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    Hi all. I found this badge for sale and was wondering what you think. I'm interested in learning about various badges of WW1. I've not been able to find much on these except one place has a naval version that they have priced at well over $1,000. I question the authenticity of this badge. Can anyone educate me? :beer:

    Mike

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    Hi, Michael--

    There is no book, I'm afraid. Just patience and experience. Patience because most people have never seen a real one. Start by looking for proper period hallmarks, and preferably silver plated versions, not "800". Keep your ears open for a group with an attributable badge and then study the hell out of it. And keep your money in your pocket. I've only seen a couple real ones in 20 years.

    Rgds

    John

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    Thanks John. Being a newcomer to the hobby I had no idea they were that rare. Although, I guess I should have had an idea. This badge is on Ebay and the seller is considering it an original, although he's leaving himself a way out by saying that he can't be 100%. As far as the other one I found, I don't have that kind of money anyway so it wouldn't be a question of do I want it or not. And even if I did, I wouldn't be careless enough to spend that kind of money without doing my homework. That's what's nice about these forums. You can get the opinions and feedback from those, like yourself, who have been doing this a lot longer and have more experience. Thanks again.

    Michael

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    That's the spirit! Plug "Zeppelin" or "Luftschiff" or "airship" into the search functions of various forums and you'll see a fuller debate on Zeppelin badges and, in the mean time, if you can pick up a good copy for less than $300 go for it. I would pay 1500-2500 for one with attribution...

    Study the Juncker hallmarks on Stogie's instructive posts. But assume that all the good early postwar Zeps will have no silver hallmarks. That will guarantee you a good fake. From that point everyone else will wade in with microscopic pros and cons, which is why I'm looking for good attribution, which can also be problematic. Oh, well...

    Edited by Luftmensch
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    The only good thing about that...... is that it is probably the most obvious fake I have seen to date. Previtera is working on a book about Imperial German badges. It will include wound and aviation badges etc. but it is probably a couple years away from printing. Hopefully he will have include these too. Although they are not techically imperial badges, they were issued in the 20's for service prior to 1919.

    Dan

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    That's the spirit! Plug "Zeppelin" or "Luftschiff" or "airship" into the search functions of various forums and you'll see a fuller debate on Zeppelin badges and, in the mean time, if you can pick up a good copy for less than $300 go for it. I would pay 1500-2500 for one with attribution...

    Study the Juncker hallmarks on Stogie's instructive posts. But assume that all the good early postwar Zeps will have no silver hallmarks. That will guarantee you a good fake. From that point everyone else will wade in with microscopic pros and cons, which is why I'm looking for good attribution, which can also be problematic. Oh, well...

    Thank you sir. I'm going to do that and see what I can find. As far as buying a copy for less than $300, not me I'm afraid. I'm too cheap. I wouldn't spend over $20 for a copy. But that's just me. I would want the real deal. I wish that I could remember the site where I found that naval badge. I think they had it listed at around $1,800. But, like I say, there's no way that I'd buy it anyway. I'd just post the link and let everybody go look at it. I might try to see if I can find it again. Have a good one.

    Michael

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    Guest Brian von Etzel

    Anyone remember the classic photo of the Fritzmeister reflected in a helmet he was taking a photo of? He was quite undressed. I'm wondering if the photos of this badge show his reflected 'self' also. Maybe a trademark so to speak. :(:o

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    Guest Rick Research

    This is a badge, exactly like the 1918 Tank badge, which is so extremely unlikely to ever turn up, just on statistics alone, that I personally simply pay them no mind. Them's "house odds" on this sort of thing.

    The truly rare and UNfaked Imperial items are out there, neglected, forlorn, unloved, and unwanted (little violins playing in the background)--

    unlovely though they usually are, as under-recognized decorations from the Teeny-Tiny States. There are things FAR rather than Pour le Merites that do not sell for decimal-points-right-of-the-period as much. "All that glisters is not gold" and the REAL treasures of Imperial German collecting will probably always slip through the dealer cracks, if one is patient and studies.

    I cannot recommend "Der (politeness draws a veil)" at all for anyone beginning in this field. Great on self-promotion though he may be, his knowledge of BASICS is excruciating flawed, and anyone not informed to cherry pick (extremely overpriced cherries, generally) the gold from the dross is not going to have a happy transaction. Same category as Manion's of receding memory.

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    I cannot recommend "Der (politeness draws a veil)" at all for anyone beginning in this field. Great on self-promotion though he may be, his knowledge of BASICS is excruciating flawed, and anyone not informed to cherry pick (extremely overpriced cherries, generally) the gold from the dross is not going to have a happy transaction. Same category as Manion's of receding memory.

    Thanks for your advice Rick, I consider myself very green with German Aviation badges and I am trying to learn as much as I can on the subject. I have always enjoyed looking through that website, bit like a museum, interesting pictures, interesting stories. There are a few little stickpins there at the moment that look good, however the Zeppelin mini stickpin appears to have come from the same source, do you know if these are faked?

    Thanks for your help.

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    The stickpins are all consignments from someone who specialised in them. I have never seen this "Godet" type zeppelin with the banners on a stickpin before, fake or otherwise. Ken had a superbly detailed one (see below) with MARINE LUFTSCHIFF VEREIN on it. BTW, one of these Zeppelins was stuck on a Marine dagger in the upcoming HH auction, which I would be very suspicious of. My guess is the stickpins are okay, but I would be happier if they had all had the level of workmanship of this one.

    IPB Image

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