Authenticity Assistance Needed

[Larry Lipps]

Over the years our hometown museum has received a surprising amount of WWII donations. While they’ve never done any type of Third Reich display (political correctness I’m sure), they are considering putting some of their German and Japanese items on display for Memorial Day. While most of the stuff is the typical armbands, tinnies, buttons, and uniform insignia, they do have a couple of reasonably big-ticket items. Because these are well out of my area of expertise, the curator was kind enough to give me some photos to post on the forum.

<O></O>

My question for the forum is do these look like original items? Sorry, but these are the only photos they provided. They are very paranoid about having their items swapped so they wouldn’t let me take the photos or handle the pieces. These are actually scans of hard copy photos. Hopefully you guys can a least provide me with enough information to give them some feedback.

[Larry Lipps]

And the rivet and catch:

[Larry Lipps]

Also, a Destroyer Badge. The curator’s note says it is marked L/18, but the photos look like L/13 to me.



I'll post a few more items over the next couple of days.

[Philippe DB]

Hi Larry,

The AC looks ok to me and most likely made by Foerster & Barth.

Really not a big fan of the Destroyer though. It's not a match to the L/18 Destroyer's I know, these for example feature nicely cut out deck guns, different eagle and a different set-up.

The setup for sure worries me. Although the badge looks to be made out of buntmetall,this type of block hinge and soldered on catch is not something I'm familiar with,

KR
Philippe

[Thomas Durante]

Hi Larry,

The Auxiliary Cruiser is a Foester and Barth and a good original in great condition.

The Destroyer badge is definately not a match for a B.H. Mayer, the setup is a lot different and the die characteristics do not match. However, it appears to match the die characteristics of a GWL destroyer. The setup doesn't match a GWL though. Catch looks like it could be replaced. Could have been an early run of GWL clasps before they did the more common reverse setup and GWL marked. Could be an unmarked GWL with a post war added mark to increase value. Or it could actually be an L/13. I have never seen an L/13 marked Destroyer. Interesting.

[Don D.]

Something strange here. By the background it would appear that this pics came from Bill Shea's site. Larry, have you personally seen these badges?

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ad.php?t=67415

Don

[MH184]

The F&B Aux, a hollow rivet ?? It looks too big ? Is this really correct for a F&B?

I just want to learn, and I've not encountered this.......the eagle and wreath look incorrect as well.......I'm going mad I think. The pin alone looks okay but the reverse

Help.

KR

Marcus

[Larry Lipps]

The photos were taken on a red velvet background and my scanner turned them somewhat orange. While, as you say, they somewhat match the color of Bill's background, they positively did not come from his site. Also keep in mind the because the background of the is actually a bright red, that all the colors are somewhat shifted as well.

[Philippe DB]

The F&B Aux, a hollow rivet ?? It looks too big ? Is this really correct for a F&B?

KR

Marcus

Hi Marcus,

As far as I know these hollow rivets are ok an F&B AC's.

Take a look at the first badge posted by Roman in this thread

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...light=F%26B+AC

Although not completely exposed, it's the same rivet.

May George could post his F&B badge with the pin open

KR
Philippe

[Thomas Durante]

Marcus, the wreath is an exact match to Foester & Barth. Eagle looks like a match too, but we need a closeup of the eagle to be sure.

[Larry Lipps]

I've posted a note on these items in the Uniforms forum, and I want to post the same notice here:

Guys, I've been at work and haven't had a chance to follow this. After seeing the comparison to the one on Bill's site, the more I looked at the photo the more I became convinced that there was something really wrong here. I called the museum people who admitted that they hadn't been able to photograph everything on my list so they just did internet searches to fill in the items they didn't make photographs of. Put another way, they've made me look like Dan Rather caught in the headlights. When asked how in the world I'm supposed to authenticate their items with photos of someone's else's items, they said they thought it wouldn't make any diference. I truly would have thought better of anyone running even a small town operation.

In other words, this isn't the badge they showed me, and since they don't even know where they got it from, it probably is the one from Bills site. Since they can't tell me exactly which photos are of their items and which ones came from internet searches, I'm pulling all their photos and there won't be any more posted. It's really a shame because they have some interesting items. (Over 200)

In summary I appologize for making the assumption that what they sent me was not what I thought it was. Based on some of the museum postings I've seen in the past I should probably have been more cautious, Thanks to you eagle eyed guys for catching this before I was a hunderd posts down the road.

[Don D.]

It's a shame that you tried to help someone and got pumped from behind.
Don