Bronze Eagle on Marble Base W/Gold Party Badge - Comments Please

[Colorado]

I picked this up many years ago in Germany from a local man we used to call the "taxi driver" who cleaned out houses and sold at flea markets. He sold out of the back of his cab. It's pretty good sized and weighs 5 pounds sitting atop a marble base.

The possible explanation for this it belonged to someone who had a GPB, and this period copy of a GPB was affixed to a standard patriotic eagle by such man. There is no way a GBP wearer would put his issued badge on an eagle mounted like this. The quality of the badge is nice until you look under magnification of course. I would not think someone would do that were it sitting on a desk.

No doubt the eagle the eagle is old (you can see the cracks on the legs). There is no indication the GPB was affixed with modern glue or anything. Given where I got it from a non-collecting source I don't think it has been passed from collector to collector.

I have kept it all these years now that I have sold off most of the collection for one reason, it displays real nice. What are your thoughts, could GPB "copies" be made for such a purpose? Or is this a nice old eagle that someone slapped a badge on post-war?

Thanks!

[Colorado]

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[Colorado]

You can see the "bubbles" in the red fish scales even though it does not photo well here.

[Colorado]

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[Colorado]

5

[hcliffe]

A very neat item Jeff. No idea about the GPB, but why not have a duplicate made and adorn this majestic bird with it?

[ErichS]

A very neat item Jeff. No idea about the GPB, but why not have a duplicate made and adorn this majestic bird with it?

I agree that it looks cool but I agree on why put a copy badge on it when replacement badges during the period were not that expensive. As far as being original maybe Kris will chime in with an opinion.

[sjl]

The GPB is a post-war copy.

While a recipient I suppose could do anything they want to their GPB in the privacy of their own home, using one on a non-official award would get you into a heap of trouble. I have never seen a GPB used as any kind of decoration or other than as a wearing badge.

There were no "period copies" of the GPB - that would also land you in jail for a long time.

[ErichS]

The GPB is a post-war copy.

While a recipient I suppose could do anything they want to their GPB in the privacy of their own home, using one on a non-official award would get you into a heap of trouble. I have never seen a GPB used as any kind of decoration or other than as a wearing badge.

There were no "period copies" of the GPB - that would also land you in jail for a long time.

There you have it so now is the Eagle an original????

[gauost]

The desk top trophy reflects a patriotic Eagle which has been around since the 1900,s - I had the same eagle mounted on a bronze/brass pillar and a marble base. On the pillar was engraved " Flieg Deutscher Adler Flieg"(Fly German Eagle Fly)- I would be skeptic about the originality/period mounted party pin, beleive this was added post-45.

Horst

[Colorado]

Thanks to all for the opinions. I want to ensure I use truth in advertising before selling.

I will likely be taking this to MAX with me to sell. Given the weight and difficulty in packing it up might be a tough one to sell on estand and send in the mail.

[Vid]

I have seen this bird before or one like it. My first impression was Imperial as I have seen them with painted highlights such as this beak. I am not sure about the base or the bird but it looks o.k to me. The base looks wrong though, usually these have a taller and more narrow base giving the bird some height.

I sent a photo to a friend for a second opinion as the post war badge makes me skittish on the bird. But they did exist.

Kris

[Vid]

Response:

This is a typical between-the-wars era eagle. I doubt that it is bronze, more likely pot metal with a bronze wash. They were made in large numbers, and are not scarce.

Pretty much in line, but real.

[Military]

I think the eagle and the badge did not come together originally and the eagle itself might not have been from the third reich era. just my gut feeling in the way the design of the eagle and its talons just speak to me more like an imperial item or perhaps a post war copy.

Given the fact that the bronze or metal base of the eagle was quite tall, if they wanted to, i am certain they would have added a swastika or a symbol to that and not just add a copy of the GPB on the marble platform.

do you see any markings on the eagle?

[Colorado]

Thanks again for the comments.

Military - No, I do not see any markings on the eagle.