U-boat badge FO marked opinions

[pimpf]

Looking for opinions about this FO marked badge.

Thanks for any help,
Alex

[Lorenzo Brown]

FO made U-Boat badges with both vertical and horizontal pin assemblies, and they used the same type of hinge for both. The hinge on yours looks like the type they used but the base plate seems a little smaller than those I've seen on the horizontal type....maybe it's the scan.

The design on your badge looks like an FO, but the mark looks a little funky....it doesn't look well formed and there appears to be a bar across the top of the "o" that I've never seen before.

[pimpf]

Lorenzo, thanks for your opinion. Except the maker mark one more detail surprised me - take a look at the crossed ribbons on the wreath, they having horizontal stripes. All badges I have seen before had been without these stripes.

[Lorenzo Brown]

Yep..I noticed that ,too. I have a late war zinc without the stripes..but maybe yours is an earlier strike??
Is yours made of zinc? What is the weight?

Dunno..need more opinions!!

[pimpf]

I got only scans of badge from seller - with no information about weight and material.

[Spanky]

Looks Good

The details are identical to my zinc "fo" sub badge except for the maker mark and the lines across the ribbon, which are more distinct on this one (Mine has the horizontal pin though). I have seen some variation in the fo maker marks. Some have a line below the letters, mine has a little tail on the bottom of each letter that looks like a die flaw. Given this observed maker mark variation and since the details are identical, I would conclude that this is a genuine one.

[Frank Heukemes]

be very careful about this one

Dear pimpf,

I will not give you an opinion about your badge but I just want to point you to the two attached pictures of a very similar almost identical badge to yours (except for the distorted eagle´s head). This badge is currently offered on the German militariaweb auction by a dealer that deals with high end fakes ALL the time. In fact, I always study his offerings to learn more about the latest and best fakes.

Cheers, Frank H.

[Frank Heukemes]

and obverse...

[skip]

Hello All,

this badge is also currently on offer in the next auction of "Berliner Aucktions Haus für Geschichte", That is not a very good sign.