Question on L/53 Silver Wound badge

[Fariz]

Hello,

I recently bought a Silver Wound badge marked L/53. It came with a case but the case is marked L/59.

I've been hunting for photos of L/53s for comparison and I've noticed that on all of the photos I've seen,

the L/53 mark is on the reverse centre of the badge. The problem is, on my badge, the L/53 mark is to the lower portion of the badge, near the catch.

Was it common for makers to apply the LDO markings on different parts of the badge?

Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year

Fariz

[tyanacek]

Hello Fariz,

I believe Hymmen & Company had at least two different dies for Silver & Gold Wound Badge production. Most of the examples encountered will display the L/53 marking (in relief) on the center reverse. There are originals, though, that have the L/53 marking (also in relief) directly below the catch. Relief type markings were cut into the actual die that produced the badges, so you will not see relief markings in different locations unless there was more than one set of tooling. Stamped markings that were punched in after badge production can vary considerably in location.

Here is an L/53 relief marking directly below the catch:

Best regards,

Tom

[Fariz]

Thanks for the input Tom. Another question I have is about the sword hilts on Silver Wound Badges. On my Wound Badge and a few others I have seen, the sword hilts appear to have splattering, whilst others are very well defined.

Would this indicate a lack of QC or is it something to worry about?

Regards,

Fariz

[tyanacek]

Thanks for the input Tom. Another question I have is about the sword hilts on Silver Wound Badges. On my Wound Badge and a few others I have seen, the sword hilts appear to have splattering, whilst others are very well defined.

Would this indicate a lack of QC or is it something to worry about?

Regards,

Fariz

Hello Fariz,

Not exactly sure what you mean by "splattering." The detail to the sword hilts on L/53 Wound Badges is usually well-defined. But zinc badges with plated finishes can oftentimes display bubbling to the finish, which can obscure the detail of the badge. Also, if the badge is heavily worn, that might explain the lack of some detail. If you can show a few pictures of the badge, that would be a big help.

Best regards,

Tom

[Fariz]

Hello Tom,

Really appreciate the help you've given. You're right, the ill defined sword hilt is probably a result of wear and tear.

Ive noticed the same on a lot of other black and silver badges. I believe 'splattering' is a term used when certain areas, like the sword hilt are ill defined. I got this term from another forum. I've also read that counting the lines on the sword hilts can indicate if a badge is zinc or tombak but I'm unsure if this is true. I really have no idea on how to determine if a badge is zinc or tombak made.

After looking at the photo of the L/53 you posted, I really confident that my L/53 is a pre-45 piece. Thanks.

I'm unable to post any photos of my L/53 because my camera has been 'decomissioned' but I plan to get a new one soon.

Best regards,

Fariz

[tyanacek]

Hello Tom,

Really appreciate the help you've given. You're right, the ill defined sword hilt is probably a result of wear and tear.

Ive noticed the same on a lot of other black and silver badges. I believe 'splattering' is a term used when certain areas, like the sword hilt are ill defined. I got this term from another forum. I've also read that counting the lines on the sword hilts can indicate if a badge is zinc or tombak but I'm unsure if this is true. I really have no idea on how to determine if a badge is zinc or tombak made.

After looking at the photo of the L/53 you posted, I really confident that my L/53 is a pre-45 piece. Thanks.

I'm unable to post any photos of my L/53 because my camera has been 'decomissioned' but I plan to get a new one soon.

Best regards,

Fariz

Hi Fariz,

If the badge is Buntmetall/tombak, the catch will be attached directly to the badge (just like in the example pictured above). If the badge is zinc, the catch will be attached to a round catchplate which is then soldered to the badge. The zinc badges also have raised guide lines on the reverse for proper location of the hinge and catchplate. Tombak-based badges will shown evidence of yellow-colored metal at areas where the finish is worn away. Zinc-based badges will appear dull and gray in color.

Best regards,

Tom