Paul Meybauer Pilot Badge

[Jean-Claude]

There is also this one I have in my archives and that I always found interesting (original photo posted by Bob Hritz: I hope he doesnt mind). It seems to come from the same dies as the hollow stamped eagle S&L pilot discussed in this thread but with a twist: solid back cupal eagle welded (or glued?) on zink wreath...

Regards

JC

[JJS]

These are post war, no way they come from vet grouping. If so, they have been bought as replacement piece after the war from post war S&L board IMO.

The S&L is a great badge doh!!

Seb

Seb:
How do you know what came out of vet groupings and what didn't?
Personally, if I wanted an ultra-rare luft badge, I would much rather have a Danzig flak badge with good provenance (including a wartime photo of the badge in wear) from a vet grouping than have an unmarked Meybauer pilot badge with no provenance, notwithstanding any technical analyses. And in fact, my collection reflects that bias. That said, I respect your right to hold the opposite view. If we all had exactly the same collecting preferences, it would be a boring world wouldn't it?
Best regards,
JJS

[Brian S]

...Danzig flak badge with good provenance (including a wartime photo of the badge in wear) from a vet grouping...
Best regards,
JJS

Key being, wartime photo in wear...

[JJS]

Key being, wartime photo in wear...

Right on man. There are more wartime photos of Danzig flak badges in wear than there are confirmed examples of them to document comparative technical specifications.
So what do we make of that?? Well, we know they're real, but we don't know precisely how they were manufactured. Or do we? Well, maybe we do if we take the time and make the effort to find the ones with provenance.
And, back to pilot badges, what do we really know about Deutschbein pilot badges or round wreath pilot badges? I would argue that -- based strictly on provenance -- we know more about them than we know about Meybauer pilot badges (based on manufacturing specs). Just my view for what it's worth. This is not always an absolute, all-or-none field. Prudent judgement has to consider all lines of evidence; that is all I am saying.

[Jos L C]

No one claims that the round wreath badges came from pilots sofar ..
You claim 4 pilots ..
I bet those pilots also had pics of them showing that particular badge on a jacket, no ?
4 pilots .. 4 chances.

Jos.

[Brian S]

Maybe some claims, but no concrete proof.

[JJS]

Maybe some claims, but no concrete proof.

My point exactly. "Concrete proof": just how do we define that? Not by a third-hand tall tale of a vet bring-back story. Not by a blurry photo. And not by a rivet shape. None of these are concrete proof.
But these same lines of evidence, when credible, can be at the very least intriguing, sometimes even compelling, but only rarely concrete. There are grey areas in our hobby gentlemen; that is my point.

[Jos L C]

Proof is a combination of facts, comparing, era pics, actual owners, agreements etc..
It's hard to prove so-called grey area stuff, how nice or special it might be.
If it feels good, why not, but I still have problems with exotic stuff, the handful of badges representing balloon, see going, luft panzer, round wreath etc..
Half hollow eagles on pilot badges are another one, especially because I've seen them some where on a site where they were sold labeled as reproduction.
Apparently and unfortunately I didn't bookmark it, for badges are not my main collecting field, but I seem to remember that these particular pilot badges are dangerous stuff.

Jos.

[dragnet]

Here is one i have and adding for the archive