Fakes, Frauds & Fantasy
A Study Of Fake F-S Knives & Their (Fake) Markings
Like most collecting fields, the F-S Knife has not been spared the attention of misguided individuals who would seek to knowingly pass off a fake knife as genuine. For decades I have been collecting images and details of any F-S Knife that I believe to be a fake, has spurious markings or is a complete fantasy piece (sometimes all of the above!). It has long been my intention to write an article on this topic, however with the overwhelming amount of information I have gathered this project now seems (I’m sad to say) to have grown so big that the prospect of writing an article is just too daunting. But it still remains a problem and one that is not going away. So to that end I have decided to create this page to highlight those knives and their details that are clearly and completely FAKE.
Please note that the images shown are not comprehensive as new fakes and fantasy pieces continue to surface. As such, I will endeavor to update this page as appropriate. Also note that I have not included knives that are clearly post-war or modern manufacture that are being passed off as original WWII period knives (a common practice on popular auction sites) and I have not included knives that I would categorize as ‘reproductions’. On this page I will only include those examples that I believe to have been made or altered specifically for the purpose of deceiving a potential buyer; in other words, outright Fakes, Frauds or Fantasy knives.
…LET ME BE CLEAR: ‘EVERYTHING’ YOU SEE BELOW IS FAKE OR FANTASY…
As always, I’m here to help you with your collecting questions. Please follow the ‘contact’ link at the top of the page and I will get back to you at the earliest opportunity.
Cheerio & happy collecting,
Roy
NOTE THE ABSENCE OF THE ‘I’ IN WILKINSON TO AVOID TRADEMARK LITIGATION
A FAKE ⩚B2 STAMP
A FAKE ‘WSC’ (WILKINSON SWORD COMPANY) MARKING ON A FANTASY MINIATURE ‘AGENTS F-S’.
A FAKE F-S KNIFE COMPLETE WTIH FAKE F-S ETCHING PANEL.
EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS KNFIE IS ‘WRONG’, NOTE AGAIN THE MISSING ‘I’ FROM THE FAKE WILKINSON ETCHING.
A COMMON FAKE IMPRESSED WTIH A FAKE (FREE FRENCH) CROSS OF LORRAINE STAMP.
THIS COMPLETELY FAKE SECOND PATTERN HAS BEEN ARTIFICIALLY AGED. NOTE HOW THICK THE GUARD IS AND THE GRIP/POMMEL ARE THE WRONG SHAPE.
ANOTHER FAKE ‘CROSS OF LORRAINE’ THIS TIME ON THE GUARD OF A FAKE STEEL HILT F-S.
FAKE MARKINGS ALL OVER THIS ONE. NOTE THE ‘CROWN’ THIS TYPE OF STAMP WAS NEVER USED ON ORIGINAL F-S KNIVES.
A FAKE F-S WITH A FAKE ‘WD⩚’ STAMP. GENUINE F-S KNIVES WERE NOT MARKED WITH THIS STYLE OF ‘WAR DEPARTMENT’ STAMP.
A POST-WAR KNIFE WITH A FAKE ‘1944’ DATE STAMP. ORIGINAL KNIVES WERE NEVER MARKED IN THIS WAY.
A FAKE F-S MADE FROM A BAYONET BLADE AND MARKED WITH THE FICTITIOUS ‘JP’ (JOHN PAISLEY) STAMP.
ANOTHER FAKE ‘WSC’ MARK, THIS TIME ON A FAKE F-S UTILIZING AN OLD BAYONET BLADE.
A COMPLETE MODERN FAKE - THIS ONE EVEN HAS (MODERN) ENGRAVING TO A VICTORIA CROSS RECIPIENT..! NOTE THE GRIP SHAPE, THICK GUARD ETC.
A FAKE CLARKE SECOND PATERN. THE KNIFE HAS NONE OF THE USUAL MANUFACTURING DETAILS ASSOCIATED WITH CORRECT CLARKE KNIVES. THE ‘WELL EXECUTED’ MAKER MARK IS TOO UNIFORM AND IS THE WRONG FONT. ALSO NOTE THE INCORRECT (AGED) FINISH.
ANOTHER FAKE ⩚B2 MOS INSPECTION STAMP
A FAKE ‘FIRST PATTERN’. NOTHING IS CORRECT ABOUT THIS BUT MOST NOTABLY THE ‘I’ IS MISSING FROM THE WILKINSON ETCHING TO AVOID LITIGATION. MANY SIMILAR KNIVES TO THIS ARE COMING OUT OF INDIA, SOMETIMES ARTIFICIALLY AGED AND SOMETIME WTIH AN ADD THAT SHOWS AN ORIGINAL KNIFE. ALTHOUGH THESE ARE SOMETIMES DESCRIBED AS (F-S) “STYLE’, THEY OFTEN TURN UP OFFERED ON THE SECONDARY MARKET AS ORIGINAL. ALL ARE MODERN FAKES.