Ga 75 Jfs

[Anthony]

I thought I would move away from my main interest which is TANK BADGES, and post a GAB 75 by JFS that I have in my collection.

This one seemed to survive fairly well with most of the Gilt Brennlack remaining.

Regards,

Anthony

[Anthony]

And the back.

[Jan Arne S]

Hi Anthony !
I`m not any expert on numbered badges .
But that 75 GAB look REALLY nice .

Lillegutt

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Anthony,

I am glad you start the discussion about this badge. There was a similar one on the Third Reich forum with a dissatifying, unproductive course of the discussion and no real conclusion.

It seems that there are at least two valid variations from JFS of that badge and many excellent fakes. If you take a look at mine, which is almost impossible to be a fake judging by where it came from and the way it "speaks" to you, you will note at least these differences to some other originals:

-number plate is longer, especially apparent in the reverse pic.

-3 lines on eagle´s legs (not feet!) are also visible in shape on the reverse outline of the legs.

-possibly eagle´s head (these things might also be due to different angle of shot)

-possibly different thickness of grenade handle.

-and a few other minor things, like finish differences, etc.

Check it out.

Cheers, Frank

[Frank Heukemes]

reverse. I cleaned some spots of zinkpest in an early stadium from the back. For me one more sign that this badge is good. early Zinkpest should be removed before it does the real damage (corrosion craters).
That is also why some of the badge is a bit "semiglossy" from the vaseline that kills zinkpest quite efficiently without damaging your badge if you are careful. Pics were taken right after I cleaned the pest and this semigloss on the eagle e.g. has dissapeared again by now.

The pin is magnetic.

[Frank Heukemes]

headshot

[IVAN]

Re: GAB 75 JFS

Originally posted by Anthony
I thought I would move away from my main interest which is TANK BADGES, and post a GAB 75 by JFS that I have in my collection.

This one seemed to survive fairly well with most of the Gilt Brennlack remaining.

Regards,

Anthony

Hi Anthony,

I cannot said to you something sure 100% but personally your badge has many characteristics as a textbook JFS GAB, I like your rivets, numbered box and numbers, hook and hinge, the dimentions of eagle and bayonet and granade, the zinc colour of the eagle, the pin is not a textbook ( generally it's more thin in the second part below) but is not bad.

I would like to see better the hallmark.

Ivan

[Ron Birch]

Hello Frank,

I can't seem to get the pictures of your badge to load. But my question would be about the box being lower on your badge. I know this has been discussed before but I thought the feeling was that these badges were fake. I actually returned one because of the box being to low. And you are right that you really notice it from the back of the badge. So who came up with the two variations of this badge. I sure didn't realize that was the consensus.

[Frank Heukemes]

Even if they should be devastating, let me hear your comments about my badge. That´s why I posted it. I would especially value input from the very experienced collectors who really know these.

If it is fake, it goes back to the dealer! However, I would not want to discard it just because it looks different from some other 75 JFS numbered GABs.

If this should be fake (what I cannot imagine) it is perfectly and honestly aged. It feels like an original. No weird feelings if you handle it.

Cheers, Frank

[Ron Birch]

Hello Frank,

As I stated before I thought there was a thread about these badges and a bad sign was the numbered box being low. And as I said before I didn't realize that the concensus was there were two variations of this badge. Plus I still can't get the pictures to load. If I new where the thread was at I would sure post it for you.

[Anthony]

Hi Guys,

I have been busy but I am back.

IVAN Thank you for the comments on my badge, it is as you say "TEXTBOOK" I will try and scan it again so you can get a close up of the Makers Mark. I have seen these badges with the fat or thin pin at the bottom.

There was a very big discussion on this Forum a long time ago about the numbered GAB that Ron mentioned. i.e the one with the longer box on it, this was an RK. The end result after many emails, posts and much discussion by Mark Miller , Mike K, others and myself was that this type of badge did not exist, also all the measurements were out, to include the makers mark with known originals, but, it was a very high quality piece. I have tried to find this thread but it seems that it is not there anymore

Franks Badge.

Before you call anything a fake you need to look at the facts, does it look like the known originals and the ones in the books, does everything match up, profiles etc, way before any weights or measurements are taken etc.

Point 1
Frank has already mentioned the larger box for the number.

Point 2
This would then have to have a larger number to fit the box, correct?

Point 3
The wreath does not look like any in any book, or pics of originals on any site, see Angloia, Forman, Niemann, McCarthy, David Tiffins site etc. The gap between the Eagle and the top of the wreath is way to big, even allowing for some human error, which would be in millimeters this is just different. So we have three major points in the wreath alone that just don't match up, WHY?

Point 5 The guides on either side of the pinblock on the badge itself are also different, instead of the half moon shape on the inside they seem to curve in, but it is hard to explain what I mean here.

Ponit 6 On the front there is a big gap between the top of the bayonet and grenade, not evident on others.

If the die was broken, stolen, destroyed, why then would they make a completely different design that doesn't fit the Eagle or the box properly?


Anthony

[Ron Birch]

Anthony I thought just the bottom of the box angled down, at least it did on the one I returned. I didn't weight it or take measurements,it was the box that stood out. So I seen no need to continue and returned it.

[Anthony]

Ron,
When you look at the back of the badge you can see that the numbered box is much longer than normal, on textbook ones the box at the back only shows a little bit, it does not hang down a lot.

Maybe Mike K still has the pic of the GAB from the old Forum article to show this.
Regards,

Anthony

[Ron Birch]

Right! And I thought these were bad badges where the box hung down lower and not a variant or am I still lost.

[Anthony]

Ron,
You are right on the money IMO and not lost.
Anthony