German Hamburg Field Decoration Chest Star German WW1 Medal Veterans 1914 1918

[1historynut]

Excellent WW1 veterans award in the box. Take a look.

[Brian L.]

Very nice example. Yours is one of the rarer examples of this badge because it is a Fleck Hamburg 3 rather than the more common Fleck Hamburg 11. By rights, it should be in a Fleck Hamburg 3 box, which is hard to find. That's not saying that this box isn't correct. The badge may have just been taken from stores and thrown in a Hamburg 11 box or vise versa. The Hamburg 11 boxes usually had the Hamburg 3 address printed on the inside of the lid.

The reason for the two addresses is that Fleck & Sohn had two locations: Hamburg 11, the earliest address from 1882 onward and from 1933, Michaelstrasse 8, Hamburg 3. Since this badge was banned in 1935, the Hamburg 3 badges were available for only two years as opposed to the Hamburg 11 badges being available from 1925 to 1935. Although the majority of badges were likely produced in the early 30s.

Here are examples from my collection showing both Hamburg 11 and Hamburg 3 marked badges and boxes as well as a couple scarce ones with only the 'Ges. Gesch.' mark in a triangle in the center and in a cartouche above the hinge. The Hamburg 11 with the box that I show is the most common and the first type of this badge manufactured. Mine was an early award from 1927. The vast majority of these badges (about 250,000+) were sold between 1933 and 1935.

[1historynut]

Very nice example. Yours is one of the rarer examples of this badge because it is a Fleck Hamburg 3 rather than the more common Fleck Hamburg 11. By rights, it should be in a Fleck Hamburg 3 box, which is hard to find. That's not saying that this box isn't correct. The badge may have just been taken from stores and thrown in a Hamburg 11 box or vise versa. The Hamburg 11 boxes usually had the Hamburg 3 address printed on the inside of the lid.

The reason for the two addresses is that Fleck & Sohn had two locations: Hamburg 11, the earliest address from 1882 onward and from 1933, Michaelstrasse 8, Hamburg 3. Since this badge was banned in 1935, the Hamburg 3 badges were available for only two years as opposed to the Hamburg 11 badges being available from 1925 to 1935. Although the majority of badges were likely produced in the early 30s.

Here are examples from my collection showing both Hamburg 11 and Hamburg 3 marked badges and boxes as well as a couple scarce ones with only the 'Ges. Gesch.' mark in a triangle in the center and in a cartouche above the hinge. The Hamburg 11 with the box that I show is the most common and the first type of this badge manufactured. Mine was an early award from 1927. The vast majority of these badges (about 250,000+) were sold between 1933 and 1935.

Thanks for your informative reply.....Mike

[1historynut]

I have this item currently posted on Ebay in case any member has interest in it.