U-Boat Badge Marked "F.O."

[jwburchell]

Showing here a badge that has really seen better days. The condition issues are obvious, starting with the missing eagle's head; the lack of crisp detail and the pitting marks/craters in several locations on the obverse - in particular midship on the submarine just below the conning tower and on the wing.

In spite of the condition, I just want to make sure if this is a period original or not. It would be classified as a "Type 3" and the maker mark for Friedrich Orth seems OK to me. However, I am having a hard time even imagining an original badge with these issues ever having being released from the maker's shop....but could perhaps have occurred later in time.

Feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks,

John

[Norm F]

Hi John,

It has a chance as an original but a heavily corroded and damaged ground-dug example that's been cleaned up? Badges in that condition don't really have a lot of appeal without good provenance, I'm afraid.

Best regards,
---Norm

[jwburchell]

Thank you for your feedback, Norm.
Best regards,
John

[kefru177]

I think its a cast fake that's been aged in chemicals.

[Norm F]

The reason I think it's more likely a damaged ground-dug original is the small details at the corners of the internal cutouts and the correct hinge and main pin with similar striations on the wire as seen on originals.

Best regards,
---Norm

[BubbaZ]

I agree with Norm, ground dug FO zincer, corroded and missing the catch.
Cheers,
Hubert

[jwburchell]

Thanks, again, for the excellent feedback!

[Butch Gooch]

FO U-boat

I have never seen a FO U-boat with a Vertical pin, were they numerous?
Thanks, B.

[BubbaZ]

I have never seen a FO U-boat with a Vertical pin, were they numerous?
Thanks, B.

There are 3 zinc variants of FO u-boat. Two of them feature horizontal pins and are quite common. The one with vertical pin is harder to find but still not rare.
Cheers,
Hubert

[Butch Gooch]

Reply

Thanks Bubba!!, Butch

[Almost Samurai]

I think its a cast fake that's been aged in chemicals.

Leaning your side of the fence.

The front sure has some deep pits without any surrounding corrosion.... suspect.
I'd like to see similar damage on a piece worth half as much. Plenty of ground dugs out there.

It also has incredible similarities.

It reminds me of blood stain pitting often seen on firearms.

[Patrick W]

100% original and as stated the least common version of FO. Not ground dug IMO just stored in a slightly damp environment which has lead to localised but aggressive zinc pest. If it were ground dug I would expect to see much more generalised corrosion and adhesions and also rusting to the pin setup.

[Lubo]

I’d agree, original for me as well!