Hello again Heydrich,
I am not trying to start a war here. I was only trying to convey my perspective on the subject. I wasn't trying to offend you. If I did, I apologize.
I reread the first sentence of the second paragraph on your previous reply. You say that SS markings on German WWII rifles are controversial. Is that a claim that the bnz 43's and 44's with single runes and in their own serial range are controversial? I thought those pieces were widely accepted by collectors as being authentic. I certainly do. Was your comment general or only referring to some rifles? What I am getting to is when someone writes something, I can only read it and take it at face value. I cannot get inside the head of someone I don't know and try to interpret what the words mean because of who wrote them. You stated "Sorry JohnF, the mark on your SMG is a fake". That seems clear enough to me. Sorry if I misinterpreted it.
On the subject of proof I, frankly, don't have to prove anything to anyone unless I am trying to sell to them. I show my items to collectors and they either like them or they don't. I buy things that appeal to me. I won't buy an outright fake if I can determine that. I feel the items should speak for themselves. But different people with different backgrounds and different experiences in collecting are going to see things differently. I have accepted that premise for a long time and it doesn't upset me if someone doesn't like something I have. I bought it for me, not them and, in a lot of cases, I feel my experience in collecting allows me to make better judgements than some of the collectors I show things to. That's just my opinion, of course, and I am certainly not referring to you in that statement. I just wanted to make that clear in case it wasn't patently obvious.
As far as the SS markings in question, I doubt there will ever be proof of authenticity. I question whether they are authentic also, but I only question. The point is that lack of proof doesn't make a questionable item a fake. How can you prove that a rifle hasn't been refinished? Claims of originality are based on experience and observation, not necessarily proof.
I'm very sorry if my comments offended you in any way. That was certainly not my intention. I don't know you and you don't know me but collectors who do know me would understand what I was attempting to explain. Maybe I could have worded it more delicately.
Kind Regards, Leon
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