DanCz

Very well put Joe - - a point that is often overlooked when discussing the "value" or "merit" of a Blood Order. Although I prize my First Issue B O highly - - - I would very much like a Second Issue too - - - sadly I do not have the necessary finance needed to purchase one !!

A super thread - - my grateful thanks to you all for sharing some wonderful pieces. All I can boast are the Gau Munich and Essen badges and I been collecting 30 plus years !!

It looks fine to me from the photographs - - - these are quite hard decorations to find - - - I think that you have done well !!

AWESOME !!!

Frankly not much - - - unless you are buying this as a "spacefiller" pass on this piece - an obvious copy.

In my opinion that is not a genuine period made (by Deschler of Munich) badge.

Thank you for sharing - - the work of the "fakers" is now much improved however. Nevertheless, useful reference material.

Thank you Stan - - all I have is the small badge - - - - would it be possible for you to send me the listing - - I would be happy to refund all costs etc etc.

Alternatively - is the book still in print - - maybe I can purchase my own copy.

Stan

Don't suppose that book contains a listing of the recipients - - AH 30.1.43 ? If so do you have it ??

Thanks.

Dan

Darrell

Thank you for drawing our attention to a fascinating read ( - - - incidentally my late father was was from Kiev !! )

What a fascinating story - - - thank you for sharing it. I have collected NSDAP and related material for over thirty years now and never seen anything close - a truly unique piece !!

I read somewhere that the Germans refer to it as "The Order of the Fried Egg"

Points well made and taken Don - - - but it is the remains of the pin plate (traditional Hoffstatter) that leads me to "feel" that the badge may be ok but in relic condition - - anyway you are right that these badges have been extremely well copied and I personally would leave the miniature version well alone - - unless of course it came with cast iron provenance.

Intersting thread this - - thanks to all contributors

I think the on reverse of the 50 Year Cross - - - the word "Arbiet" replace the word "Dienste"

Hello

Why do you say that - - - HJ Potsdam looks good to my eyes !!

A poor/tired example maybe.

Dan

From the illustrations - - it appears golden in colour and is therefore for 40 years loyal service.

The ribbon suspension ring is incorrect tho - - possibley a later replacement/repair

Thank you - - a most informative article.

I have been colleccting for over thirty years now and have, in my own opinion, a good collection but it contains very little cloth for the reason that I find it so hard to distinguish the genuine from the copy. I have three police eagles and I believe them genuine - - - but I dont want anymore thats for sure !! Heaven help SS cloth collectors !!! (A minefield).

Awesome !!

Thanks for sharing with us all.

I like the last tinnies - - and also some of the eaerlier ones too for that matter.

BUT - - even tinnies are being copied now - - - I have seen several recently and they are good and will fool the beginner collector - - so heed the earlier advice and be careful - - - there is a 4 volume series of spiral bound books published by Mannions several years ago now and now long out of print - - but you maybe lucky and find them second hand.

As for 60-40 ratio real to fake - - - do not worry I have collected 35+ years and if I am honest / hopefull then 8 out 10 items in my collection are genuine - - - over the years I have passed on items I believed fake only for them to turn out to be original and the reverse is true too !! Its all part of the hobby - - so don't despair - enjoy it for what it is - - a hobby.

Hope this helps.

It looks fine to me Robert - - a replacement or "second" pin with a more secure pin fitting assembley.

A funny piece this !! Never seen by me before. Based on the design of the Gau Essen badge and made by (Ferdinand) Hoffstatter of Bonn. Any evidence of filing along the edges of the blade ??

Well I like it.

I would hazard a guess that it was made during the period between 1926-1934 - - but by whom I know not. The RZM mark appears on badges from the 1934/35 period onwards.

Hope this helps.

Now, now Don - - no reason to boast !! Nevertheless a fine piece.

Mine is an unmarked example too.

(Please let me know if you ever have duplicates to sell - - I seem to recall doing some business with you earlier).

That is some valuable haul there Don - - - - take good care of the "Frauenhilfedeinst" - - - that is a rare piece indeed - - only the second example I have seen in my 30+ years collecting.

Yes there is a stickpin version of the 1929 Rally badge (presumabley for wear when in civillian clothes) - - but it is rare and very seldom comes onto the market. I have seen but one example - - it was highly detailed and made from silver.

I have never seen copies of this but I have seen very nicely made copies of the non-portable version.