Refinished badges?!

[Nordmark]

Hi guys,


I was checking a dealer site lately and found some weird looking pieces there. I honestly don´t know what to make of this. Sure, maybe a dealer bought a collection of unworn mint bronze badges, absolutely possible, but if so, I think there should be some differences in the finish between these specific pieces.

These pieces all look somehow weird. Like they were lacquered with some sort of bronze finish postwar. If so, we surely got a problem. I think if these pieces were refinished, it is close to perfect.

Maybe I would not be worried much, if they popped up from time to time, but all at once? I attached some of the pieces, but there are more of them on that site.

Another thing is this totally ugly refinished/fake RSS fleet badge. Maybe fakers can get the bronze finish right, while they still f*ck up gold and silver?


Let me hear your thoughts regarding these pieces.


Regards,


Daniel

[Nordmark]

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[Nordmark]

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[Norm F]

Hi Daniel,

I don't know enough about IABs to comment on those two, but definitely there are a lot of professionally refinished badges on that site. Some more subtly done but like you said, sometimes a garish freak like the R.S.S. Fleet badge.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Nordmark]

Hi Daniel,

...but definitely there are a lot of professionally refinished badges on that site.

Hi Norm,


that is exactly the point that worries me a bit. The number and level of refinished badges is quite high on that site, so honestly I don´t know what to make of the many totally mint bronze pieces there. They all show the same characteristics of the bronze tone. If these are all refinished, we surely have a problem... I don´t know if I could tell the difference between a wartime or a postwar bronze finish then.


Regards,


Daniel

[Norm F]

I agree, they are disturbingly well done and I think do indeed pose some threat to the hobby. Often, the only way to spot them is to first study multiple originals of a particular badge until you're well-versed in the look, tone and texture of the original finish of that particular type of badge.

For the Schwerin badges on that site, they were clever enough to just "enhance" the finish and leave imperfections so that they didn't look too new. They do a fiendishly good job on gilding but aren't so good at the dark oxidized finish of the ships and reverse, resulting in a recognizable two-tone effect.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Nordmark]

For the Schwerin badges on that site, they were clever enough to just "enhance" the finish and leave imperfections so that they didn't look too new.

Hello Norm,


I agree with you and I´m afraid that´s exactly what was done with the bronze Heer badges on that site. This is somehow very alaming.


Regards,


Daniel

[Thomas Durante]

Hi Daniel,

I think the Heer badges are fine. While I agree that they look weird and minty on that site, I chalk it up to the lighting of the pics in combination with some cleaning and vaseline work. Some websites just have weird pictures, I find the same thing with emedals.ca site; his pics make the badges look different than in hand.

The Wiedmann IAB might be questionable as to the finish, as well as the AGMuK CCC, but all the other Heer badges you show here are just fine IMO. I don't follow kriegs as much as I should and really can't speak to those, but with that said the silver finish on that HSF in Post #5 certainly looks weird to my eye.

Tom

[Nordmark]

I don´t know, I still find these pieces odd. All different makers with the same finish.

[Nordmark]

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[Nordmark]

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[Norm F]

I don't follow kriegs as much as I should and really can't speak to those, but with that said the silver finish on that HSF in Post #5 certainly looks weird to my eye.

Tom

Especially when you compare it to one with the original finish.

Aside from the wonky obverse, there shouldn't be any finish at all on the brass ball hinge and sheet metal catch on these R.S.&S. Fleet badges.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Chet Sowersby]

Daniel,
Like Tom I cannot comment on the Kriegs badges. As for the IABs I have encountered bronze examples that compare to the ones posted. However it does give me pause that the IABs, CCC, PAB and the shield all share the same finish. They all appear to be mint examples and yet all share the same finish? Something is amiss....

Chet

[Nordmark]

However it does give me pause that the IABs. PAB and the shield all share the same finish. They all appear to be mint examples and yet all share the same finish? Something is amiss....

Hello Chet,


this is my main concern regarding these. They look like lacquered or painted. But maybe it is just the pictures as Tom wrote.


Regards,


Daniel