Naval aviation#4 ?

[Ferg1]

Heres a weird one to round off the marine badges. Army observer badge in tombak by Maybauer with factory fitted screw-back ,no pin ever fitted.(missing screw plate).Then fire gilded ??? Strange! The badge came direct from a German family who can only remember that the recipient was in a Luftschiffer Crew,the plot thickens !! I cannot believe that someone would mess around with such a rare badge (factory screw-back) to try and enhance its value,so I must assume it was done earlier rather than later.Gilding shows signs of verdigree and wear to highpoints. Interesting talking point. Any clues anyone?? Ferg1.

[jaba1914]

Heres a weird one to round off the marine badges. Army observer badge in tombak by Maybauer with factory fitted screw-back ,no pin ever fitted.(missing screw plate).Then fire gilded ??? Strange! The badge came direct from a German family who can only remember that the recipient was in a Luftschiffer Crew,the plot thickens !! I cannot believe that someone would mess around with such a rare badge (factory screw-back) to try and enhance its value,so I must assume it was done earlier rather than later.Gilding shows signs of verdigree and wear to highpoints. Interesting talking point. Any clues anyone?? Ferg1.

Of course a vary strange piece. Looks like a Maybauer gilded army observer badge. It is vary interessting that the plate is not gilded only the badge. I don't thing he was an navy officer. Maybe he was an early army observer later changing to the Luftschiffer. But why gilded?

Regards

Alex

Edited May 15, 2008 by jaba1914