Gau Danzig Badge

[TobyR]

Hi Everybody,

I thought I'd throw the cat amongst the pigeons and post this for your opinions: an example of the Gau Danzig badge. Yes, it is much faked. However, I (presently!) believe this to be a genuine example.

It is not the textbook silver example though, but silver plate over zinc. Hopefully, the photos will allow you to see that there is the typical bubbling assoc. with zinc badges, evident both on the reverse, and also the obverse (see the close-ups of the swastika).

Also, please notice, what in my opinion are signs of genuine (as opposed to enhanced) wear, for example, the wear to the plated finish on the reverse, and subsequently exposed zinc, where it has rubbed, over and over again, against a tunic. The pin and catchplate also show signs of wear.

I have also tried to show the difference between the plated finish and the underlying zinc (see the shot of the edge).

Anyway, I would most certainly be interested to hear your opinions on this badge.

Thanks for looking.

All the best,
Toby.

[TobyR]

Close-up (note the bubbling to the finish on the swastika):

[TobyR]

Another close-up:

[TobyR]

Reverse:

[TobyR]

Reverse Close-up:

[TobyR]

And another:

[TobyR]

And finally, a shot of the edge, showing the zinc, and the border of the plate, i.e. where it has worn off.

[VerKuilen Ager]

The rule of thumb is that when there's friction between two surfaces, the softer of the two takes the wear. IMHO the kind of abrasion displayed by this example can't be attributable to rubbing against a uniform, unless it was worn for about 600 years or it was pinned to a shirt of chain mail.

With massive wear on the back, why no significant signs of use on the front? Usually the reverse is the protected side. For the length of time it would have taken to put this kind of wear on the reverse, the front would have been worn smooth just from bumping up against the dinner table. It's more likely that either there was significant zinc oxidation and somebody did a heavy-handed scrubbing job to clean it off, or this badge has simply been doctored to look older.

A plated zinc badge is worth a pause. The die-struck silver version with hallmark and double pin holding plate, and the aluminum version are generally what are accepted as the original manufacture.

[TobyR]

Hi VerKuilen,

Many thanks for replying. You make a very good point about the chainmail tunic. Maybe I should have taken science after all! Ironic considering I took German instead.

Re. the badge, I wonder if there is something in the possibility that the badge was cleaned heavily. Maybe I'm clutching at straws here (optimistic to the end) but the obverse does appear to have been cleaned: the highpoints of the wreath all stand out against the dark tarnish of the background. Also, there would appear to be lines of tarnish around the central shield, i.e. areas where a cloth might have missed whilst cleaning.

Do you think it is possible this could have been a private purchase piece for daily wear?

And can I ask what you think of the detail to the obverse? Do you think it is of an acceptable quality to be a period badge?

Thanks and best regards,
Toby.