Emil Maurice Grouping

[ErichS]

Thanks Stephen for doing the side by side comparison. This really shows the differences between the two badges making it easy to see that the badge pictured in this thread is a reproduction. Best, Erich

[sjl]

Here's a selection of low-numbered (under 100) 24 mm Deschler badges to show consistency, with the "Maurice" badge in the top left, showing it is the only odd one.

[ErichS]

Stephen, correct me if I'm wrong but in my experience, no matter the number on the 24mm Deschler badges the characteristics are always consistent.

[sjl]

Hi Erich,

I've never seen a variant small Deschler. There seems to have been only one die for both wreath and enamel disk. That's what the above picture shows for even early examples. The "Maurice" small GPB doesn't conform in many respects to the small Deschler pattern.

I have no problem calling this one a fake.

[dragnet]

Bob a big thanks for posting one of the best early nazi groupings i have seen , quite fantastic and very important and historic in its nature.

[Serge M.]

Hi Erich,

I've never seen a variant small Deschler. There seems to have been only one die for both wreath and enamel disk. That's what the above picture shows for even early examples. The "Maurice" small GPB doesn't conform in many respects to the small Deschler pattern.

I have no problem calling this one a fake.

SO Rabbi Maurice slipped Bob C. a fake GPB ? If true then here's a story that must be told.

But if everything else checks out - something could be missing, perhaps an unacknowledged variant.

In any case this grouping to have survived like this is truly beyond amazing.

Big Thanks to Bob for sharing this top world class grouping with us.

Regards,
-wagner-

[rexmundi]

I find it hard to believe that in a group like this a fake rests, but then again, stranger things have happend!

[sjl]

I've squinted at this badge for a long time. I can't believe it is an "an unacknowledged variant" as there are no known variants of this badge that have ever come to light in the 70 years since they were issued. The "unknown variant" explanation is usually the last resort of the desperate.

However, I have the beginnings of a theory - and just a theory - about this particular badge...

Form what I can see in photos, the wreath portion looks good from the front. The rotograved number on the back is unusual, but possible. It may - and I say again may - be that the enamel disk got separated from the wreath and lost over the years. This often happened and you see these badges with reattached enamel disks. You can tell because they were often reattached at an angle.

If the enamel disk from the "Maurice" badge was separated and lost or badly damaged, you would be left with just the numbered wreath part. Where to get a new enamel disk to complete it? Pry one off a readily available modern fake Deschler or Fuess badge and solder or glue it on.

So you'd have a good looking (and maybe original) wreath with a bad enamel disk.

Regardless, wherever it came from this enamel disk is bad as bad can be, as the comparison photos show - lettering wrong, white band too wide, swastika too skinny. It does however match the design of modern fakes perfectly.

[ErichS]

I've squinted at this badge for a long time. I can't believe it is an "an unacknowledged variant" as there are no known variants of this badge that have ever come to light in the 70 years since they were issued. The "unknown variant" explanation is usually the last resort of the desperate.

However, I have the beginnings of a theory - and just a theory - about this particular badge...

Form what I can see in photos, the wreath portion looks good from the front. The rotograved number on the back is unusual, but possible. It may - and I say again may - be that the enamel disk got separated from the wreath and lost over the years. This often happened and you see these badges with reattached enamel disks. You can tell because they were often reattached at an angle.

If the enamel disk from the "Maurice" badge was separated and lost or badly damaged, you would be left with just the numbered wreath part. Where to get a new enamel disk to complete it? Pry one off a readily available modern fake Deschler or Fuess badge and solder or glue it on.

So you'd have a good looking (and maybe original) wreath with a bad enamel disk.

Regardless, wherever it came from this enamel disk is bad as bad can be, as the comparison photos show - lettering wrong, white band too wide, swastika too skinny. It does however match the design of modern fakes perfectly.

Stephen, your theory seems plausible regarding the replacement of the disk but the bottom line is that it's a parts piece at best.

[sjl]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I love a good mystery.

Thanks to Photoshop, I can do a side by side comparing the Maurice badge to a known fake small "Deschler", and then compare the known fake smaller Deschler to a genuine one. You can see how the enamel center of the known fake matches the "Maurice" in all important details, and the differences stand out against a genuine one.

Again, check out the width of the white border circle and the lettering.

[sjl]

Last post. Here's the Maurice and a genuine small Deschler on a split screen. The wreath matches pretty well, but you can see the differences in the enamel disk.

[ErichS]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I love a good mystery.

Thanks to Photoshop, I can do a side by side comparing the Maurice badge to a known fake small "Deschler", and then compare the known fake smaller Deschler to a genuine one. You can see how the enamel center of the known fake matches the "Maurice" in all important details, and the differences stand out against a genuine one.

Again, check out the width of the white border circle and the lettering.

Stephen, like you I don't have a dog in this fight either and thanks for the study in comparing the two badges. When I first saw the badge in question On this thread it just screamed FAKE.

[Jon Fish]

http://www.hermann-historica.de/gb/index_59_auktion.htm

Hitlers badge in the next HH sale !!
Bob, how does the reverse of this one compared to yours?

[der-hase-fee]

http://www.hermann-historica.de/gb/index_59_auktion.htm

Hitlers badge in the next HH sale !!
Bob, how does the reverse of this one compared to yours?

Which lot is that ?

[Jon Fish]

....they have a search function,use it !