Nice pin! I always like the imperfections in the white enamel that you often see. As for the broken pin......it's always nice to have everything intact, especially if it's going on an NSDAP tie, but for a person who collects various examples of a particular item, as Ron seems to do with Party pins, damaged items aren't as bothersome, IMO. I can see why he likes them - vintage cloisonne enamel is very attractive.
I guess it comes down to the collectors preference. I like my pins intact and enamel little to no damage and or nearly to perfect / mint. I tend to stay away from buying badges like this one, but then again to each his own. I know some are into quantity in collecting, I am that way but I am more in to quality. Sure the badge presented here might be super cheap to add to ones collection, I much rather spend the extra money to get something thats pristine.
Ive always been told that my collection is a quality collection cause of the pieces I pick to add. Yes I love collecting, but at the same time I look at my collection as a investment and as an investment I tend to lean towards higher end quality pieces. If it comes to selling it off some where in the future, being that I pick quality pieces I can get top dollar for those pieces.
No offense to my fellow collectors but I sometimes see it on e-stand their pieces they are selling off and its not a quality piece (enamel damage, pin missing, etc), but yet they want top dollar for the piece. Then again I see people selling top quality pieces for less then what I would think its actually worth. Its like pricing has flopped. Example a quality Party badge selling for let say $70 but then you find a less quality badge (maybe cause of enamel damage, pin broken or missing and the seller wants $110 for the badge. Ive always found it funny here on the WAF.
I am the opposite. If I could get a pristine painted over a messed up and broken enamel, I would take the painted (especially if its a painted version from a maker I don't have). Granted painted zincers are not as pretty as enamel, but I love the party badge period.
I also collect auto insignia. I have an enamel DKW badge from the 50's, and it has the same "St.&L." logo as found on the 1st pattern St.&L. SS skull. They apparently survived the war, unless the badge is earlier than I thought. It's green enamel.
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