There is a High Seas Fleet Badge on the E-stand right now and I was wondering what others thought of it?
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=702073
JAndrew
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=702073
JAndrew
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Here for comment. -
An interesting badge. Not textbook. Hardware and maker mark look correct. The finish appears correct, although I don't see the fire-gilt effect from these pics. It appears to be genuine but with a lot of hand finishing on the inner edge of the wreath, removing some of the characteristic tells. Further, the normally solid connection between the secondary armament and the wreath has been cut out. Unusual but I think it's OK.
Regards
MikeRegards
Mike
Evaluate the item, not the story and not the seller's reputation!
If you PM/contact me without the courtesy of using your first name, please don't be offended if I politely ignore you!Comment
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I agree with Mike's assessment. It's the most unusual example I've ever seen because hand finishing of the margins is very atypical on Schwerin badges except on early U-Boats, but it certainly appears original. I wonder if this might indicate the very earliest production of the Destroyer line since hand finished margins on U-Boats is a feature of early production?
Best regards,
---NormComment
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What do you mean by early Destroyer line?Comment
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Hi John,Originally posted by John Robinson View Post
I was just referring to each KM badge as a "line" of production, i.e. Schwerin's U-Boat line, Destroyer line, Minesweeper line, etc.
I speculate that the badge being discussed here might be one of the earliest representatives of Schwerin's Destroyer line since it shows the hand finishing of the inner margins.
Best regards,
---NormComment
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Since it is a HSF badge, I still do not understand the point.Comment
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Oh God, I need sleep!Originally posted by John Robinson View Post
Cross out every time I said Destroyer and put in Fleet badge. 
Best regards,
---NormComment
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Norm,
If it were the earliest production then based on the reverse it would not match the time line article.
There are just a few detail things that bother me with it such as the turret and gun details (especially Anton), prow details and some of the letters on the reverse seem just the slightest bit different. Also, for such a well preserved badge the texture seems rough.
JAndrewComment
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I don't like this piece at all to be honest...
DanielComment
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ComparisonComment
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John,
Thank you for the side by side comparison. These look to be the same size images as measured from the outer corners of the swastika arms from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock. I chose that parameter because these areas were not trimmed or alterd in the finishing process.
Right away I see a different thickness in the arms of the swas. as well as the spaces between the arms. I see the eagle's talons higher on the image on the right relative to the arms of the swas. and the oak leaves to either side. Also note that the corner of the upper arm of the swas at 10 0'clock is well defined on the right but not so on the left image.
The right yard arm is longer than typically seen. I don't know if this is a die characteristic or a trimming characteristic but all the right yard arms I have seen all seem to be a bit shorter than the left. A planchette, if one exists would help resolve that issue. Also, as mentioned, the "nubs" on the inner wreath at that level are gone. Again, that could be finishing process and the lip of the left side of the crow's nest is there on the right image, not on the left. Again, could be trimming but I don't see that detail on other badges as well.
Dropping down to the range finder on top of the bridge windows there is a rectangular object above the top of the range finder. The distance between the por of the range finder and the bottom of the rectangle is different.
The bridge windows do vary a lot on these badges but I have not seen any that vary this much.
On the left range finder of "B" turret there is a triangle shaped defect on the underside. I have only seen this on double struck badges and there is no other evidence that this badge was double struck.
On "A" turret the left range finder is shorter than the right on the left image, not so on the right image. To my eyes the gun details are not the same. Wear changes? Perhaps.
The "pig snout" of the bow bollards look like they have been enhanced on the right badge.
If you look at the top edge of the gun'all to the sides of the hawses there is a greater distance from the silvery worn top edge to the superstructure and secondary turrets on the left that I do not see on the right image.
Please feel free to comment on and/or debunk these observations.
JAndrewComment
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The pig snout is called a hawsehole(s) and it does look a bit different than in other badges. The hawses are as you say, where the anchor cables pass. Little confusing I guess.
JohnComment
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John,
You are of course correct and my mistake in terminology. For some reason I had in my mind that with the stem anchor they put a pair of rollers with a small bollard at the bow above the anchor. Too many photos without labels in my head. Sorry.
JAndrewComment
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