Opinion on newly acquired AWS PAB

[stang]

Hello everybody:

Just bought this silver PAB from Gailen David, who is the sponsor of this forum, of the GDM Militaria. Have no problem with it's authenticity but would like some other opinion from anyone who know this type of PAB more than me. Will post attachment following this thread.

stang

[stang]

Attachments of AWS PAB

Due to the size of the pictures from GDM Militaria are TOO LARGE. I will take some pictures from the badge with my digital camera and come back tomorrow with some GOOD IMAGES.


stang

[Philippe DB]

Hi Stang,

Alltough the PAB you bought from Gailen is the first AWS with bright frosted silver finish I ever saw IMO it's a perfect match to the PAB described in post 17 of this thread:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ght=cutter+PAB

Originals should look like the ones featured in this recent thread, focus on the crimps for hinge and catch:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ad.php?t=48350


KR
Philippe

[Gailen David]

Pab

There seem to be some questions regard the PAB I recently sold to a member. He is returning it to me for a full refund.

Gailen David

[Brian S]

Hi Stang,

Alltough the PAB you bought from Gailen is the first AWS with bright frosted silver finish I ever saw IMO it's a perfect match to the PAB described in post 17 of this thread:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ght=cutter+PAB

Originals should look like the ones featured in this recent thread, focus on the crimps for hinge and catch:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ad.php?t=48350


KR
Philippe

Are they frosting the lead based fakes to mask the oily feel of them Philippe?

[Philippe DB]

Hi Brian,

Possibly, it's clearly the same copie that they cleaned up a litlle bit to get rid of most of the roughness. On the other hand the frosted finish isn't really convincing. Soft like silk and it gives the impression that you almost can look through it.

Since it is the first of its kind I encounter I can alone assume that the same bad guys are still at it. Will be interseting to see if others like it pop up.

KR
Philippe

[Gailen David]

PAb

Phillip: Not at all, appears to be original in every respect but without the serrated lines on the catch and hinge assembly. Much cleaner with sharpe hinge insert. It is certainly and not lead based. I have seem (what I assumed were original) with the lines on the top and bottom pin and catch assembly and with it only on the catch. Though, becasue of the quality that it was very possible possible they made it without either. I have seen the fake examples you refer to and this is not one of those.

Gailen david

[Philippe DB]

Hi David,

Like I stated above it's a first one for me too and to be absolutely sure I guess I would need to handle it but based upon the things I could see on the pics I'm quite confident that it's somekind of upgrade of the known copies

Besides the fact that it lack the typical AWS line crimps these are my major concerns:

1. Although the top crimp even looks sharper than on originals the upper part of it is a mess
2. Looked upon from the reverse the right cut-out stil seems to show quite some sharp wast material. I know difficult to assess from a picture but this should be easy to feel when rubbing your finger over it.
3. Again when looked upon from the reverse you'll notice excess metall pushed backwards between the eagles head and the wing cutout, that is just lying on top of the badge. Typical feature for the known copies
4. also when looked upon from the back it's clearly visible that the wreath outer borders are filled away and polished. Not something to be found on originals.
5. The heavy pin show's a just a few minor scratches where I would like to see a clear flat spot from the bending tool
6. The maker mark is extremely thin. So thin that one leg of the "W" seems to have broken of but just managed to hang on.
7. The very strange finish is not something that comes close to known types of frosted finishes.

I don't know if these badges are lead based like Brian mentioned above. The only thing I know is that the copies I handled all were made of shiny hard silver metall, comparable to the metall used in the recently discussed Daisy fakes.


Thats the best I can do David from the pictures I saw but I suggest that you post some pics of it in this thread so others can share there opinions too.

KR
Philippe

[Gailen David]

Thanks Philipe. Getting to be a nightmare keeping up with the fakes. Considering what's going on, I am starting to really have serious concerns about the future of "Third Reich Badge collecting". It is becoming almost impossible to keep up with the seemingly daily influx of new high tech reproductions. Usually two hours of my day are spent on staying up with what's going on in the badge market. Considering I am dealing in many other areas of Third Reich collectables this has become a real pain. After spending 37 years in this hobby I feel I know less now then I did when I started. Thanks again for the help. Jeeze!

Gailen David

[Philippe DB]

Hi David,


Keeping up with everything I every area of III reich collecting these days is an impossible task for anybody. The force of this forum is people specializing in certain areas and helping each other by sharing there expertise in those areas. As long as we can keep this up I'm confident myself that we always we be able to outsmart even the best fakers.

So when in doubt never hesitate to post question and badges on this forum, there will always be somebody arround that will gladly be of assistance and the nice thing is that the help you find here is absolutely for free and given with now other intend than to learn.

Never despair or surrender to the bad guys

KR
Philippe

[stang]

Aws Pab

There seem to be some questions regard the PAB I recently sold to a member. He is returning it to me for a full refund.

Gailen David

Hi Gailen,

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the prompt refund. You are a GOOD DEALER and please keep up the hard work that you have been doing over the years. And, as said before by Philippe: NEVER SURRENDER TO THE BAD GUYS. We are all human being and do make honest mistake.

Hi fellow members,

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for all your responses on this thread as well as PMs and emails. Be honest, there is REALLY a lot to learn on PABs. See you all again in the not too distance future.

stang

[Brian S]

...please keep up the hard work that you have been doing over the years.

stang