U-boat Badge L/18

[KraVi]

Hello, some opinions please...

[Steve Mezey]

very nice

Extremely fine example, Very Nice
Steve

[BubbaZ]

I agree, it looks like tombak Schickle made u-boat marked L/18 by BH Mayer. Can you please send a closeup of the L/18 mark on the pin? I wnder if it received the gilt before or after the mark was stamped? I suppose before since this look like typical Schickle finish.
Cheers,
Hubert

[Jelle M.]

I agree a very nice U-boot badge marked with L/18 for BH Mayer.
Great condition!

[Giel VW]

Lovely looking piece indeed but was this pin gilded? If my memory serves me right these were always plain silver colored pins.

[KraVi]

thanks, i only have this pictures

[BubbaZ]

Lovely looking piece indeed but was this pin gilded? If my memory serves me right these were always plain silver colored pins.

That's why I asked for exstra pics.
And the maker's mark on the pin seems covered with gold paint which may indicate a refinish.
Here is my mint example for comparison.
Cheers,
Hubert

[Norm F]

I agree that the strongly gilded pin is not seen on the unmarked Schickle-attributed U-Boats, and there's also what looks like a drip of gilding on the eagle wing which is atypical.

Having said that, I notice that other more worn examples stamped "L/18" by Mayer also show vestiges of gilding on the pin and in the depths of the "L/18" stamp, so it's possible that Mayer applied another coat of gilding after stamping the pins for retail.

The difficulty now is knowing whether that extra gilding on the badge in the opening post was applied in wartime or post-war. It would help to know more about the provenance of the badge.

Best regards,
---Norm

[BubbaZ]

I have checked my Schickle u-boat and the pin is also gilded on it. The layer of gild on the pin is very thin and worn in some areas but 70% of it is still there.
Maybe main pins on these Schickle u-boats were always gilded but this gild was very prone to wear? What would be the reason to have the catch and the hinge gilded and not the pin?
Cheers,
Hubert

[Norm F]

What would be the reason to have the catch and the hinge gilded and not the pin?
Cheers,
Hubert

Hi Hubert,

It depends on whether the badge is gilded before or after the pin is installed on to the hinge. As you know, some Juncker and Schwerin badges had black-finished main pins which presumably were finished prior to installing on the badge.

Anyway, if the Schickle U-Boats were gilded to include the main pin then as you say it must have been delicate and easily worn off. That still doesn’t explain the robust gilding on the pin on the badge from the opening post, especially since it was obviously gilded after the “L/18” was stamped into the pin with a hand tool, unless it was a different stronger kind of gilding that was applied by Mayer or someone else. Your badge is just as mint as the badge on the opening post and yet the gilding wore off the pin on yours much more readily, suggesting a different type of finish.

Best regards,
—-Norm

[Jody]

U-boat

Here is my L/18.