Karl Wurster Infantry Assault Badge

[Tom Yanacek]

Hello to all,

Found this Wurster IAB a few weeks ago at a show in Toledo, Ohio. Never had one of these before so I think it must be a scarce maker. This is actually a bronze badge but there are only traces of the finish remaining on the edges and a bit on the head of the eagle. It is a thick and heavy beast, weighing in at 39.5 grams.

Best regards,
Tom

[Tom Yanacek]

Here is the reverse:

[Tom Yanacek]

the "W" maker marking:

[Graeme]

Hi Tom

Nice find

In zinc these are harder to find than tombak IMO...

Yours looks like it has traces of silver on the eagle head, wings and swas..but I guess it must be the lighting if you say it is bronze...

Great looking badge. Congrats

cheers
Graeme

[Hans N]

A nice and rare one Tom

[Tom Yanacek]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

Graeme:

When I bought this badge, I too thought it was a silver. They had this military show in a party hall and as such, the lighting was meant for dancing and drinking, not for looking closely at medals. When I examined the badge at home, I started to notice bronze finish, still intact, mostly on the edges of the badge. (At least that what it looks like to me.) I will post some additional photos so that you and others can hopefully see what I am seeing.

Best regards,
Tom

[Tom Yanacek]

another pic:

[Tom Yanacek]

and another:

[Tom Yanacek]

another:

[Tom Yanacek]

last one:

[all1knew]

Hello there,

A nice badge you have there. My vote goes to bronze as well!

William Kramer

[Blued]

That eagle eye looks just like that of the GAB!!!!

[fischer]

Hi Tom

Congrats on getting this nice Wurster. As Graeme stated, these are tougher to find than the Tombak examples.

To me, the additional pics show a copper coating of some type under a silver wash finish. The silver has mostly faded with time leaving the undercoat showing.

Silver or Bronze, it's a great example and one I would like to have in my collection!

Best Regards, fischer

[Andreas Klein]

Imo a very nice aged bronze grade.

[Militaria-Berlin]

well the buntmetallers aren´t exactly laying around at every show either. Still, finding the zinc version is a highlight, especially as this one is in really nice condition. Most of the ones I´ve seen in the past have had corrosion on them.

MB