�In old times that was done with soft puanson, wide variety of them. Even cardboard was used as male die. In old times that was done for few reasons. First to cut moldmaking expenses, second to make sure that even lovwer qualiefied personal can not brake dies, and speed is the same, results are the same, why to go hard and expensive way. Below is pic how ring from Gaspare die will look��puanson�? I�m don�t know that term. Some kind of backing with a metal plate behind it? I vaguely remember seeing something about alternate materials like plastic (Bakelite?) being used during wartime. For the press forming of aircraft sheet metal(?). But to get fine external details like lettering to replicate accurately (like that seen on Gaspare�s ring) I�m not familiar with absent a female die. In the U.S. from that era for coins with a lot of surface detail they used a �Knuckle-Joint� coining press. Which had other applications like the screw press, but was not as flexible as the screw press with either hot or cold metal forming applications.
"Yes agree but I think problem is with dishonest sellers not with craftsmen. For example with my products, I do not think you can blame me for making reproductions and selling them as such. But problem is with resellers buying them and after ageing selling them as originals." I can�t argue with that. It�s not craftsman who are asked to make something who at fault. And it�s not just resellers who are the problem. While it grieves me to say it. Sometimes it�s profit motivated dealers and collectors who are placing the orders, and providing the expertise that the craftsman lack. Because the average craftsman simply is not going to have the specialized knowledge that is needed and it has to come from somewhere. For that matter, the same is true for many of the altered items that we see in circulation made to deceive. With the craftsman simply asked to perform the work.
PS: Nice ring! Thanks for posting it.
Best Regards, FP
