Pith Helmet Shields Afrika Korps

[mel]

On request I am placing scans of these pith helmets shields to be discussed in this forum.

These were part of the large find near Berlin of obsolete emblems which surfaced approximately 20 years ago. A.o. various types of eagles, Heer, Luftwaffe etc. for peaked caps. Pictures of the original box in which they came can be provided as well.

[mel]

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[mel]

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[Jos L C]

Hello Mel,

My question is this :

If these eagles are aluminum the copper prongs can't be soldered, so, they have to be zink or plated metal.., solder shows less corrosion after all those years which concerns me a little..

Jos.

[mel]

Now that I look at them again, I indeed think that you are correct and that they are made of zink

[paulbear]

THE COPPER PRONGS ARE A PLUS to start plus the stamping looks to good to be anything but period IMO

paul

[Jos L C]

If they're zink, the solder is applied over the plating/finish.... , impossible.., they first soldered the prongs and then the finish was applied..
There're eagles where the pins are copper, but then they're crimped in..
From the pics I've problems with the eagle's pattern and the after 60 years "shiny" solder and till now I only know of one original type with a filled in space between the arms of the swas and that one has 2 flat prongs.
I think it's funny that a lot of pretty rare eagles found 20 years ago is now and not sooner offered for the price of a common cap eagle, which if they're original would be great ofcourse.., but I've concerns.

Just my opinion..

Jos.

[mel]

These surfaced circa 20 years ago and the lot was split in 2 by the men who found them. One man had sold all he had at that time. The other man died recently and it appeared that he had stacked away part of his lot.

The first man has picked these up and has now sold them on again.

[François B.]

I am sorry to say, but those eagles are fake in my opinion........

I was at the Wings&Wheels in Ursel yesterday, and I spotted those eagles everywhere........

They are the newest copys IMO.

Same structure and material.....

Here is a undercover pic I took at one at the tables........

[AGFA40]

hi there.

the eagles are fake imo

greetings

[milcollector]

I am also very suspicious of these eagles.
They are certainly not like the originals I have in my collection, and I have researched this type of badge quite extensively.

Danger signs immediately.

[Killerbee]

If they're zink, the solder is applied over the plating/finish.... , impossible.., they first soldered the prongs and then the finish was applied..
There're eagles where the pins are copper, but then they're crimped in..
From the pics I've problems with the eagle's pattern and the after 60 years "shiny" solder and till now I only know of one original type with a filled in space between the arms of the swas and that one has 2 flat prongs.
I think it's funny that a lot of pretty rare eagles found 20 years ago is now and not sooner offered for the price of a common cap eagle, which if they're original would be great ofcourse.., but I've concerns.

Just my opinion..

Jos.

Thanks for the excellent obsevations.

[Killerbee]

I am sorry to say, but those eagles are fake in my opinion........

I was at the Wings&Wheels in Ursel yesterday, and I spotted those eagles everywhere........

They are the newest copys IMO.

Same structure and material.....

Here is a undercover pic I took at one at the tables........

Wow... can't beat those boxes of evidence of concern. Scary. Thank you for the pictures of these items. Pics like this open ones eyes to this sort of thing.... production of imitations.

[mel]

Just because they show up at a fair in larger numbers does not mean that they are therefore copies...

The large lot of FSJ helmets which showed up 15 years ago were not copies, the 2 meter high pile of German trousers were not, the masses of flying helmets suddenly appearing in large numbers not.... many people had them and where are they now ?

[Jean-Loup]

I am not a specialist of eagles, but I dont recall ever seeing eagles with an ugly beak like this one. I also dont remember seeing any eagles with the space betwwen the swastica and the foot filled in.


JL