Hapur, you are wrong! RPI year of foundation is 1862 and working till 1919 and then RPI was evacuated to Moscow and only in 1958 back to work. Such rings never produced after war. After war silver rings was marked with soviet hallmarks. Soviets use low quality dark and not/partially transparent enamels which makes ring looks awful, but on period was used bright and transparent high quality hot enamels.

"Famous" Latvian SS ring never was for sale. And every jeweler knows about these kiosks.

Question, you know what is KLM?

There were no such rings before 1919. Band of this ring showed up in 30ies. At that time there were no RPI. RPI was founded again in Riga in 1958. Ring like this wore my ex collegue who studied at RPI at end of 60ies.



On ring there is KLMT
Kandavas Lauksaimniecibas Mehanizacijas Tehnikums founded in 1945.

You are too young to make such statements. Seems that all knowledge about Latvian postwar rings comes from souvenirs made in 90ies. During soviet period there were available and used all kinds of very good quality enamels. Low quality enamels dull and not transparent started to show up in 90ies at the end of soviet occupation when all this patriotic stuff become again very very popular. Then there were dozens of makers who made everything like ring, pins, brooches etc with these enamelled flags, coats of arms etc. Back then was used everything from paint, epoxy, to high quality glass fired enamels. These patriotic rings and pins were my family s business top product for something like 4-5years (from 1989 to 1993). We made them in bucket loads.

So fact that you have purchased dozen or two Latvian rings does not make you an expert in this field. You still have a lot to learn.

Ring (like RPI, but without inscription) was found on capitulation positions in Königsberg in deep forest with other german stuff, how it can be? Student from 60s burried his ring near ww2 german belt buckle in deep forest? Don't think so.

Rings was made only during first Latvian Republic (1918-1940). Like Latvian regimental badges. In period of 1940-1994 was Soviet hallmarks. In period of 1922-1940 was Latvian silver hallmarks with "Milda".

I can agree only with that some of latvian ring plates can be postwar, but ring is 100% period.

Why some rings are marked and other is unmarked?

Of course it doesn't make me an expert, I've just share my opinion and expirience about them. Yes I have dozen of them and I have many material for analysys. And all of us still learning.

Smart things from wikipedia are good, but real life was/is different.

Up to 1930ies authorities was not tight so in use unofficially was even 84 hallmark.

In a first year of russian occupation 1940 - 1941 they had a lot things to care other than hallmarks.

During German occupation authorities didn't care at all about hallmarks, so there were unmarked things, marked with Milda 875 or even 84. Depending on who had what stamps left or made.

After war sure on officially sold items were soviet hallmarks.

At the beggining of 1990ies when russian army moved out and new Latvian government again didn't care much about hallmarking. So here was total mess around and many items were sold without hallmarks at all. However people wanted some hallmark on jewelry they purchased so in use was everything somebody had. Meaningless 925, old prewar Milda or any other ******** stamps. This is the case with ring on your page you claim to be "original". That is ring made in old die in 90ies and hallmarked 925 in order to have at least something stamped.

In the middle of 1990ies authorities become pretty tight so on officially sold items had to be official hallmark, jewelers personal stamp.

This is easy question. - It's always all about money.
Same thing today, same was before war. If I want to sell officially in store I have to follow rules - I have to hallmark in Proves Valde. There I have to pay for checking silver content, for hallmarking itself and biggest part is tax on silver.

But when somebody comes direct to any workshop and orders something they do get asked how important is official hallmark. And since there is difference in price in most cases customer chooses not to have officially hallmarked item. Sure sometimes he still wants some hallmark, anything - then he can get meaningless 925 informative stamp or old German stamp, whatever.

Rings from same dies were made before, during and post war up to 90ies. All soviet period with different top plates.

So this hobby doesn't make sense if each ring can be made from original dies after war till nowadays. Just great!

Trigger,,that is the problem with some countries jewelry! Photos from digs with authentic German pieces and a ring have been dummied up since the break up of the USSR!

My wifes cousins made such photos. They even would 'seed' old dug out areas with good repros [ss belt buckles, assault badges etc]. Some diggers would wait for other diggers to leave a area for another then dig more in the old spot hopeing to find something the others didn't find,,,and oh boy did they

I collected German dog tags for 20 years. Stopped in the 90s because they found authentic stamps and plenty of blank tags.

WW2 authentic rings are rare guys. AND every one must be scrutinized as much as possible.. I thank you both for this enlightening topic....

Just saw this one - woman's ring? Fake or real?

https://www.weitze.com/militaria/72/Waffen_SS_Fingerring_der_lettischen_Freiwilligen__156072.html

I was looking at this one as well to pick up....what do you guys think??

"Just saw this one - woman's ring? Fake or real?"

From these pics I do not see anything wrong.

I think it is crazy overpriced.

650 euros! . Guess for the guy just starting out and doesn't think he has the time [?], [and maybe too much money!],,but that is on the high side..

For me,,,I still have problems with my home,,putting 2 daughters thru college, helping with 2 Grandchildren,,,the key word is patience! Bide your time, don't be so jumpy and eventually you'll get your ring at the price you want to pay. Member Odal and I have talked about it many times,,,and it works! We get our pieces, maybe not right away but we're not paying pirate prices

That Latvian ring [probably womens] is a nice one. That smaller cartouche plate , which I believe is the same one on my ring is commonly used on the Womens , childrens[?] rings..

Good one



Mint ring in unworn condition. Great example for collection. Unfortunately very overpriced

Yes, such rings usually wore womens because often was found with small size, but I have one ring with very big side

I agree G, that ring is ridiculously overpriced, that's why it's been sitting for so long. In my mind it's worth maybe half that tops!! Still nice ring though. Too bad

Today's catch - Latvian first lieutenant A.Motmillers ring.

Wow! Nice ring!!

please help me understand this ring.. Why backwards Swas?

This is patriotic ring from 30ies, nothing to do with ww2. In Latvia before ww2 swastica was used both ways. For example Latvian Sea/Maritime airforce.
Taken from here: http://herbertcukurs.blogspot.com/2008/11/latvijas-aviacija.html

That makes sense now, I was wondering the same!