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As many visitors to this blog will know, original wartime enamel signage relating to ARP and Civil Defence are avidly collected and becoming very valuable. As prices rise, the opportunity to fleece punters with reproductions becomes more problematic. The below enamel sign recently sold on the tat bazaar for almost £125 (incl. shipping). Most serious London Underground collectors know their history and will point out that the style of Underground roundel didn't appear until 30 years after the war ended. Also, not a single period photograph shows any enamel signage like this. The font isn't quite correct and the arrow isn't the right style used. This particular example has also had some spurious additional crap added to the rear. We now have a label from the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) with 'Harringay' added. Obviously, the LNER has nothing to do with London Underground (Harringay doesn't have an Underground station). The modern reproductions are getting scarily close to originals, though. If they put in the research, they'd be almost impossible to tell apart...  Fake Underground 'This Way To The Air Raid Shelter' Enamel Sign  Fake LNER label on fake Underground enamel sign
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Someone is going to be disappointed when they find out this armband on eBay is a modern reproduction. The armband is based off an original wartime example (but that original had a screen-printed ARP emblem). The L.C.C. (LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL) 1939 has been added to fool people as have the aged-related marks. The armband is actually available on Soldier of Fortune's website for a tenner. The seller, I'll give them the benefit of doubt, may also be in the dark and think it's original. It is a common ploy to sprinkle original items in with the crap. The rest of items shown are original.  Fake L.C.C. 1939 Air Raid Warden Armband Appearing once again on the tat bazaar (eBay) are these fake GWR (Great Western Railway), LNER (London & North Eastern Railway) and SR (Southern Railway) railway badges. In the past they have appeared on battledress and other crap. Don't fall for these badges, they are utter garbage and come from Pakistan.  Fake GWR, LNER and SR ARP Badges The helmet below recently sold on the tat bazaar (that's eBay) for £235 (including shipping). It was described as, and I quote, "Rare 1939 dated Divisional Assistant Warden ( DAW ) ARP officers ww2 helmet". However, it isn't and there are multiple red flags:
Did you buy it? I'd ask for my money back.  Fake Divisional Assistant Warden (DAW) Helmet  Fake Divisional Assistant Warden (DAW) helmet markings Sadly, these reproduction green enamel Wardens' Posts signs are doing the rounds again. I first blogged about these back in 2020, but it appears another batch has been imported from China (or wherever they are being produced cheaply). They have battered screw holes and other dings added for a sense of wear and tear/authenticity. Most are appearing on eBay, priced between £60 and £100, and claimed to be original. They have also crept onto the main auctioneer sites. Unfortunately, they will catch out quite a few people as they are compelling fakes. I'll try to locate an original for comparison.  Fake Green Enamel Wardens' Post Signs |
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