SA Sturm Abteilung Third Reich Collar Eagle

[Rogi]

This is one pick up I had when I was a child (about the same time I picked up my Order of the Patriotic War 2nd class) but it was at a flea market that I found this little one, the seller wanted $5 for it, but I pointed out the pin was broken and I wanted it for cheaper, please, he ended up chuckling and he told me he'd give it to me for whatever I had in my pocket, which I agreed, and it ending up costing me $1 I just love the German Eagle on badges, and since my budget wasn't that large to begin with, a Luftwaffe pilot's badge was out of the question (was something like 200 or 300 back then) I settled for something smaller

It may not be a great pick up, but I like the history behind the award, supposedly it was owned by a Private when he served and that gentleman sold it on to the Flea Market guy, who sold it down to me, so did I make a good pick up, to me every pick up is a good one and I still love the image of the eagle on this badge, I think the German version of the eagle is very elegant.

My main questions to you experts is, is it the real deal or a copy? I'd feel bad if I spent a buck on a copy even if its a small purchase, and there appears to be what looks like a hallmark on the back (it appears to be a bit scratched out, or the pin broke off in that location?), I'll post it in the second picture with what looks like to me as M1/17 but it curves down a bit crooked and it isn't a straiight application. Does anyone have a similar cap badge, and is it worth it getting a replacement pin from a restorer installed on it, or keep her as is?

[Scowen]

Hi Rogi,

I cannot comment on the originality of the pieces as this is not may area of speciality. However I can tell you that it is not a cap badge, but an eagle from a collar tab.

I hope that someone else here can give you an answer regarding whether it is original or not.

Cheers

Don

[J Temple-West]

Don is spot-on... this is indeed an eagle from a political leaders collar tab and looks to be a period correct example marked RZM M1/17 for the maker, E. W. Assmann & Söhne.

[Spasm]

Don is correct. The eagle would have been part of an SA collar tab. The RZM number - M1/17 is a quality check. M1 being for metal badges (M4 for belt buckles, M7 for daggers etc). The 17 is for the manufacturer, in this case F.W. Assmann & Sohne of Ludenscheid.

I wouldn't have thought this was a copy as these wouldn't sell particularly well on their own - they'd be attached to a tab. Unless, of course, it broke while attaching. The thing to try is if it is easy to bend, if it bends easily between your fingers then it is a copy. Original eagles of this time were very well made and generally very strong.

Collar tab eagle and cap eagle below. The collar tab eagle is 'off' at an angle rather than straight.

- Sorry John, you posted while I was writing

Edited March 7, 2013 by Spasm

[Rogi]

Don is correct. The eagle would have been part of an SA collar tab. The RZM number - M1/17 is a quality check. M1 being for metal badges (M4 for belt buckles, M7 for daggers etc). The 17 is for the manufacturer, in this case F.W. Assmann & Sohne of Ludenscheid.

I wouldn't have thought this was a copy as these wouldn't sell particularly well on their own - they'd be attached to a tab. Unless, of course, it broke while attaching. The thing to try is if it is easy to bend, if it bends easily between your fingers then it is a copy. Original eagles of this time were very well made and generally very strong.

Collar tab eagle and cap eagle below. The collar tab eagle is 'off' at an angle rather than straight.

- Sorry John, you posted while I was writing

Wow that was so cool, Thank you all for the info (I wish I could multi quote, still trying to figure out the forum ) I wondered why it was crooked all these years (I thought that it had fallen and someone steped on it, and thats why it received a bit of crook to it

Thank you all so much for the clarification, now I know its a collar tab

Does anyone happen to have a rear view shot of the tab itself with pin intact? I'll try to search it on the net so I can at least see what the pin looks like. I'm not sure if I should invest in a pin to "restore" it but I've liked keeping it in original condition all these years, so why ruin it now with a resto that won't really impact anything that positively.

It is hard to bend (not that I tried to bend it all that much) so I guess from all the opinions provided it most likley is real.

Thank you all for the comments I should find a matching one for a "set" now

Regards,

Igor

[--dj--Joe]

Hi, your adler would have had three round prongs, one attached at each mound. They would have been pushed through the cloth of the collar tab and bent over. They would have resembled short pins. If the adler is made of aluminum the pins would likely be the same material. If alloy the same.

--dj--Joe