HSF High Seas Fleet UNKNOWN

[Brian S]

I'm looking at this for a couple weeks and there are things I like and don't like about it.

First off, it's certainly not a maker mark that's generally accepted, BUT, that's no reason to assume it's bad.

Here is the front. Very mint, maybe too mint...

[Brian S]

Closeup, some details really crisp, some not...

[Brian S]

Closeup of eagle

[Brian S]

And here's where we come up snake eyes

I like the gently dished back, the hinge, the clasp, the top hook nicely balled at the end, the pin bent nicely, but P.M.

Is this a highend fake from India???

[Lorenzo Brown]

Hi Brian. Well...this is a first for me. Never seen that one before. Hate to be a skeptic...but I'm gonna be one.

The gilt doesn't look like true WWII era gilt...more like a gold finish. Details are not very crisp...rather kinda soft.

Nevertheless...it IS a nice looking badge, but so are the fake RS&S HSF badges.

My guess is this is a new fake that we should be wary of.

And, Brian...as you know, the BIG QUESTION is: If this is real....WHERE ARE THE OLD WORN ONES?? This one looks FRESH outa the oven.

[Brian S]

Thanks Lorenzo, I am not trying to make a silk purse out of this one. I was frankly amazed at the quality of the back of the badge. Remember those E-boat beauties from India how the back was not a gently sloping dish? This one clearly much much more clever. I too would not expect to have in my hands the one and only P.M. HSF

I'm going to ask the owner if I can test an edge of the 'gilting' with some paint remover to test the finish.

[Lorenzo Brown]

I'm going to ask the owner if I can test an edge of the 'gilting' with some paint remover to test the finish.

OK..but it may not be paint. Some of these badges have a hi-tech gold finish that is more like an electro-plate than paint. Here are scans of a popular fake that has such a hi-tech finish. It is a copy of an authentic zinc badge.

[Brian S]

Formby's didn't remove it so it may be as you say another type of finish. I thought Indian examples often employed true gilt?

Here is a 2,400 bpi on the scanner to get to the metal.

[Don D.]

Brian, is that maker mark raised or indented?

[Brian S]

Indented, amazing how photos do that to you isn't it?

[Brian S]

Remember the famous eboot fake with the heavy scoop.

Clipped pin hook, different application of hinge, scoop and not gently formed back indentation. If this is a fake, which is no doubt is, they are getting smarter and smarter.