Polish 62 Infantry Regimant badge, Good?

[Para82nd]

I had this badge offered to me for 45 US dollars.

http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/6276/img38606qc.jpg

http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/7338/img38624yi.jpg

http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/3817/img38631uo.jpg

Is it a good one for a good price?

[Para82nd]

No comments?

[Gary Jucha]

Well ..

A couple of things ...

Most pre-war Polish badges you would expect to see a three figure number stamped into the back.
.. By the pictures, the quality of the back (edges) looks a little rough.

I would be a little suspicious of the badge, .. but I'm no expert on the pre-war badges.

.. Was there a spinner with the badge ?

Gary J.

[Para82nd]

No, It's missing the spinner sadly

[Gary Jucha]

Spinner

No, It's missing the spinner sadly

The spinner can tell you a lot .. either way !!
.. I'm always a little suspect of Polish Regimental badges without spinners, unless there's 100% provenance with the badge.
It's too easy for a "Pansiuk" to have a spinner removed to help "muddy the water".

Regards

Gary J.

[Antoni Zawadzki]

Hello Para82nd,

I agree with everything that Gary stated, and will add the following.

This is an enameled officer’s version, and as such would likely have been serial numbered as Gary mentioned. The absence of stamped numbering is suspicious, although not a conclusive indicator of authenticity.

The officer’s version of the 62nd Infantry Regiment badge was originally produced as two piece construction – as this one appears to be. However, the majority of pre-war Polish multi-part badges utilized rivets or small wire studs to hold the individual components together. This one is assembled in the manner of post war reproductions.

Another area of concern is center disc with the stylized “62”. It is mounted off center. A sure sign of a knock off. Virtually all pre-war Polish regimental badges – especially those made after the mid-1920’s - were lavished with much care in the manufacturing process and typically displayed a high level of craftsmanship. It helps to understand that in the pre-war Polish military, the regimental badge held very special significance. They were issued sparingly, and only to military personnel who had met strict criteria. As such, you would expect a badge that was crafted to high standards with attention to detail - something that is lacking in this example.

I believe there were two makers of this badge, one of which was the well known firm of Wiktor Gontarczyk in Warsaw. The other one was located in the city where this regiment was based if I’m not mistaken. Regardless, I am quite certain that in both makers’ examples the center disc was made of the same metal as the main body of the badge – and would have had a bronze finish – not the white metal finish of this one.

Also worth mentioning is that the overall look of the reverse, and in particular the area around the threaded post, is distinctively that of a reproduction.

At 45USD you would be paying about the going rate for a repro. Personally, I’d save my sheckels for a genuine example.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Tony

[Para82nd]

Thank you guys! I was so unsure of it.

Thanks Agian!

-Will