bolewts58

This group is Freikorps. Although I'm not sure which one, as several wore chevrons like this as their unit insignia. I find it interesting that as has been discussed a couple of times on past threads, the backing cloth on the badges has been changed to black. This does seem to have been a common practice with Freikorps MG units, who continued to wear the badge.

I have determined that the ribbon on the SAII is actually for the Hannover Langensalza medal 1866. The wide trapazoid mount and the way in which the ribbon is sewn is very typical of the mid-19th century period. So, someone artificially aged and distressed the SAII and put it with the genuine old ribbon making for a very convincing attempt to fool a collector. This type of enamel eagle has been around for at least 20 years and only in recent years has it been identified as fake.

My feeling is that the SA 2nd class is indeed a fake. The eye is the main detail that gives it away. You'll notice that the eye-ball is open creating the double line effect. This is wrong. The 3 x 1st class are original. If you look at the eyes on the 1st class enamel versions, they have a dot for the eye which creates the 1-line effect. it's a small but significant detail that sends up red flags. Also, the enamel work on the 2nd class is concave and not flush with the silver framing details, due to shrinkage of the cold enamel when it hardened. This does not happen or does so only minimally on hot, glass enamel used on originals. I think the Baltic Cross is ok and the Kartner-kreuz is ok, as well.

The 2nd class isn't promising. The dead give away is the double line in the eye (they never made them like this) and the enamel work looks recessed below the silver framing, which only happens with modern cold acrylic enamel. Close-ups will help confirm this.

The only piece I think may be questionable is the Silesian Eagle II class. Can you show close-ups of it, especially the head, the eye and the enamel-work in the upper wings, please?

Here is the collar badge for Freiw. Detachment von Oven.

Correct. 9. Kompagnie, Detachement v. Oven.

His EW Braunschweig armband.

Here is the document for the Einwohnerwehr Deutschland Falcon Badge for EW Braunschweig. I also have his armband and falcon badge. He was a highschool student and I also have a certificate from his school for him volunteering and a letter from the head office of the EW Braunschweig asking for him to return the armband (which he obviously ignored).

I forgot to mention that the same badge was also worn as a sleeve badge just above the cuff attached to the top of an inverted chevron / made from a Silesian Eagle ribbon by: Selbstschutz-Sturm-Regiment Heinz.

Very Rare and valuable. But, it isn't Freikorps. Einwohnerwehr Danzig was actually the militia of Freistadt Danzig in the 1930s and an arm of the SA before being taken over by the SS. The badge was instituted in 1939 by the Allgemeine-SS unit known as SS-Heimwehr Danzig. The badge is known as the Danziger Schild fur Treue Dienste der Stadt Danzig. It was supposedly only awarded officially 15 times. Although several more than that exist.

3rd Marine Brigade v. Loewenfeld.

The document was mine. Here's a pic with the cross.

The armband is a genuine Civil Defence Volunteers from 1919 during the battle against Munich Soviet. The helmet is similar to the type worn by Freikorps Epp.

This is a stab in the dark and likely wrong. Although there was a Jewish war veterans association. Judische Verein der Deutschen Kriegeren

No problem, Paul. With so many deals back and forth with various people, it's easy to get confused about the origins of all of our trinkets. When you get a chance, I'd love to see this badge in detail, as I'm always interested in learning about variations which are new to me. Here's the only one I have, at the moment: a 1920 issue piece with black lacquered centre.

I'd like to see better pictures of it because I have never seen this type before.

You never got this from me. You must have me mixed up with someone else. The only one I have ever sold was to Chuck Scaglione in 1994, who bought my first Freikorps collection. It was a typical private purchase, enamelled screwback version by Meybauer. I'm actually looking again for an enamel version like this. So, I if I had one, I wouldn't sell it. What I don't like about yours is the pale blue enamel. The current fakes have this color. The central enamel should be medium, dark blue and the original issue version with black-lacquered center and plain wreath. Genuine enamelled versions were only made by Meybauer and came in screwback and pinpack versions and are marked with the Meybauer double-headed eagle mark and '800' on a small rectangular plate sweated onto the base of the star's rays.

Could you show the reverse of that badge? I have my doubts about it.

He's wearing the gold Schutzdivision armbadge on his left arm: two crossed rifles inside a wreath.

Serg Thanks for showing.

Serg Thanks for the info. I actually thought there were only 2 types, as listed in Nimmergut. But, after your post I went through some old notes I had from Verkuilen Ager and noticed the mention of the one with black cord.

I meant to say silver. I thought there was only plain green and one with silver cord. Are you sure yours isn't just tarnished silver? By the way, I got mine after the auction at a 10% discount, so am quite happy with it.

Serge Isn't yours with gold cord? Anyway, very nice. I feel these are grossly undervalued in Nimmergut's reference. They really don't turn up very often at all. But, I guess i shouldn't complain since I picked it up for less than even the current low catalogue price.

The first one I've ever owned in 40 years of collecting. So, I think they're pretty hard to come by.