Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen "25" Rudolf A. Karneth & Sohn, Gablonz

[FrikorpsDanmark]

Good day,gentleman!
Would like to hear Your opinions on this Sturmabzeichen "25" manufactured by Rudolf A. Karneth & Sohn, Gablonz .
For me it looks like a good, nice condition original.
I am thinking to add this one to my collection,just want to be sure that everything is tip-top with it.

Best regards,
Peter

[John_B]

Good one

[Thomas Durante]

Hi Peter,

I agree, a fine original RK for me as well.

Tom

[FrikorpsDanmark]

John and Thomas,thanks a lot gentleman.
Regards,
Peter

[Wim Vangossum]

I agree. Fine specimen!



Regards, Wim

[FrikorpsDanmark]

I agree. Fine specimen!



Regards, Wim

Thanks,Wim!

Regards,
Peter

[Bruce Simcox]

Hi Peter

Would like to hear Your opinions on this Sturmabzeichen "25" manufactured by Rudolf A. Karneth & Sohn, Gablonz .

......I would like to point out that there has not yet been a definitive link established to verify that RK in a circle is the makers mark for Rudolf A. Karneth & Sohn. He is a good candidate so far. It will be a good day when the connections to all the TR badges/items marked with different variations of the initials R.K., RK and RK in a circle are conclusively linked to a manufacturer(s).

[Mike Kenny]

Nice original badge. Something funky happening at the top of the hinge though?

[FrikorpsDanmark]

Nice original badge. Something funky happening at the top of the hinge though?

Good evening.
Yes,I noticed it also.. and also in the bottom...looks like it's going to split...I asked seller for some extra pictures.

Regards,
Peter

[Giel VW]

Nice textbook piece, probably never even issued

[FrikorpsDanmark]

Nice textbook piece, probably never even issued

Hi,Giel.
It's actually ground dug!
This badge was found in Belarus,Bobruisk area, where the 9th army was destroyed.
I have bought some nice badges before from this seller,all of them are coming from Bobruisk.
But anyway I allways double check the originality of anything that I buy.

Regards,
Peter

[Stepdale]

Peter,
While I firmly believe the badge is original, I would be very suspicious of any claim that it was ground dug, at least in the sense that it ever touched the soil. Perhaps found in an air and water tight container in the ground or in a bunker, etc,. but if a zinc badge had exposure to soil, moisture and/or air over the course of 70+ years, it's going to show some signs of that. Even the best of cleaning methods isn't going to completely remove the signs of zinc pest, pitting, complete loss of finish, etc. Occasionally, badges made of materials of higher quality such as gold, tombak, silver, nickel silver, etc., can be found in certain types of soil (non/low-acidic types), completely dry desert like conditions or trapped in underwater conditions (i.e., clay in the bottom of a lake or stream) can be found decades later with little to no deterioration and can be cleaned to almost new condition, but not usually with zinc badges.

Either way, it's a very nice RK numbered PAB and one I'd be proud to have in my collection. I suspect that the hinge and maybe the hook were reinforced with solder at some point just to ensure they didn't break, but some oblique shots of each area would help to show better what's going on there.
Dale

[FrikorpsDanmark]

Good evening.
Thanks for the interesting comment.
You are right at some point...I also find it hard to believe sometimes.... but if we can't do something, doesn't mean that everybody can't. Look at these pictures. Isn't it fantastic?!?
I will ask seller for some extra pictures,maybe he has pictures how this badge looked when he first pulled it out from the Belarussian ground...
I will also ask him for some better close ups.
Regards,
Peteris

[FrikorpsDanmark]

Good day.
I am adding some higher resolution picture of the reverse, as there were some questions about top of the hinge.
Regards,
Peter

[Chet Sowersby]

The thread got a lot more interesting with the other pictures.

Chet