Martin W

The Coastal Artilley badge also features a closed winged eagle.It was one of the last badges to be instituted also. Cheers,Martin.

The images you have provided make it hard to make a positive decision.I have not yet encountered this type of reverse set-up on a Hilfskreuzer badge.Larger images would help. There are many accepted original HSK badges that featured a needle pin.Schwerin,Juncker,Mayer and Foerster & Barth badges had "wide" pins.Badges produced by Frederich Orth and Rudolf Souval had needle pins.There are a number of unmarked originals that also featured needle pins. Schwerin,Juncker and some badges by Foerster and Barth,had a seperately attached,riveted globe.Foerster & Barth also produced badges of "single piece" construction,as did Orth and Souval. Regards,Martin.

Paul, the maker mark on the reverse,reads, Ausgef V.Wilhelm Personally,at this point,i am still not convinced that these badges are wartime originals. Regards,Martin.

I agree with Gordon,i think this is definately a period badge.Looks like you got a bargain there Jan. Regards,Martin

Christer, sorry i cannot help here.However,the sailor close to the camera is wearing what appears to be a Destroyer badge.Maybe a clue? Regards,Martin.

Schwerin reverse.

Richard, i have seen a couple of these posted over the last couple of years but i would consider this type of badge as very uncommon. For the sake of interest here is,what i beleive,as a very early Schwerin.Again,the wreath and eagle appear void of any kind of finish.The waves and plume are silvered as is the reverse.Very similar finishing on both types of badge. Regards,Martin.

The reverse had the same type of "square" catch as you have shown.

Rishard, a nice original tombak badge.Here is a similar badge i used to have in my collection.I do recall that there seemed to be no kind of guilding on the wreath or the eagle,just a silver finish on the waves and plume and also a finish on the reverse. I just considered this badge as an example of early manufacture by an unknown maker. Regards,Martin.

Great find Gordon.A first for me also with the "26" mark. Regards,Martin.

I beleive this type of unmarked badge to be attributed to CE Juncker but as Gordon mentioned,no positive identification,yet. Regards,Martin.

Gordon and Nesredep, thanks for the replies.The one thing i like about this badge is the way the silver wash was applied to the wings.It seems that someone gave themselves a little artistic liscence and applied the wash leaving fine lines untouched by the silver along the wings.Almost as if it was applied by a fine brush? A very nice and personal touch,i think. Regards,Martin.

The reverse.

A very hard example to find,i think.I picked this up on my recent trip to England.It is a very nice and detailed badge in zinc and probably of early construction by Foerster & Barth with the catch soldered into a recess on the reverse.I think later F&B badges featured a circular catch plate and a flat-wire catch seen on many of their KM badges. Regards,Martin.

John, the height of my badge is 39mm.It weighs 24.7 gms.As the badge has been vaulted,i think that any horizontal measurements will be inaccurate. Regards,Martin.

The reverse.

Hi Gordon, you have put forward some interesting points that lean in the favor of S & L providing the reverse hardware,i think.Here is the one that i have again for comparison. Regards,Martin.

I have one of these badges myself and it has been discussed here.Personally i am "up in the air" as to whether it is a Schwerin or a Steinhauer & Luch.When you look at the illustration in the S & L catalog,one could agree that it is the Latter. I think that until a marked example by S & L shows up,most will still think this badge as a late tombak Schwerin,with upside down hinge? Regards,Martin.

In my opinion that is not a Schwerin badge.Probably a casting from an original.The reverse hardware is incorrect,detail is weak and there appears to be "pitting" on the badge also. Regards,Martin.

I have to agree.A picture of the reverse would be really helpful here. Regards,Martin.

Thanks for the additional information guys.Much appreciated. Regards,Martin.

Terry, thanks for showing your photo's,excellent. Chris, there was a 1936 cut-out WB,i beleive.The swaz is barely visible on my photo with a magnifier. Cheers,Martin.

The above photo is a great compliment to this nice Schwerin zincer i found earlier in the year. Regards,Martin.

I think this photo has to be one of my best finds in 2008.I have been collecting KM photo's for a long time and this is the first one i have obtained with the Blockade Breaker badge in wear.He is also wearing a wound badge of the "cut-out" type. Regards,Martin.

Very nice and hard to find badges guys.Jan Arne your badge is in great condition for a zincer and i do like Nesredeps' vaulted example too. regards,Martin.