Question about Imperial navy buttons

[o.r.k.]

There is a variety of imperial naval buttons- the smaller and bigger golden ones and silver ones. What uniform/rank had which buttons?
Can someone give me a clue? If you buy maker marked ones what risk is there getting faked ones? Are buttons generally faked, too?

[o.r.k.]

[R.Beck]

Top gold ones are typically used for officer ranks as well as cadet and can be found on the frock coats, vest and as well as visor caps. These are found on Seebatallion visors as well.

Silver are only are used on administrative/ Beamte frocks and visors

The buttons on the lower end are your sailor buttons. Sadly enough everything nowadays is faked

The buttons that you pictured here are period originals

[Britian_Jacky]

how do you know if they are originals?
some fakers can make good replicas and fakes

[o.r.k.]

Thanks for your comments and the information on the buttons. I somehow like the design and details on imperial buttons, so I started collecting some- and they are quite inexpensive. They round off my collection ; ) I believe there are limits in checking the period item. Design, age wear or aging or too good condition to be true are checks and the desirability of the item- the less it is worth (like most buttons) the less it may be faked...? I looked at the reenactor shop sites and saw that they´re well made but don´t have maker´s marks. Checking the maker´s name in the net so far always produced positive results when checking the buttons I bought. I´ve heard that good fakes are done using the old mould forms. So that would be a semi authentic grey-zone for all metal insignia items if purchased. Not faked- not original period....

[Chip M]

If it is not obvious from looking at the front of the button, a look at the reverse is always going to give you the answer. The type of construction, materials and maker's marks are fairly easy signs to decipher.

Chip