Assmann Mine-sweeper Badge

[Yuri D.]

Has anyone ever seen an Assmann mine-sweeper badge before?

Yuri

[jacques]

Yes, I had one few years ago.

[Mike Kenny]

Hi Yuri,

Yes, Assmann made a Minesweeper Badge. I've only seen a handful and haven't been able to get hold of one myself but they look quite good - very different from a Schwerin as well. The early tombak ones had really nice fire-gilding too.

Regards
Mike K

[Yuri D.]

Here's one I found:

Yuri

[Yuri D.]

Reverse

[Yuri D.]

Maker mark

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Yuri,

I never saw an original Assmann although I also heard they do exist.
However, here is a pic of a very well done Buntmetall FAKE Assmann Minesweeper that looks frighteningly close to what you have got. Tough decision, I would almost say it is that fake but as I said, I do not know what a real one looks like.

Cheers, Frank H.

[Mike Kenny]

Hi Yuri,

Going through my old auction archives, I found an image of this Assmann Minesweeper Badge - it's one that I wish I had paid more attention to and bid on it to win! Sorry the maker's mark is not visible. The only other trustworthy reference I have for an Assmann Minesweeper Badge is from IMM #63 which shows a tombak example - the maker's mark appears to be raised (53.9 x 44.o mm, 31.5g). One thing to note is that where the hinge is attached, there seems to be a faint raised elongate rectangle (with rounded corners) - total lenght of this feature appears to be about twice as long as the length of the hinge). Also, I take back what I said about Assmanns being different than Schwerins - I've just re-evaluated and there seem to be quite a few similarities.

Regards
Mike K

PS to Frank: without meaning to be difficult or rude, how can you say the badge you've posted is a repro if you've never seen a real one to compare with?

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Mike,

Your question is not rude and I would have had the same thought process. But I can be sure because:

1) the guy that sells these sells high end repros exclusively in vast amounts, predominantly on German militariaweb. Also on his website. Check out the adress on the photo!

2) his stock of these never runs out. Since he basically has high end repros of almost every Third Reich award, he is clever enough not to offer the same ones each month. He waits about three to six months, sometimes a year until he presents the exact same award again.

3) His minesweepers are always RK or Assmann

Not watertight evidence but a justified assumption grown into an opinion the longer I observe this guy. And I do so regularly because he is an excellent source to learn about new fakes.

Cheers, Frank

[Yuri D.]

Mine has this oval bordered area near the hinge.

Yuri

[Yuri D.]

Here it is

[Yuri D.]

The dimensions of my badge are:

Height: 53.92 mm
Width: 44.08 mm

Weight: 29 g

So the dimensions are damn close to the described original.

Yuri

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Yuri,

As far as I can see the one I described as fake does NOT have that oval bordered area.

Cheers, Frank H.

[Yuri D.]

Someone else MUST have another Assmann Mine-sweepr badge to share?

Yuri

[Yuri D.]

This badge is keeping me awake at night. There must be someone else out there with this badge by Assmann. Whoever you are.......... I summon you :-)

Yuri