For your consideration...

[Nydigger1]

Hello, I wanted to say first thank you for letting me join the forum! I also posted a thread on the luftwaffe badges / medals page so if anyone can help me out with those (or these) any help would be appreciated!

For your consideration:

MARKED RSS



Not marked but made by Baqueville (Ive seen other online with the same style)



MARKED R S & S



Marked on reverse

[Norm F]

Hi Nydigger1,

First, welcome to WAF.

Second, I'll upload your images from the host server to the thread so that any discussion retains its usefulness in the future.

Your R.S.S. Minesweeper looks like an original but in "relic condition" which is the dealer's euphemism for seriously rough shape rendering it much less desirable.

The R.S.&S. Fleet badge (by the same maker) in contrast is in excellent condition and a very nice example from this maker.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

As to the "French-made" Coastal Artillery badge (there's no known connection to the manufacturer Bacqueville), that's a nice example of this type. If you check out the pinned "Useful threads" or do a forum search on "Bacqueville" or "French-made" you'll have days of reading on these somewhat controversial badges which might be made during wartime but if they were then certainly were not accepted as official KM awards. They are nevertheless collectible.

Finally, the A.G.M.u.K. Blockade Breaker badge. It looks quite good at first glance, but the catch is unusual for this badge and bears an unfortunate resemblance to the catch that is seen on some high quality fakes of this badge. I'm not saying the badge is a fake but I would want to see some better closeups of both the catch and the hinge in the open position before passing any judgement.

Best regards,
---Norm

[BubbaZ]

I agree with Norm's assessment.
RSS HSF is very nice original
RSS Minesweeper is also original but in very bad condition.
French made CAB looks good for this controversial maker, postwar IMO.
Better images are required to make a final judgement on the BR. I enclose mine for comparison.
Cheers,
Hubert

[amiklic1]

I agree about the BB badge. Here is mine, also for comparison:

[Nydigger1]

Thank you for the input everyone! It is much appreciated. Upon closer examination of the Blockade Runner Badge, the hook to the pin (the part that everyone was concerned with) is a replaced repair. Everything is original except the hook. The hook itself was welded on and repaired. I believe (just from the looks of it, I could be wrong) that it was repaired close to or right after the end of the war since the repaired weld already has a certain amount of patina to it.

That would also explain why the hook and the catch dont line up correctly. Thoughts?