Okay, I know what you are thinking. We've been down this road before with some early GAB's that lost their finish. etc etc. But check this one out and see what you think. Here's the story: I'm on vacation in Maine and had time to wander into a few antique stores. Had the best luck I've ever had in the 45 minutes that I could squeeze in. Anyway, I look into a cabinet and I see this with a sticker on it for $7.50.
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HC -
So of course I buy it. I get it home and gently pry it off the plate to which it is attached. Here is the medal by itself. Before I post pics of the back, what do you think? Original or fake, original or post war bronze finish?HC -
Hi Harry,
My best guess would be an original hollow buntmetall Assmann, but you probably will tell us that its solid or semi-hollow?
KR
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Dear Harry,
I am thinking Assmann and that the bronze is patina (maybe nicotine).
I am also wondering why neither the vet nor the guy who did the engraving job knew how to spell "Souvenir". It must be original! Certainly not a copy from France!
Cheers, Frank
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I think original GAB but probably post war bronze finish. This type of thing was made up to sell to GIs after hostilities had ended but utilised original badges. I assume that the badge was unissued and was finished in whatever was available or to make it look nice against the silver mount.
Saying that I bought a bronze finished GAB from the estand recently, it is an early buntmetall stamped one that doesn't ever appear to have had a silver finish, there is no wear to the details. I will try to find the pics and post them.
My personal belief is that original bronze badges do exist that were finished wartime but they are anomalies with no official sanction. Probably just dipped in the wrong pot. Bill Shea had a gold zinc JFS GAB for sale last year which was definitely gold no doubt about it- had age streaking and everything. An original badge but again an accident in that it somehow received the incorrect finish.Comment
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Yes, of course you 2 are correct. Assman it is. Here is the back. Pity about the pin and catch. They were probably intact before someone decided to mount it on this plaque. Anyway, it is hard to imagine that this bronze finish is not original to the badge.HCComment
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Anyway heres the bronze one I own
Photos copyright of SectorComment
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closeup
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A JFS GAB is an accident "per se" and a bronze finish on top puts it "ad absurdum"!Cheers, Frank
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Here´s my copper class GAB!
Cheers, Frank
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Frank,
As far as I'm aware these souvenir plaques were made up by enterprising Germans to sell to occupation troops in order to earn some extra income during the hardship of the immediate post war months, hence the poor spelling.
Maybe I'm getting my makers mixed up. Anyway he had gold zinc solid backed GAB, think it went for about $600.Comment
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Good comeback, Patrick, but that font is WAYYYYY into the second half of the 20th century in my opinion, so "made in the US of A" it remains!
Cheers, Frank
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Well I know nothing of fonts so I will bow to your opinion. I saw another of these posted somewhere within the last week that had a pilots badge stuck on it. Same plaque but different badge.Comment
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Not trying to belabor this, but... Frank, on your badge I can see traces of silver. On my badge, there are no traces of silver on the front, and definite traces of bronze finish on the back. If this were an IAB or PAB, I think we would accept it as a bronze, wouldn't we?HCComment
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I have a bronze piece that was awarded to the recipient, Erik Verling. This piece was with him when he went into POW at the end of the war. The piece is withought doubt and was awarded to infantry in assistance to armour. Reading the orders in Dohle it can be seen that the change in the regulations for the tank badge incountered all awards under the same institution, hence infantry assault. It is the nornmal practice to varry an order in these terms, example the British up dates with awards.Comment
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