Friedrich August fastening device

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

I am considering this for purchase, and I need a little input please. Is this type of setup considered mid, late, or post war? I do not know yet if the badge is iron or brass, as I am still waiting on an answer from the seller, but me thinks it is iron from what I can see. From what I have read, the iron variations are wartime, and brass/tombak are considered post war. any help will be appreciated.

[Daniel Murphy]

Steven ,
This does look to be a tombak (bronze, brass, whatever)piece. There does not appear to be any rust (old or new) and there does seem to be some tombak showing on the edges plus of course the pin and hinge. Personally, I believe the Iron ones are issue pieces and the tombak are private puchase, such as the convex model you show here. I have a very nice convex one in tombak that is ID'd to a pilot. Is is not in as good condition as the one you show, but I like it. Every one of these I have seen that is convex or screwback or anything other than issue pattern have been tombak. Some of these must have been produced during the war. To me they are higher quality than the issue items wich look rather paltry to me.
Dan Murphy

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

Steven ,
This does look to be a tombak (bronze, brass, whatever)piece. There does not appear to be any rust (old or new) and there does seem to be some tombak showing on the edges plus of course the pin and hinge. Personally, I believe the Iron ones are issue pieces and the tombak are private puchase, such as the convex model you show here. I have a very nice convex one in tombak that is ID'd to a pilot. Is is not in as good condition as the one you show, but I like it. Every one of these I have seen that is convex or screwback or anything other than issue pattern have been tombak. Some of these must have been produced during the war. To me they are higher quality than the issue items wich look rather paltry to me.
Dan Murphy

Thanks for the reply Dan. I think I will pass this one over, as I found a nice iron example last night for less than the asking price on this one. I had thought that these were not very common, but a search on the net provided me with at least 8 examples to choose from, and that was just on the first webpage of results.