High Seas Fleet badge

[DaveNZ]

I have been looking at HSF badges.

Most have 5 portholes/windows at the front of the boat but sometimes I have come across badges where the porthole on the left side (looking at the badge) is missing (or very faint) ie there are only 4 portholes.

does this mean it is a fake or sometimes were originals like this too?

[theinglebaby23]

My understanding is that everything should be really crisp, even if the finish is worn off, but I'm not 100% sure... this site has a pretty extensive article/section on just the high seas fleet that talks about it.

[FW 200]

Is it made of tombak w/coke bottle pin?

[Ludwig]

-

Some collectors say this means fake (just four holes), but I don´t know if this alone makes a fake.
Can´t you post pictures of your badge?

[skip]

Some collectors say this means fake (just four holes), but I don******180;t know if this alone makes a fake.
Can******180;t you post pictures of your badge?

No it does******180;nt. There are original versions of this badge with only 4 portholes. The far left obviously broke at some time. On some latter badges you can see were this has been rectified.

Unfortunatly a high end fake casting uses exactly the badge with only 4 portholes. This has led to the collectors myth that all badges with 4 portholes are fake.

It really is worth reading Mike Kennys excellent article on the association pages to get a deeper knowledge of this badge. Another reason to join the association as well as the ability to post pictures.

Skip

[mrg]

Not all 4 windows are fake on some a very weak 5 window is visible, but hard to see.

[John R.]

Hsf

Dave,

Please go to the great articles by Mike and Rob in the Association's research area for this badge.

Scroll down to the bottom, click on wehrmacht-awards.com next to the contact us and go to association area. You will find it sooner or later.

Mike's article is the best reference you can find on this badge and if you take the time, and it will take a lot of time, to study the work he has done, your questions will be answered and more.

The SB HSF is more complicated than most think, Mike did a great job on the paper and provided all of us a tremendous service when he did this.

Please take advantage of it, since most do not even know it is there. Rob's article is just below and covers the other SB badges.

If you can't find them, let me know.

John

[skip]

John,

Dave won******180;t be able to read that as its for Assoc. members only.

Skip

[Jan Arne S]

Hi !
Here is a original Schwerin with 5. window on bridge weakly impressed .

Jan Arne

[Jan Arne S]

Back .

Jan Arne

[chris clark]

the one with the weak fith porthole is an accepted badge. there are of course other pointers on the badge to determine is right or not. agree with above read the article and all will be explained

[John R.]

member

Dave,

The association membership is where you need to be. You are clearly very interested in more than a basic understanding of these awards, the studies I and others have mentioned alone make it worthwhile.

John

[DaveNZ]

Thanks for all your posts; have been off-line for a bit.

yes i see the benifit in being an association member id need to get a digital camera too...

if you want to look at the HSF badge i am talking about it is for sale at weitze.net. if i remember rightly it is going for 325 euro.

it is this item:

Flottenkriegsabzeichen Feinzink, Hersteller "Fec. Adolf Bock - Ausf. Schwerin Berlin", getragen Zustand 2
Military antiques > Decorations of the Kriegsmarine
 #76793

Id be interested in hearing peoples views on it.

It has coke bottle shaped pin and i have a gut feeling it is OK but then again its hard to be sure.

[John R.]

Hsf

Dave,

It is an authentic zinc HSF badge.

[DaveNZ]

Thanks for taking a look; yes i thought it was OK but the mssing port hole threw me a bit