Hungary Faked Partisan Badges

[Gordon Craig]

Gents,

I am afraid that I have to report that I saw today, in a local flea market, what appears to be copies of the large and small Partisan Badges. I had a visitor with me and didn't have time to do a thorough inspection of the badges. I will have to do that later this week.

What caught my eye on these badges was the colour. They were sort of a pink/gold colour. Very difficult to describe but certainly a long way from the silver colour of the real partisan badges. Sad day I must admit.

Regards,

Gordon

[Guest Darrell]

Gents,

I am afraid that I have to report that I saw today, in a local flea market, what appears to be copies of the large and small Partisan Badges. I had a visitor with me and didn't have time to do a thorough inspection of the badges. I will have to do that later this week.

What caught my eye on these badges was the colour. They were sort of a pink/gold colour. Very difficult to describe but certainly a long way from the silver colour of the real partisan badges. Sad day I must admit.

Regards,

Gordon

Hi Gordon, which part of Canuckland you from? Were these from the same?

[Gordon Craig]

Darrel,

When I live in Canada my home is in Ottawa. At the moment, and for the next few years, I live in Budapest. The faked Partisan Badges I saw today were in a flea market here in Budapest.

Regards,

Gordon

[Guest Darrell]

Darrel,

When I live in Canada my home is in Ottawa. At the moment, and for the next few years, I live in Budapest. The faked Partisan Badges I saw today were in a flea market here in Budapest.

Regards,

Gordon

ahhh ok. I thought there was a batch aof fakes making the rounds in Canada somewhere.

[hunyadi]

Hi folks -

Here are three Partisan Badges that I have in my collection. I am wondering if you perhaps saw the one on the right of this scan.

Left: Mint Partisan Badge with all the correct details; fire guilded wreath, enameled star and banners, silvered PPSH's and the 'silvered' center.

Middle: Worn Partisan Badge same deails as above, but the guilding has worn off, the silvered center has patina'ed

Right: Mint Partisna Badge that is described in the "Large Hungarian Medals Book" as a 'variant' of the Partisan Badge that had a 'guilded center'. This example is un-numbered

After looking through the regulations and finding the award dates that Partisna Badges were handed out, I beleive that the latter one (right) may be one of the 1966 final awards. The qulaity is still there - but not quite as the other two. I wonder if its is one of those that you saw? But as the guy at the museum said - for any money they can pull out the old dies and make you one....(which is what I think he was aluding to over the para badges.)

looking at the reverse scans - the badges are reversed in order from the views of the obverse.

Edited February 24, 2007 by hunyadi

[Gordon Craig]

Hunyadi,

It is possible that you are correct. I need to go back to the market again and check closer now that I have pictures of a better set of badges for reference. The two I saw certainly did not have the crisp, clean look of the Partisan badges I have seen in the past. I'll let you know what I fidn.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

Gents,

Well I finally had time to go back to look at the Partisan badge that I thought was a fake. I think now that it could be as Hunyadi has suggested and that it is actually the last type issued. It is in mint condition and appears to be unnumbered.

SO this raises a question. Were the 1966 issue badges numbered? And if not, why not? Were the badges numbered all at once and then awarded as the need arose. This seems to be a logical conclusion considering the award documents Charles and I have studied at the National Museum. Were some of the last Partisan badges produced not awarded and or not numbered and then some how found their way into the collectors field? Questions, questions, questions. The more your study something the more questions you come up with!

Cheers,

Gordon

[Ulsterman]

well, this just-sucks!

I figure faking is on the cusp of today. I have wondered about the unnumbered badges myself-and supposed they were "unissued" or issued but not engraved because of cost-or maybe even replacement badges. It's such an obscure area that it doesn't behoove them-yet-to make fakes, but soon, very soon.

any chance you can interview any partisans?

Edited March 5, 2007 by Ulsterman

[hunyadi]

Ulstermann -

I am working on a meeting with a "friend" of the Partisan Associaition - it is believed that nearly all the Partisans are dead - there may be a few lurking about, but they would be in their 70's and 80's now - and with an average life expectancy of only 68, the chances are low now. But I will let you all know what I find out.

AS for the un-numbered ones - the Large Hungarian Medal Book, lists the un-numbered ones as a variant. I believe that these are late issue and the engraved number may have been left up to the recipient. But still just specualtion at best - will find out with time - this week or next.

[Gordon Craig]

Charles,

I sent an email to the Military Museum asking about the numbering of the late issue badges and the answer was "I'll need to do some research but too busy right now. Will get back to you later." In the meantime, any information that can be collected from th Partisan Association will be very welcome. Puting it all together will take some time.

Regards,

Gordon

[hunyadi]

well in our efforts to let everyone know what we are up to - I hit a "vein of gold" that may turn out to be a goldmine. My coleague has managed to arange a meeting at the offices of the Partisan Associaion with the author of the partisan book published in 1985. Signed copies anyone?

[hunyadi]

double post ----

Edited March 5, 2007 by hunyadi

[Ulsterman]

well in our efforts to let everyone know what we are up to - I hit a "vein of gold" that may turn out to be a goldmine. My coleague has managed to arange a meeting at the offices of the Partisan Associaion with the author of the partisan book published in 1985. Signed copies anyone?

Me! Me!!

[Ulsterman]

I just got an unnumbered badge today and I think Craig is right. The badge looks like a soccer badge, made to proper dimensions and the enamel is good, but the paint along the rays is terrible! The PPHs are also bright silvery, spanky new.

Update-

I have spoken to a few people in the badge industry in the USA and the UK today. This sort of lighter metallic alloy was only commonly available in the later 1950s-early 1960s. It became common 1962+, so it may be these "staybrite" partisan badges are 1966 versions stored away somewhere. But not a good sign that KISZ and academy badges were of better quality than these unnumbered partisans.

Also worth noting is the lack of patina around where the number is engraved on some badges.

Edited March 8, 2007 by Ulsterman

[Gordon Craig]

Ulsterman,

Sounds like the badge I saw. The PPSHs were very bright and the lettering on the back was in the correct place but not as crisp as on other badges I have seen. Can you post a picture of both sides of the badge?

Regards,

Gordon

[Ulsterman]

here is the front of the badge-bad scan, but you can see the poor 'painting" of the rays. It is almost pristine, of the metallic alloy that became common in the 1960s. The PPHs are put in place by a punched rivet, as are the star and crossed "bars"- NOT glued (as one might expect in a fake). Much to my surprise this "1960s' version is 30gs. The other, earlier badges I have are all 20 gs. -with a slightly different pin construction too. All are 4 cms in diameter, but the 1960s one is 4mm thick, (base to top of wreath), whereas the others are all 2mms.

In staring at these under a microscope though, it is apparent me that the 1960s badge was almost certainly made from the same die as the earlier ones and that the enamel work us exactly the same- (spare parts).

Edited March 9, 2007 by Ulsterman

[Gordon Craig]

Ulsterman,

Thanks for the update on materials and the badge it self. I'd like to buy the pair I saw at the market but the price is just too high. I guess I will just have to be patient. Hard to do as I don't own any of these badges yet!!!!! Besides I blew all my money on some nice badges last Wednesday.

Cheers,

Gordon