As Grumpy stated above no one should take umbrage IMO if an item they post is questioned.
After 50+ years of fakery in this hobby an item has to be judged by its own merits and the best criteria and information we have today and certain items will still remain "questionable" in many minds. I have asked this before and to paraphrase a song "Where have all the Atwoods Gone?" I think its a fair question. Surely post war daggers reputedly produced in the thousands didn't just vanish into thin air. I suspect that with 40 years of natural aging they are lying in collection perhaps undetected today. I know for a fact that one notable collector got a suprise awhile back when showing his collection to a real veteran dealer. Apparentely 2 of the SS dagggers in his collection were Atwoods.
Going back to my assembled dagger above. It would take only a short while to finish up the fitting professionally on this dagger to make it essentially undectible to the vast majority of the collecting community. Most of the parts except the blade appear to be period left over stock. I am sure this would present a real opportunity to sell this as legit. by someone with a lack of ethics.
Even though my name is Jim I'll remain a "Doubting Thomas" as long as I collect.
Jim
