Cloth U-Boat Badge

[Rommel1933]

Was given this cloth badge a while back.. wondered if anyone knew if this was real or not???

Thank you,
Scott

[John R.]

This is the machine woven style (BEVO) which many collectors feel is post war. However, I am not sure of any actual proof it is postwar other than it appeared, according to some collectors, in the 70's. Maybe some others would care to elaborate, but for me, it is in the possible catagory.

If it was mine, I would hold on to it.

The accepted style is the machine embroidered or hand embroidered bullion type. This type has photographic evidence in wear while so far, I am not aware of any similar evidence with the BEVO style.

The regulations for the cloth badge are discussed in the Weber KM book just published by Dietrich but they were officially phased out by the KM during the war.

John

[BubbaZ]

Here is more discussion on these bevo U-boat badges:
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...t=cloth+U-Boat
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ht=bevo+U-Boat
I personaly do not belive in them.
Cheers,
Hubert

[Rommel1933]

Thank you Hubert and Jon! Good info and I certainly learned a lot reading these posts! Its amazing how many dealer website I see this patch listed at!

Thank you,
Scott

[Jody]

Cloth U-boat badge

Hello,
I have said in other threads that I do not like these woven badges. These were in fact sold in the 1970's by the Unique Imports company (these badges are marked on the side-Keen). I had one myself as a kid.

The only cloth types I trust are the embroidered ones.

Regards,
Jody

Here is my example:

[John R.]

Thanks for the links to the old threads Hubert and the input from Jody. I wonder what the word KEEN is all about on the side of these patches?

[Rommel1933]

Good question John... I don tknow but mine has that too! It would almost seem that someone making a reproduction would not put initials that do not relate to something real?

Jody, Thank you for your inputs.. any chance you want to "relive" your childhood and take this patch off my hands? jk...

Thank you,
Scott

[BubbaZ]

Its amazing how many dealer website I see this patch listed at!

That's true Scott, it is extremely popular item. The one enclosed is now being offered at militaria321 for 90.00 € (buy it now price).
Cheers,
hubert

[Rommel1933]

Hubert here is one for 290 Euros....

Scott

http://beck-militaria.de/index.php?a...bric+Type.html

[John R.]

I asked the author Gordon Williamson about the BEVO cloth badge and this is what he said:

"I always thought it was K.E.E.N., i.e. a set of initials rather than a word. For sure there are certainly a huge proportion of these that are fake - easily established with a burn test as the nylon type fibres will melt.

However, I have seen examples where the material was the correct type of rayon used in the period and did not have the K.E.E.N. letters.

So, I suppose my position has always been one of accepting that the majority are fakes ( and certainly, the obvious fakes have indeed been around since the 70s) and that ALL should be treated with caution but that I'm not quite convinced that it can be said that it has been proven that there are NO period examples of this type.

Personally, I'd class the non K.E.E.N. marked examples in correct Rayon material in a similar way to the Bacqueville badges - there will probably never be hard proof either way and collectors will just have to decide for themselves whether they believe in them or not.

Gordon"

[Jody]

Jody, Thank you for your inputs.. any chance you want to "relive" your childhood and take this patch off my hands? jk...

Thank you,
Scott

Hi Scott,
I am not that eager. If I wanted to relive my childhood, I would rather purchase a DK in gold or silver in the $250+ price range or get back the SS panzer em overseas cap I sold for $300 back in 1980.

Regards,
Jody

[BubbaZ]

I asked the author Gordon Williamson about the BEVO cloth badge and this is what he said:

"I always thought it was K.E.E.N., i.e. a set of initials rather than a word. For sure there are certainly a huge proportion of these that are fake - easily established with a burn test as the nylon type fibres will melt.

However, I have seen examples where the material was the correct type of rayon used in the period and did not have the K.E.E.N. letters.

So, I suppose my position has always been one of accepting that the majority are fakes ( and certainly, the obvious fakes have indeed been around since the 70s) and that ALL should be treated with caution but that I'm not quite convinced that it can be said that it has been proven that there are NO period examples of this type.

Personally, I'd class the non K.E.E.N. marked examples in correct Rayon material in a similar way to the Bacqueville badges - there will probably never be hard proof either way and collectors will just have to decide for themselves whether they believe in them or not.

Gordon"

Thanks John
Cheers,
Hubert

[Rommel1933]

thank you for helping me out w/ this thread.. really great stuff... I am 100% sure this is not accepted as geniune among collectors like yourselfs... I do feel there is a 90% chance this is some 70's repro... all great stuff!

Off to the repro quarantine box this goes!

Thank you, Scott