Found, IABs

[sturgis]

Next up are two IABs .
Again all opinions welcome. (I know what youre going to say about the bronze one).

[sturgis]

pic 2 of 2

[Philippe DB]

Hi Sturgis,

The WH is a fake , the hollow Buntmetall IAB is OK.

KR
Philippe

[Andreas Klein]

Hello Richard,

the WH is the known fake with the design from FZS for the obeverse. The hollow F&R IAB is

[Frank Heukemes]

Same opinion here, but think IAB cannot be 100% attributed to Frank & Reif. If marked these bear an L/18 mark, although it is the Frank & Reif design. Maybe both companies made it.

[Philippe DB]

although it is the Frank & Reif design.

I would say it's something close to the known F&R design but not "THE" F&R design.

Lucky for us most "trabbi design" PAB's are maker marked. If we only would have found one mm trabbi PAB and used the same logic as is being used on these IAB's all of them would be attriuted to that one known maker.

KR
Philippe

[greg.hays]

I for one would like to see the buntmetal badge a little closer. Maybe a scan of just that badge. I may be over reacting but I do not like how yellow that metal is or the pattern of aging. To me the details seem soft and it looks like the eagle falls somewhere between F&R and BH Mayer.I'm not going to say quite yet that I don't like the badge but I am going to say that it is one I think I would give the thorough inspection. Let me have it fellas .

[sturgis]

It may just be my new scanner ! There is no yellowness when looking with the bare eye. Some of the softness of detail is due to the glare of the scanner lamp I think.

[greg.hays]

Hi Richard, well like I said I am not pronouncing it "bad" there are just a couple of things that are strange to me.

1. The hardware is not that seen typically on a BH Mayer in buntmetal but does match that seen on a F&R design buntmetal.

2. The straight talon on the left leg rather then the hooked talon also points to F&R. Why do I say that? Well my marked F&R zincer has that trait and I have not seen it on a BH Mayer.

3. With all of these traits pointing towards a F&R design why is the eagle just not quite a F&R eagle. Also what is that odd deformity on the eagles head? Similiar to the tobacco pouch we have seen on one of Phillipes BH Mayers.

4. Details just seem soft, even on the reverse. As you said, and I have definitely seen many times, could be from scanner glare.

Either way another scan of just that badge might help shed some light. Are there hairline flaws along the eagles wings?