IAB: Real or fake

[Kryptos]

This IAB is for sale and I would appreciate opinions on it. If it was up to me I would go for fake. The casting seems a bit rough in places and the eagle's head is seriously deformed IMHO.

According to the seller the pin has been replaced. Dont have an image of the reverse.

However I may be completely wrong...

Any comments?

[Bruce Simcox]

Hi Kryptos......

......some feel comfortable making calls with images like this one: fuzzy, dark, oblique angle. I feel that a clear, bright, straight-on image helps to make a determination based only on images......a fair determination. However there are those who will make a call based on just about any image one presents.....and they will do so with absolute authority!

Try for better images, if you would.

[Kryptos]

This was taken off the website where the item is advertised. Kind of an e-bay like setup. So this is the only image that is available.

So any initial feelings on this image by itself? Is an eagle's head like that acceptable on some strikes?

[Den]

I think it could be a SHuCo but to make sure a picture of the reverse is needed.

Den

[Kryptos]

Thanks. Will see if the seller responds on my request.

[Hans N]

Like already said the pic is bad. The only conclusion that can be made is the design and like Den said it´s a obverse SHuCo design but orginality is impossible to judge.

[Nigel N]

even if its an original, its not much of a looker, you can do much better!!!

[Kryptos]

Thanks.

That was my assessment as well on this one so good to have it confirmed.

[Kryptos]

Hmmm finally got a reverse for this badge and with no shuco maker stamp on it I guess this one is pretty suspect. Not getting it anyways, but would like to conclude the investigation.

[Hans N]

Hi Kryptos,

there several known IAB variations with the SHuCo design that are not makermarked, both 4 and 5 veined typed one´s as well as hollow ones.
I still have no problem with this badge but i can´t see if the hardware has been repaired at some point, the pics are to small for that.

[Kryptos]

Thanks for the info.

Unfortunately these are the best pics of the item. It took me a weeks to get the reverse shot out of the seller. Sigh.

[wh014d4394]

the repair.in red my amigos

[Hans N]

the repair.in red my amigos

I am not so shure about that, it could a sloppy soldering as well...
Guessing from bad pics is not my melody.

[Kryptos]

Oops, forgot to mention

The seller did say that the pincatch has been replaced, so spot-on with spotting the repair work. I thought it was only the actual pin but seems then to be more that that.