Osang tombak para badge part II?

[skip]

Interesting and well run thread this one.
Frank I agree with all you comments except for the ones concerning other makers. There do exist Paras from GWL, B&NL and Meybauer with the eagles in buntmetal and the wreaths in zinc. You mentioned it with the B&NL but probably just forgot abouut the others.
I have yet to find a Osang Para with any of the parts in buntmetal, I´m hoping to find one eventually with a buntmetal eagle.

Although the wreath on my example is exceptionally heavily plated and detailed the presence of catchplate points to zinc. The eagle is rather weak in comparison.
I have measured the height and width of the wreath but have left the eagle for want of measuring points.

Wreath height-53,3mm
Wreath width-42mm

Skip

[skip]

I´m reserving any comments on the first one shown. The pics and weights that Jo gives us should be enough to form a more educated opinion. It looks good but as Frank says it also seems suspicious

[merdock]

Hi,

Skip mention that his wreath is heavily silver plated but has a catch plate how can the metal underneath be assertained
Merdock

[merdock]

Hi,

Merdock again just looked through my junk box and i have 2x badges with the exact same wreath as the badge posted by Skip ,same hinge,pin and hook with base plate marked with different makers 1 by juncker and 1 by Assman which seems a little suspect.

[Frank Heukemes]

Sorry, merdock but you are surely mistaken. Skip´s badge is the classic doubtless Osang para, it does not get any better than that. Show us the examples from your junk box.

[merdock]

Hi Frank ,think i'm confusing myself here,not that there's anything wrong with skips badge.
My question was more towards how do you tell a zinc wreath thats heavily plated from say a solid nickle wreath is it the addition of' the base plate to the hook or what, i have in my junk box 2x luftwaffe badges' not para ones mind you 'with the same hinge pin and hook/base plate sent up could they be plated zinc?will dig them out.
All the best Merdock

[Frank Heukemes]

Hi merdock,

It is a bit complicated to answer that well:

-ORIGINAL badges:

-the hinge- and catchplates are indeed good indicators for a zinc wreath.
-other than that you develop a "feel" for the different metal when handling a lot of them. So even if a zinc wreath is heavily silver plated, you will still feel the difference compared to, let´s say Tombak. If you are good, you can even see it in mere pictures.

-FAKES:

-not so easy here because fakers do silly things. A badge of zinc construction (with hinge- and catchplates) does by no means indeed have a zinc wreath. They mostly use strange modern metals, not the "good old" zinc. Weird combinations of zinc and Buntmetall setups can be found.

[Joseph D'Errico]

Hi Frank,



Just wanted to let you know that the badge in question has not arrived yet. I will post the pics and weights and measuremts as soon as it gets here.



Best,

JD

[Frank Heukemes]

Thanks Joe,

.........and welcome back!

[Joseph D'Errico]

Thanks Joe,

.........and welcome back!

Thank you Frank, good to be back.

Best,
Joe