[Herb]

Pete, I personally haven't had this happen yet but I guess it is just a matter of time. I got really burned in the late 80's on a German SS officers dress dagger. I paid $1030 for it as an all original, acutally included the SS oficers number. I contacted the director of the Berlin Document Center and requested his offical file. I recieved it and he was indeed an SS officer. I spent $100 bucks to send it to LTC (ret) Thomas Johnson an authority on such things and he sent his report, a very good fake!! Well, all things considered I still feel that it is original, but am very hesitant to present it as such because of his evaluation. The vendor I bought it from had the complete uniform of the SS officer that he purchased from his family. His SS number and name was embossed inside his uniform, every thing was in order. What am I to do?? I feel that it is authentic, a supposed expert thinks it is fake, where from here? This is one of the things that really bother me, if after doing my research, making a purchase, and then being told by a supposed expert that I got taken, what next? Who is the expert? I researched everything available and made a buy based upon that knowledge and I am now told I am the dummy. This is what bothers me about the idea of establixhing a site that touts originality, what is really original? The numbers, inspection stamps, rework acceptance stamps, repair stamps, you name it, are so varied that it is almost impossible to accrately state that "this is it". If a Luger barrel, for esxample, failed proof at the factory due to excessive head space, or out of tolerance land diameter, the barrel would be replaced, renumbered to the original number and would recieve a small stamp on the barrel indicating it is a replacement barrel. Does this make it 'non original' I don't think so, as it has not even left the factory yet.
We are going to open a can of worms here if we are not careful.