Originally posted by Jean-Claude
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I too prefer the plainer metal SEs but irrespective of our preferences these enamelled versions were sold as premium pieces and I dont think this type of "cloisonné" design can be explained unless they were intended to be used for enamelled versions.
If they were early issue the enamel (and silvering) would be present. However if they were unfinished early unused stock used later during the war then the enamel might not be there but neither would the swords since were prohibited in 1935 for the rest of the TR period.
To me the possibility that original leftover inventory was assembled and finished postwar for souvenir hunters still makes sens.[/QUOTE]
Given that we have a first class example posted above, where are the second class awards made by this maker? The award has a brown finish applied which is a known finish for this award. I don't think there was much standardisation with these until the Nazis banned the various devices. Just because one finds something unappealing does not make it fake. One only has to look at the badges produced by the Hymenn company to know that. I'm sure there had to be a time where the enamel badges were gaining in popularity yet some recipients found them to be unappealing and wanted something more traditional.
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