Kriegsmarine Minesweeper Badge ID?

[RichardT]

Any idea who might have manufacturered this tombak badge? The finish on the wreath is long gone leaving a caramelized appearance while the water still contains 50-60% of its silver finish. The badge is very well made weighing about 30 grams. It has a block hinge and a square wire hook. Reverse side photos to follow.

[RichardT]

Reverse side photos.

[RichardT]

Reverse side photos. Sorry, I missed the hook photo.

[Gordon Williamson]

I have photos of this type on file (Jan Arne has an exact match) but so far no positive ID on the maker. Although Minesweepers all look pretty much the same, there are a lot of little differences in the shape of the eagles body, head and the way the talons grasp the swas.

This type isn't an exact match for any of the (so far) positively identified makers.

PIn style was used by Mayer, but I don't think it is Mayer. Mayer certainly had more than one set of tooling as their early Tombak badges differ in detail from their later Zinc pieces, but this type doesn't match either.

[RichardT]

Thanks Gordon. I noticed tha Mayer similarity but was pretty sure they weren't the maker. It is a very nice and distinctive badge.

[Martin W]

Rishard,

a nice original tombak badge.Here is a similar badge i used to have in my collection.I do recall that there seemed to be no kind of guilding on the wreath or the eagle,just a silver finish on the waves and plume and also a finish on the reverse.

I just considered this badge as an example of early manufacture by an unknown maker.

Regards,Martin.

[Martin W]

The reverse had the same type of "square" catch as you have shown.

Edited March 10, 2009 by mwestley

[RichardT]

Thanks Martin. It's definitely the same. The one that I have was the only one like it I'd ever seen so it's nice to know that there are at least two more of them out there.

Richard

[Martin W]

Richard,

i have seen a couple of these posted over the last couple of years but i would consider this type of badge as very uncommon.

For the sake of interest here is,what i beleive,as a very early Schwerin.Again,the wreath and eagle appear void of any kind of finish.The waves and plume are silvered as is the reverse.Very similar finishing on both types of badge.

Regards,Martin.

[Martin W]

Schwerin reverse.

[nesredep]

The reverse had the same type of "square" catch as you have shown.

Hello!

Nice badge.

All the best

Nesredep

[Norm F]

I just thought I'd post my example to this old thread with the comment that despite the different hardware, based on matching die characteristics and bulk, this is the early tombak version of the later zinc so-called "unmarked AS in triangle".

Best regards,

---Norm

Edited March 26, 2010 by Norm F