Daniel Murphy

Gee, you're welcome. Do you think that after helping you for weeks, I would tell you to buy a fake? Glad you got it anyway. Dan Murphy

The problem for a Tiger though, was not only tanks. With the Allies having air superiority a "Jabo" could just come by and fire a rocket. Scratch one Tiger, sweep up the occupants and bury whats left. The Panzer Lehr Division was destroyed virtually overnight in Normandy by a 1600 bomber raid on its divisional area. Dan Murphy

I was working with a few friends at our WW1 reenactment site in Pennsylvania. It is 60 acres of shell holes and trenches with underground bunkers etc. The place is lousy with the stuff. The trenches are overgrown in the summer and while filling sandbags and building a trench wall in the trenches you just come in contact with the stuff. We worked Friday, Saturday and part of Sunday and had no way to really wash. Took a nice long shower on Sunday, but it was too late. By Monday I had it on both arms, my neck and my chest. It is under control now and almost gone. We declare war on it before the events though and spray it into submission. I got a bad case of it on the bend of my arm once and it drove me crazy. I finally stratched it until it bled and poured pure bleach on it. Killed it immediately. There was some quite intense pain and minor scarring though. I don't advise this method unless you are REALLY desperate. The Avatar is a early 1800's Templar cross in my collection. I had thought it was something else and so used it as my avatar. I like it so I kept it, simple as that. Dan Murphy

Never happened , never existed , never in a million years. He is either a shill OR the Maker of that monstrosity. Dan Murphy

I can relate to the itchy and scratchy part. I just worked last weekend at my reenactment site and have the "Neuville crud". I am lit up with poison ivy. Dan Murphy

The Austro-Hungarian forces in WW1 had two types of helmets in WW1. The Berndorf with the ventilator in the top and the M16. I would not put them past using some german helmets salvaged from the battlefield though. The cut out was a GERMAN experimental helmet only. A-H never made one. Dan Murphy

Sorry Keith, but that looks like a post '39 frame to me. It has the wide arms like a 1939 EK1. Not crazy about the "soft" edges on the core details either. Probably a Latvian fake helped along with some better hardware. Not to many 90+ year old vets out there buying crosses then. Can you get a refund? Dan Murphy

But better hardware could be used and it would be harder to detect. But this photo shows another angle. Notice how the edge of the original is well finished. On the fake, the edge is not finished and has several places where the metal has split during forming. There is also a jagged edge all the way around. While you may see one split like this on a real badge, a real one would never be made this badly. Dan Murphy

Reverse. The original has correct period hardware as on most standard (army or navy) wound badges. The hardware on the fake was never used on original WW1 badges and is like seen on fakes from the 60s-70's including an aluminum pin in the hinge. The catch is also '57 or later pattern. This fooled me back them but would not fool many experienced collectors.

Now that I have you all wanting to go out and buy up all the naval wound badges, it is time for a lesson. Many persons believe the type shown below to be fakes. There are real ones and fakes made similar to it. This was a relatively expensive lesson for me many years ago, before I knew better. Here we have one of each real on top, fake below. The real one measures 45mm High and 40mm wide. The fake measures 44mm high and 38mm wide. Only slightly smaller but it is obvious when they are shown together. The original is more rounded and the fake more elongated. Dan Murphy

Reversed in the same positions. Dan Murphy

Always happy to oblige. WC, I have only seen 3-4 before this and had never held one in my hand until now. This one is the best of the bunch. Dan Murphy All three types are represented here. They are distinguished by the shape of the sword guards and the way the top of the anchor is formed. One type (gold below right)has straight sword guards with the "wooden" top of the anchor rounded and squared chain. Another (black silver and gold on left) has guards that expand out toward the ends, the "wooden" top is angled and rounded chain. The third type (black and silver top and middle right) is easily distinquished by it's oval sword guards, flat "wooden" top and misformed links in the chain.

Stefan, Do you have some photos of it or a link to some photos? Dan Murphy

Mike, I never noticed the silver mark. Since I know where to look, I can see it on your and the one I posted. I will have to remember that one! Dan Murphy

Actually, it arrived in four days. I was just out of town and had not checked the mail when I sent the message. Thanks, again for a great piece. John, Average prices for naval wound badges are $100 for black, $150 for silver and $200 for gold. For a cut out like this, they do not turn up very often so it is hard to say. Pay what you can afford and are comfortable with. Sometimes a dealer asks more and sometimes you can get a good price from a fine gentleman like Jacques. I have sent you a PM. Dan Murphy

The rest of the family. Dan Murphy

With it's siblings.

Reverse. The pin looks very light in the photo, but is much better in the hand.

I just got this from a gentleman in France (thanks Jacques). I have seen these before and have lusted after them. I was just never able to get one until now. Naval wound badges are hard to find, the cut out version is doubly rare in any grade. Now I just need a rayback....or two . Without further ado, here she is. Used but not abused, lots of frosting still intact. Dan Murphy

I looks like a good badge to me. The quality of the striking and the enamels is excellent. I would however, say that the line you see is not a seam. It appears to be formed during the die shear. Where the vertical sheared side and the angled top of the leaves meet there is naturally a sharp edge. Perfectly normal and nothing to worry about, but not a seam. There are some very good fakes out there so wait for a second or third opinion just in case. This is the 1913 pattern badge and this type would have been issued from 1913 to 1917. Dan Murphy

Reverse.

Here is one I would believe. Not sure where I got this photo, it might have been Weitze. Not the geatest quality photo by any means. Dan Murphy

The reverse makes it look like a Godet, but it does not have their trademark hinge. The catch is made from flat stock and is bent making it look odd. Dan Murphy

While in the mountains of Pennsylvania this weekend, I found this half height ribbon bar at a shop. I think that with the Saxe-Meiningen and Schwartzburg-Rudolstadt ribbons it is very interesting. I know it is just an NCO bar, but is there a chance that this can be pinned down to a particular unit? Dan Murphy

Micha, Very nice cross, I have never seen that maker before. Congrats. Dan Murphy