Thanks a lot Yuri and others for showing me what I don't have.
I always was quit happy with my old unmarked Schwerin even if it was a zinker, but due to this thread I need to add one other badge to my shopping list.
Here is a scan of the old warhorse so you guy's know that not everybody is so lucky
Guys, I'd like to pop this thread back to the top since I'm looking to purchase a Schwerin Uboat badge. Yuri made an interesting comment about the variety of pins, catches, and fonts for the maker's mark. My question is whether or not there is a preferable mark/pin combo to look for, or were these actually made with numerous combinations?
haveĀ“nt got one of these yet myself, but I assume that Yuri and Bills type with heads on the hinge pins, round wire catches and large font MMs are very early pieces. The other types like Jodys and Jans with no head on the hinge pin and flat wire catches are later pieces. The early ones appear to also have a slightly better strike.
If I had the choice I would of course go for one of the really early ones.
Not convinced that there is any real evidence to suggest which one of these Schwerin "types" pre-dates the other and can be considered "earlier" or "later". The absence of a head on the pin doesn't really help as the type with flat wire catch can also be found with a "headed" pin in the catch. There are at least three different Schwerin stamps in relation to font style and size that you can find on their U-Boat badge and at least five or six different pin/hinge set up combinations.
I have noticed that there are generally two types of badge, one where the eagle has a slim neck and frosted top wing (Generally found with the round wire catch and maker marked) and one with a fat neck and burnished top wing (generally found with the silver square section catch, sometimes maker marked). I believe one definately pre-dates the other but not quite sure which way round, perhaps the answer is in Philippe's zinc badge.
The fat neck version, seems to more dificult to find in top condition
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