It's Time To Play........

[Stogieman]

Is it real?

Is it fake?

why?

[Steve Russell]

My vote would be fake based, for starters, on the shape of the crown well. Steve

[Gunther Beckmann]

The cross is a dead give-a-way....

FAKE

[Mike K]

Hi Rick,

Not one I'd want. The pin appears to be Meybauer but the reverse profile of the wreath tie/bow looks like a Juncker - an obverse pic would be nice to confirm this. Shallow crown well I also don't like. I'll leave the engraving alone - the same "blocky" style is known on some fakes though.

Regards

Mike

Edited October 19, 2006 by Mike K

[Daniel Murphy]

I have seen a couple Meybauer pieces using the shallow crown well. I have a damaged "6 point star" marked badge with no other markings that has the same shallow crown well as this one , but an odd pin and I feel it is a real one. I can post it if you like. The engraving does not look like it is worded properly and is crude at best. I say original badge with fake engraving.

Dan

Edited October 19, 2006 by Daniel Murphy

[MrSmith]

You see a lot of engraved badges like this on ebay,

that would make me cautious to start with.

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

From that photo I don't like it.

[Stogieman]

Ding ding ding... all correct answers! Mike K. being the most accurate on points to consider. Here's the front:

[Stogieman]

Some additional points. in and of themselves, the crown well, the pin, the hinge, the cross are not of concern... roll them all into this badge. Uh, not a chance. An engraved badge is a custom piece, so the cross worked over is not unusual. BUT, the quickest, clearest give-away is the Meybauer styled pin with the bow on the front. They don't match. Also, while close, the pin is not a precise Meybauer match to known/accepted originals.

Now...... given this, it must be noted that Juncker actually DID use a pin like this on their U-Boot Badges and certain Pilot Badges made in the 1930's/40's...... However, we then must fall back on the hinge/crown well are NOT Juncker in the least and neither are the die characteristics of the badge itself.... The engraving.... No German did that!

ALSO< !! > I recently saw a fake engraving job done on the back of an authentic badge.... talk about just plain dumb.....

[MrSmith]

Some thoughts on this one please?

http://www.derrittmeister.com/productpages/11422.htm

I don't think it is one I would want in my collection.

[Steve Russell]

Mr. Smith,

The cross, crown well and pin look plausible. And it is obviously made of silver with the green dross on it. As to the engraving, I know these seem dubious most of the time, but it does not appear to have been done recently. Beyond those thoughts, I leave it to Rick or the other experts. Steve