Wernstein Wound Badge?

[hcliffe]

Just got this one in. I collect IAB's, and this looks like the set up used by Wernstein. Did they make wound badges? Does this one look okay?

[hcliffe]

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[greg.hays]

Hi Harry, Wernstein did make these I think, also I think they are usually marked L/17. Either way I have seen this set up before on silver wound badges. It's a good looking wound badge in my opinion. Greg

[Chrvip68]

Hello Guys,

I have seen this type of hinge/pin/catch assemblies in solid and hollow WBs, i don't know if they are Wernstein awards but the set up is similar with the IABs, PABs, etc from the same maker.
On the other hand, any L/17 maker marked solid i have seen has different design and set up, the same thing with the hollow '5'.
But something tell inside me that these are unmarked Wernstein WBs.

[Lorenzo Brown]

Haven't seen one before, but that set-up makes me think it is a good Wernstein.

[Philippe DB]

Hello Guys,

On the other hand, any L/17 maker marked solid i have seen has different design and set up, the same thing with the hollow '5'.
But something tell inside me that these are unmarked Wernstein WBs.

Hi Chris,

I'm no WB specialist but I can't follow you here. If the design of Harry's badge doesn't match the marked Wernstein WB's you know, why should this be a Wernstein badge .

I have a hollow BM IAB and 2 BM PAB's in my collection with this "Wernstein" hinge and catch and the narrow pin but never linked these badges to Wernstein simply because their design doesn't match the known Wernstein IAB's or PAB's.

@Harry, I like your WB and don't doubt it's authentic

KR
Philippe

[Tom Yanacek]

Hello Harry,

I like the look of this Wound Badge, and I believe it to be a real one. In all honesty however, I don't ever recall seeing this type until very recently. I did see one of these badges at the JAG Show this past weekend. It sure looked good to me.
Best regards! Tom

[hcliffe]

Thanks for all the input folks, I had never see one of these before either. So I guess it is a bit rare. I hear what Philippe is saying, but I have to go with Wernstein because they are the only ones we know that used this somewhat unique setup. I'm very pleased with it especially considering that I paid $38 for it.

[Patrick W]

I agree that has got to be an original badge. the setup is one I haven't previously seen on a wound badge but is very close to the Wernstein down to the round catchplate. This badge also has the variant helmet design which you don't run across very often. I have seen hollow silver badges with this type of helmet as well as Spanish style wound badges which makes me think that some manufacturers used this design throughout the war.

[Chrvip68]

Hi Philippe,

I didn't said that these are definately Wernstein WBs, it's just my feeling that maybe are Wernstein WBs.
Both the hollow and solid issues have the same design and similar set up, i must tell this design can be found in other unmarked or maker marked (from memory L/10) WBs. Don't forget many WB makers issued two different versions during the war, why not the Wernstein firm?
But as i said this is my feeling and a speculation.
The correct statment of course is: Original and unknown maker and quite rare.

[Philippe DB]

Hi Chris,

Thanks

Would you do me a favour and see if the design indeed is a match to L/10 or maybe see if you could match it to another known WB maker.

This could be interesting because if you would be able to match it this might give us a hint in relation to which possible other makers could have used this set-up.

Thanks in advance.

KR
Philippe

[Frank Heukemes]

I also think it may well be possible that Werrnstein used one design for their earlier TombaK badges and another one for their later zinkers such as above. Nothing unheard of.

[Chrvip68]

Hi dear Philippe,

I'll look asap in my files for the L/10 WBs, but if you want you can search the forum for the L/10 WBs we have discussed in the past.

I have handy to show you the hollow brother in zink from my collection with a L/10 (imo i have some doubts amout the maker mark in this award) black WB from Don Austin collection in a comparison side by side. Similar design but different set up. The L/10 hollow-solid WBs has similar with the 'Wernstein' design and different set up.

[Chrvip68]

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[Mike Kenny]

Hi,

I have owned a gold version of this type wound badge (imaged below) since 1990. I have only ever seen a handful of these badges in either grade. They are not a recent occurrence, however I cannot rule out that they are an older repro (although personally I believe they are authentic, but maybe I'm a bit biased here!). I've posted images of the gold example on the forum at least twice before. It is in TOMBAK. It is imaged next to an L/17 marked Silver Wound Badge (tombak or nickel silver, I'm not 100% sure). They are clearly VERY different - dimensions (the gold is SIGNIFICANTLY larger - 45.6 x 38.1 mm v's 44.1 x 36.7 mm), thickness, weight, obverse details, hinge/pin/catch. These two badges (imo both early types) definitely came from different dies. Fyi, yhere is also a 1939 EK1 with the same hinge/pin/catch/catchplate setup. Personally, I don't believe the gold would badge was made by Wernstein.

Regards
Mike K