expertly refinished Tombak badge

[Norm F]

Hi Guys,

Here's something interesting. I saw this Tombak RK Minesweeper badge online and thought the finish, although nice, looked slightly atypical. Notice the nice matte gilding with polished highlights on the wreath and swastika. The frosting on the reverse looks nice as well.

The only problem is the badge has been expertly refinished some time in the last three years. I found in my records images of the same badge downloaded in 2011 -- unfortunately I can't remember who had posted them -- but before the "re-do".

Best to be aware that there's an artist out there somewhere rejuvenating badges.

First, the refinished badge.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

.

[Norm F]

..

[Norm F]

...

[Norm F]

And now the same badge in 2011.

[Norm F]

same personalization.

[Norm F]

side-by-side comparison of pre- and post-refinish. It's hard to understand why someone would show such skill in refinishing right down to the burnished highlights and yet still allow the frosting to cover the waves.

The current vendor of this badge is not suggesting it's a mint example but describes it correctly as a "worn piece" and it seems to be priced accordingly.

[greg1878]

Good eye Norm, maybe a test run on a 'common' badge to see if it gets picked up before moving on to more costly badges. Dangerous for sure.
Best - Greg

[Dietrich Maerz]

Hi Norm,

with all due respect but I don't think this is a refinished badge. IMH it is a badge which has been cleaned by dipping into some kind of jeweler's cleaning fluid and has been polished with a cloth or such.
The fluid took away part of the wave color. If it would be refinished, the pin would also not show the base material in spots.
Unfortunately, this heavy cleaning/polishing is sometimes done ...

Dietrich

[Nordmark]

Hello Norm,


in my opinion the badge was chemically and mechanically cleaned. Imo somebody did not know what he was doing, so he dipped the whole badge in some sort of coin cleanser or a silver bath. The patina on the silvering vanished, so did the blackening on the waves. The problem is, this method leaves a sticky dull silver finish on the gilding. After the idiot noticed, he needed to remove this layer of silver ions on the gilding. So now he used a polishing goo and a polishing device to mechancally remove this layer. This is what leads to the "polished highlights" of the wreath. At the end of these procedures, you'll have a totally ruined badge, but hey collectors want the mint stuff, so this is what they get...


Regards,


Daniel

[Nordmark]

Hi Norm,

with all due respect but I don't think this is a refinished badge. IMH it is a badge which has been cleaned by dipping into some kind of jeweler's cleaning fluid and has been polished with a cloth or such.
The fluid took away part of the wave color. If it would be refinished, the pin would also not show the base material in spots.
Unfortunately, this heavy cleaning/polishing is sometimes done ...

Dietrich

Mr. Maerz was quicker than me...

[Norm F]

Hi Guys,

Damn, I believe you're right! I mistook the reversal of the wave darkening for an application of frosting.

So it's gone from being a deceitful and destructive act to an irresponsibly stupid and destructive act. And the "polished highlights" are an attempt to salvage the aftermath. What a shame -- a sad fate for what was a very nice badge originally.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Don D.]

That particular dealer excessively cleans everything.

[Norm F]

That particular dealer excessively cleans everything.

But why? I can't imagine anyone in the world who would prefer the "after" to the "before" of that badge, both novice and expert alike.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Nordmark]

I did not even notice the watermark of the dealer, this all makes even more sense now. The polished up flight clasps were discussed a few days ago in the luft forum.


Regards,


Daniel