NSDAP Golden Party Badge real??

[athomas]

Hello,

I’m in the process of getting this GPA badge by Fuess and I came across a site that explained in detail some of the 80’s made Austrian Fakes. I’m concerned this maybe one of them due to the lettering font of the “H” and “I.”

Here is the site I was speaking of

http://pages.interlog.com/~sjl/GPB/fakesnew3.html


Can someone with more expertise please advise?

Thanks,
Thomas

[athomas]

apologies- I believe I may have placed this in the wrong area.

[Wim Vangossum]

A bad piece!


Regards, Wim

[Br. James]

Hi Thomas,

Regardless of whether or not you placed your question "in the wrong area" here on WAF, I can assure you that the badge you've shown us is indeed one of the pieces known as "the Austrian Fake." I would suggest that you immediately cease dealing with whomever you are "in the process of getting this badge from," and hopefully you have not paid any money for this as yet.

BTW, the website you reference is maintained by one of our colleagues here on WAF, and is a central reference point for anyone interested in "proofing" a GPB.

Welcome among us, Thomas; it's good to have you here!

Br. James

[athomas]

Thank you very much for responding. I had a bad feeling after reading the information on-line. I placed a down payment on the item. But, I have confidence the seller is one of the good guys and will make it right.

[BobI]

Crap!
I am the seller of this and this goes to show, no matter how careful you are these days it is possible to make a mistake. My mistakes are far and few but this is one.
I will issue and immediate refund and Sorry about that Albert!
Bob

[der-hase-fee]

Atypical number font, I'd say. On Austrian fakes, they are pretty good.

[Br. James]

Right you are, Bob -- it is ALWAYS possible to make a mistake! I bought a GPB from Ron Manion's International Auction House and, more than 20 years later, I discovered that that GPB was a notorious "Austrian Fake!" I had purchased militaria and artifacts through Ron Manion's business numerous times and I always felt that he knew what he was selling...but even so, I got stung. I don't believe for a moment that Ron knew that he was offering a fake badge for sale, and it took me 20 years to discover that! So as long as we live, we learn.

Br. James

[salzmann]

But the front is the same.

Atypical number font, I'd say. On Austrian fakes, they are pretty good.

[Br. James]

"But the front is the same."

That's right! The discerning factor with the Austrian Fake GPB is that it is TOO good! The original Fuess-marked badges had poorly-defined and uneven lettering in the cloisonne enamel on the obverse, while the later-made Austrian Fake badges are nearly perfect in that regard.

Br. James

[ErichS]

"But the front is the same."

That's right! The discerning factor with the Austrian Fake GPB is that it is TOO good! The original Fuess-marked badges had poorly-defined and uneven lettering in the cloisonne enamel on the obverse, while the later-made Austrian Fake badges are nearly perfect in that regard.

Br. James

Well put James.

[Volksturmer]

I agree with ErichS,
Nicely put, Br James!
Interesting that the fakes have perfect lettering, but originals have little idiosyncrasies in the lettering and enamel that tell them apart. I have a fake GPB in my junk drawer that is almost perfect in lettering, but the enamel is perfect- no little spots of black, no years of scratches only visible under good magnification, etc. And the real ones keep their gilding incredibly well, and the fakes are artificially aged.