Avitas

the backs of the DDR sports badges...

Hello all, I am starting up a thread for my post-1945 German items that I haven't posted yet, and I will be posting more as time permits (still have to scan them all!). First up though are some recent acquisitions of some mini DDR sports badges in bronze.

finally, the reverse of the artillery cap badge. Please leave any info and opinions on any of these badges if you like. Thanks again, Pat

One more for today, this is a ww1 British artillery cap badge I believe. It is broken on the reverse, but a nice one nonetheless. Can anyone confirm the ww1 estimate? Thanks, Pat

and the back of the Suffolk Regiment cap badge. I noticed it says Gibraltar on this one, any significance of this? Thanks,Pat

Here we have my Suffolk Regt cap badge. I think this is a ww2 issue. I like the two colour finish on these badges. Again, any info is great on these. Pat

the reverse of the Leeds rifles badge..

Next up is my Leeds Rifles, Westyorkshire Regt. cap badge. Any ideas on the approxamite date for this and the other badges are very helpful. Thanks, Pat

reverse of Fear Naught cap badge..

Hello all, My thread on Canadian and other Commonwealth cap badges is getting lenghthy, so I decided to put all my purely Brit cap badges on this topic. I really don't know much about the British cap badges (Canadians are my thing) so any info, no matter how small it may seem, is helpful to me (ie. ww1 or ww2, info on regiments etc). First up is my fave, an Armoured Corps cap badge with "Fear Naught" written on it. Any ideas on this badge? Thanks, Pat

and here is the cover of the 29 Mai 1941 edition of the Kasseler Post, with more Bismarck stories. Any comments on these papers are welcome as well. Thanks, Pat

I too am fascinated with the story of the "Sink the Bismarck" events, and the movie is one of my faves. I finally received these German newspapers a couple days late from the 2 days following the sinking (down with UPS! ) of the Bismarck. These are very fun to read and have many stories about the war including one about Canada, but the main focus is the sinking of the Hood and the Bismarck. Admiral Liutens is pictured on the May 28, 1941 issue with a quote above him which I think says they fought to the last grenade or something close to that (my German is very basic). Anyways, just thought I'd share them. Here is the 28 Mai 1941 cover of the Kasseler Post (with a help wanted ad for Coca-Cola as well!). Pat

and the back of the SS bevo eagle, any comments on either of these items are appreciated. Thanks alot, Pat

Next up is an SS Bevo eagle that was a throw-in bonus, so I will be happy either way if it is original or repro. I am no expert on these, but it doesn't glow in blacklight. If anyone could lend their expertise on this that would really help out. Thanks, Pat

the reverse of the SA belt buckle, any comments welcome! Pat

Hello gentlemen, I will use this post to add more SS and SA items that I receive from now on (unless it's a really special or rare item) for your viewing and opinions. I have just received a couple more items in a big lot I purchased from a great guy here in the club. This early SA belt buckle is the centerpiece of the lot, and I am very happy with it. If anyone has any comments on it please let me know, it has already been posted a while back, but I have new scans and a new owner for it Thanks, Pat

and the reverse of my new non-combatants KVK2, with closer view of the details. Any opinions are great! Pat

Thanks Dan I just received this beauty KVK2 without swords in my recent acquisition from a fellow member. This is a nice early version with great detail and very little, if any, tarnish or scuffs. The ring is a little beat up, but that is no biggie. I just love these KVK's and I hope to acquire a few more. Any comments on this new KVK2 or any of the others I have posted in this thread are extremely welcomed. Cheers, Pat

and last pic for now (until I pick up some more!) is the reverse of the NSDAP painted member badge, maker RZM M1/163.

And the second of my new additions is this late-war painted NSDAP member pin, with maker mark M1/163. This one maintains a very good finish with all of the paint, just slight discoloration on the white. All in all, a nice original in really good shape I would say. Any opinions on the NSDAP painted member badge? Thanks, Pat

and the reverse with maker mark...

Thanks for the help on the NSDAP enamel member badge guys, I just acquired a couple more member badges from a fellow GMIC member and would like to show them off. First up is a DVG Westmark member pin, with maker W. Redo, Saarlautern. This pin was posted recently, but I thought I would re-post it with the new scans and new owner. I especially like the red enamel with the beading underneath, a really nice pin. The reverse has a little piece of the pin glued back on, but it is all there. I believe this was for Nazi supporters by the border with France and in France in the Saar region. Any comments on this badge? Thanks again, Pat

I think that is a great idea Kevin! But which forum to start it in? I have a Balloon Observer badge I could start it off with, but which forum should it be in? Thanks, Pat

So I talked thoroughly to the dealer who I bought these badges off of, and he claims they were part of a horde of damaged and cheaper badges and knives and all sorts of other militaria. He says he fixed them all himself as most if not all were broken. The story goes that he bought them all in the 1960's in one lot from another German who brought them to Victoria, BC. Canada. The general consensus is they are bad, but most people have not seen these "specific" fakes before as they match most characteristics of originals (maybe my scanner is not scanning at high enough res), or at least noone is posting any (like the "16" marked Aux cruiser and the Juncker CCC's or a couple tinnies I have posted), and there has been some debate and the main problem seems to be the pin/catch set-up, which has been explained as well. I am just trying to cover every base here before I write them all off as 100% bad. Basically, his argument was that towards the end of the war certain standards of quality decreased and more badges were cast but original. Apparently they were from some sort of camp (POW?). He swears up and down that they are just fixed late-war "Kriegsmetall" die cast badges (as listed in Nimmergut price guide)and that he has been selling them for many years at every gun and militaria show in Vancouver, Kamloops, Calgary, Cloverdale and the interior of BC and southern Alberta. His name is Gunther and if anyone goes to gun, antique and militaria shows here please check him and his stuff out, very tall in his late 70's early 80's and has a mustache. He says he has sold to many vets that have beem satisfied, and noone has ever complained before. I don't know what all that is worth, but that is the story. Thanks, Pat

Thanks for the help Jack, I was wondering if there was much demand for these items, I don't collect a lot of US stuff, have a few items, but not my main interest. The Aerial Gunner I have always liked, and I was wondering if it is a good piece to keep for a while. Good reference books are hard to come by up here so any help is great. Thanks, Pat