Bavarian Pilots badge in bullion

[Paul Massucci]

Also provided by Eric
Bavarian Pilot's badge in bullion

[Rick Research]

Wow! There's a beauty I've never seen before!
Eric--because there is a bit of purplish color distortion shine, can you tell us--is the backing (which appears to be ribbed tunic material, not badge felt) field gray, or Luftwaffe gray color?

The only bullion WWI flying badge I've ever seen was years ago on a Litewka undress tunic--an Army Airships Badge.

I'm wondering--since bullion flying badges were a Luftwaffe creation, if this badge was a "retro-fit" from the late 1930s. Anybody?

[ 18 May 2001: Message edited by: Rick Lundstrom ]

[eric]

Rick,
The backing material is field gray. The
bullion embroidery consists of three different types. Too bad the pics are so crummy, but my camera is not so hot...
As far as the period of manufacture is concerned: the quality of this piece seems to be better than WW2 bullion examples I have inspected. I have seen photos of WW1 bullion badges being worn during WW1 but for the life of me I
cannot remember which book they were in.

[ 19 May 2001: Message edited by: eric ]

[VerKuilen Ager]

Hate to be a wet blanket – and maybe it's just pictures – but I'm not crazy about this piece at all: atypical reverse work, asymetrical rendering (best observed from the reverse and always a sign of poor quality), lack of detail (I'd expect at least one to three more diameters and types of bullion), lack of wide border material (very characteristic of most sew-ons of the period), and inaccurately rendered crown (a definite no-no). Also, I've collected bullion W.W.I and II U.S. patches for many years and it's rare to find an item without some sign of wear or damage, particularly around the edges. Typically, the interior thread gets dry rot and pieces of the bullion start coming loose. This is particularly true of the much older W.W.I pieces. Tarnish and corrosion is often extensive in these as well. I don't see any of this on this item; but maybe it's the pictures, or the thing was never worn and kept safe in somebody's sock drawer all these years. Sorry to be a doubter, but the proliferation of material from Pakistan (and elsewhere) over the last 20+ years makes me gun shy on bullion pieces.

[eric]

Histaria,
I went over my records and have found the original sales receipt from 1979. I bought this piece in London from Spinks.
Has their reputation tarnished any? I have never had a problem with any of the other pieces I have obtained from them.
Imagine the eye-rolling if I complained to them!