JFS IAB eye candy in Silver

[David C]

Chrome finished badges did exist although you won't find a lot of them arround. Also in most cases the quality of the chrome finish is inferior to the one applied on this JFS.
KR
Philippe

That's cool Philippe

Learn something new every day

Cheers,
David.

[Frank Heukemes]

:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...=chrome+finish

[Philippe DB]

Dear Frank,


Thanks for the link, seems such a IAB was posted before by Den. He used a digital camera to post the badge but even than the quality of the finish just escapes you when only looking at pictures. It's not untill I actually hold such a piece that you really get a good feeling for it.

BTW why are the pictures of your AS gone from that thread. I thought that after the last big update all the picture would remain in the threads but recently I find more and more threads where the pictures seem to have disappeard

KR
Philippe

[Den]

Hi Philippe, this is mine, I think it matches yours pretty well, chomed front, frosted reverse.

Kr. Den

[Den]

reverse

[Den]

3

[Den]

4

[Philippe DB]

Yep Den it's a perfect match but I hope you would agree with me that even with your camera your not even comming close to capturing the deep polished shiny look of this badge.

On the other hand your profile pics clearly show that the chroming stops perfectly in the middle of the badge. If this was done buy hand these guys for sure had a very steady hand.

KR
Philippe

[Bruce Simcox]

Very nice looking finish......

......but that 's just what it is in my opinion.

Before I can buy into this as Third Reich it would be nice to see some period imagery, or perhaps someone can fill us in with some info about seeing them in the 40's or 50's.

First time for everything I suppose. Why have we not been seeing these before and why are we seeing them in such pitifully small numbers at such a late date?

Jewelers copies for parade dress maybe?

Just how common was chrome plating during the 40's?

If these are the real deal......demonstrate the how and why. Until that can be shown these 'chromies' aren't much more than a anomaly to be pondered.

My $.02

-----------------------

Bruce

[Philippe DB]

Hi Bruce,

Good point, and last night I was lying awake myself trying to figure out the how the why and the worn by who of these awards.

I more than once thought about the JFS IAB in general. I think by now most members of this forum have the Bronze grade in mint condition. The one with the cooked finish. This really is the only IAB that turns up in such quantities in stone cold mint condition. On the other hand there exist worn examples too that are a perfect match to the minters. So I can only imaging that an enourmous unissued stock of these IAB's was discovered at some time.

Than you have the different finish versions of the Silver badge. IMO not only the plated but also the frosted version is completely worthless to be used in a combat situation. However based upon everyting I handled I really can't find anything wrong with these badges. Perfect match down to the smallest die flaw when compared to worn examples.

I can only come up with the following explanation for their existence. Just imagin you were a combat hardened soldier called back to the fatherland to serve on some Field Marshal's or General's staff. Out of the dirt in to an environment where everybody is wearing immaculate uniforms, were you go from one meeting to another and join the Field Marshal for an occasional dinner or party. I hope you can imagin the type of environment I'm trying to describe. Could you imagin yourself sitting at dinner in your best uniform, wearing a battle damaged complete worn down IAB or any other award for that matter. To be honest I can't. And I could think off some other situations where worn down awards really wouldn't fit in to the picture, e.g guard duty for high ranking people or important buildings with a lot of high ranking officers entering and leaving all the time.

IMO these are the environments for which these little jewells could have been intended

All other toughts on the subject are most welcome of course

KR
Philippe

[Den]

Philippe is absolutly right, these are amazing beatyfull badges, they are really stone mint as it can get, you must have had these in your hand to see the quality and perfection of this badge, I for one am glad to own one of these rare badges.

cheers. Den

[Philippe DB]

, they are really stone mint as it can get,
cheers. Den

Den I agree they are in wonderfull condition but not "stone cold mint" at least mine isn't.

However compared to an award with normal finish they really look mint but IMO that is only the result of the high quality plating.

On mine you can find black discoloration or dirt in the deeper areas, also the chrome show quite a few thiny little scratches best to be compared to what you see on lightly scratched metallic car paint. My pin was completely bend and was also suck in the ball hinge. Only after a drop of oil did it start to move again.

KR
Philippe

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Bruce,

These "chrome" plated badges (it actually is not chrome, I think) have been around forever. I have three of them, an AS in triangle PAB, a RK PAB and an Aurich PAB. A good number of these maker´s silver PABs have that finish. Most of the time, it is almost gone, just some shiny chromey remains in some recesses, the rest is dull zink. Rarely you find it largely intact and very, very rarely in mint condition.
The reverse side of the AS in triangles and the R.K.´s and the JFS IABs is always finished matt silver, for all three makers.
The Aurich PABs however have that chromey finish on both sides.

In addition to that, I also once had a JSF silver IAB of the kind Den & Philippe have, only that it was worn down to the zinc and looked dull grey for the most part. I doubt this could happen from storage alone. So these badges must have been worn in rough conditions as well.

This is the mint AS in triangle, shown here before, I guess for the first time in 2002.

[Frank Heukemes]

matt silver reverse

[Frank Heukemes]

Here is the R.K.
A bit worn but still a good finish. Also chromey obverse, matt silver reverse.