Kriegsmarine KM Breast Eagle

[Peter BL]

Hi All...looking for opinions on this Eagle. I've got a chance on this one but really don't know much about them.

Thanks in advance...Peter

[Peter BL]

Reverse

[2dresq]

I for one, like it! These breast eagles dress up a display nicely. I am not sure if there has ever been a maker attributed to these.

I have a few metal eagles. Mine are all maker marked of the KM variety.

Here is a link to a discussion that was had over at WAF.

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=501916&highlight=Maker+KM+eagle

This also has some great photos shown of various eagles and designs.

Best regards,

JustinG 2dresq

[Gordon Williamson]

Every stamped sheet metal example of this type of eagle I have ever owned has had some form of barrel or block hinge. I don't particularly like this very flimsy style of hinge which is exactly the type used on many postwar restrikes of things like the hollow back IMperial Wound Badge and the postwar versions of the Imperial Wound Badges etc.

Having said that I have seen a late war example of one of these KM metal eagles in Zinc rather than Brass, which had this sort of hinge so it appears they were used in wartime but I know for sure that fakes of these metal breast eagles were made with this style hinge back in the 70s which would by now be showing a fair bit of natural age and tarnish.

Not one I'd be falling over myself to buy unless it was at a bargain price. Much better to go for one of the more accepted hardware set-ups as these things are not exactly rare. (Weitze for instance has over 30 of them on his site at the moment).

[Peter BL]

Thanks for the comments guys. I tend to agree Gordon, as I say, I don't know a great deal about these Eagles but the Hinge/Pin and catch all look a bit cheap and flimsy to me as well. I suppose a late war Eagle could and would have been a lower quality piece but to many 'red flags' for me.

Thanks again.....Peter

Edited May 14, 2011 by Peter Baillie

[2dresq]

Always learning more. I had seen some of these with this kind of configuration where there is not the block/barrel hinge set-up. Gordon, Do you feel that these are just too controversial and have been perhaps compromised with post war pieces that it makes it difficult to know originality?

Here was the bird that I was referencing off which appears to be similar to the one that Peter displayed. This comes from Tim Ball's collection.

Thanks gentlemen.

Regards,

JustinG 2dresq

Edited May 14, 2011 by 2dresq

[2dresq]

Here's the obverse. (Tim Ball's) Collection.

Thanks,

JustinG 2dresq

Edited May 14, 2011 by 2dresq

[Gordon Williamson]

Hi Justin

No, I certainly don't think that all of this type are fake. Helmut Weitze has one in Zinc with most of the finish missing that has this type of fitting and is surely a good late-war original. No doubt that this type of fitting was also used on other stuff during the period.

However, there is no question that fakes in this exact configuration were certainly made and this style of pin is still widely used on fakes. I saw a Luftwaffe summer tunic metal breast eagle recently with a pin just like this recently which was a howling fake.

If I was looking to obtain just one such breast eagle as an example, I would avoid this type as the 1970s fakes are too close the the originals for comfort. They are not exactly rare so its not difficult to find a "one-looker" original. I haven't ever seen good fakes with the correct barrel or block type hinge however so would consider them safe (for now).

[kapten_windu]

very nice badge.. :cheers:

[nesredep]

Hi!

Very interesting Information.:jumping:

All the best

Morten.

[JULIOPWG14]

One of mine, in solid aluminum and marking:

Schwerin 68 Schwerin & Sohn - Berlín

Greetings from Madrid.

Julio.

[JULIOPWG14]

Another, also in solid aluminum and marked:

J. C. Maedicke OH. – Berlin

Greetings from Madrid.

Julio.