Frontflugspange questions

[Stijn David]

Hello,


A question came up recently after the purchase of a " frontflugspange für kampfflieger " this weekend, it is Zinc piece and it is very hard to make out the original colour => is the colour of the needle a indicator for the original colour of the clasp ?

For example does bronze zinc clasps have a bronze colour needle ? does a silver zinc clasp have a silver colour needle ? etc ....

Some food for toughts

[Joseph D'Errico]

Hello Stijn,

I had the same problem with one of my examples. I have a zinc gold day fighter clasp from G.H. Osang with pennant. If the pennant was not present it would be almost impossible to identify the class. On my example the pin is gold, I cannot say that is a solid guide in all cases. The recesses of the leaves and the side of the spange revealed some signs of gold wash, otherwise not much else to go by.

Best Regards,
JD

[Gene]

Stijn,

The color of the pin is a good indicator. Many clasps have been passed off as gold but their bronze colored pin always gave them away. On zinc clasps it isn't unusual to see the entire finish worn away except for the pin itself; I have a long range day fighter clasp that looks silver, but it's bronze pin tells me otherwise.

Gene

[Stijn David]

frontflugspange question

Hello,


thank you both for your help as it has been very interestingonce again => it seems then to me that it is a very faded Gold grade clasp ( thanks towards the gold colour of the pin and catch ! )

Anyone care's to post pictures from their faded treasure's ?


Cordial greetings,

[François SAEZ]

Can somebody post pics (back) of zink ones

Thanks

[Frank Heukemes]

This is a Nahnachtjäger-Spange (zinc) in bronze. Hinge, catch and pin also finished in bronze.

[Gene]

Long range day fighter in bronze with almost no finish, front:

[Gene]

Reverse. You can partially see the pin which is bronze in color, yet the clasp has a silverish hue to it as it's finish has faded.

[Joseph D'Errico]

Hello Stijn,

Sorry this took so long, very Long day. Here is a zinc G.H Osang, Long Gold Range Day Fighter clasp with pennant. This piece has no real gold finish left, but the pin, catch and hinge do.

Best regards,
JD

[Joseph D'Errico]

The Reverse

[Joseph D'Errico]

Close up

[Stijn David]

Frontflugspange question

Hello,


Thanks my dear collecting friends => those pictures are very helpfull and it seems that the colour of the pin's are good indicators on Zinc made clasps.

Anyone that has a discoloured Silver piece they want to share ? ( please show both the fornt and then the reverse with pin )


Cordial greetings,

[RPN]

Hi Stijn

Here's my Osang Schlachtflieger in silver ... most of the finish on this one is intact, but I guess it confirms the general principle of the pin colour matching the clasp ... when the clasp is zinc.

Regards
Paul


[/IMG]

[François SAEZ]

Well, now I am lost - of course I don't know zinc clasps & badges BUT it was my understanding that the pin on them was not zinc - so, to take the pin as a good indicator of the class was not enough, but you guys seem to show that I am wrong (which is good) - I will look in my image librairy as I thought that pin were buntmetal or tombac whatever if the clasp is zinc or buntmetal and that the color of the pin can not be an indicator of the class

On the other hand, thanks to all as I am learning something new here as you are probably right

François

[skip]

eh Francois,

you are of course right, the pins are nearly always "buntmetal" which holds the finish (bronze, silver, gold) much better than zinc. Thats why most people look at the pin on zinc pieces to determine in which class the badge was finished in.

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