Coastal Artillery officer's breast eagle and collar tabs

[Norm F]

Hi Guys,

I'd like to get some opinions on this insignia I just received. I'd been looking for a CA bullion breast eagle for some time to match what my Dad wore in Trieste in 1944, and this one seemed to fit the bill nicely.

Construction looks excellent, although I'm puzzled by the black light testing.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

On black light testing you can see fluorescence of the white threads and the edges of the backing fabric. So what does this mean?
Is this a post-war eagle, or perhaps just cleaned with a phosphate-containing detergent post-war?

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

Here are the worn collar tabs that came with it. It's hard to see but there's a faded RBN number on the reverse.

[Norm F]

Once again, the black light shows fluorescence of the white thread. So again, could this just be from post-war laundering?

[Norm F]

Originally the vendor's offering was a grouping that combined the eagle and collar tabs along with these shoulder boards but I didn't get the shoulder boards.

[Kondor]

Beautiful set of insignia. I love the eagle

[Norm F]

Thanks Kondor.

Anyone have any comments on the black light testing?

Best regards,
---Norm

[km-spain]

Hello Norm, nice original set. I have seen this black light effect in many embroidered wire insignias, and IMO the fluorescence where the metalic "cover" is missing could be by the material used as base, if it would be because of laundering, why only shine in these parts?

[Norm F]

Hello Norm, nice original set. I have seen this black light effect in many embroidered wire insignias, and IMO the fluorescence where the metalic "cover" is missing could be by the material used as base, if it would be because of laundering, why only shine in these parts?

Thanks Eduardo. Perhaps the structure of the loose cotton fibres causes them to take up and retain the phosphates from the detergent while the metallic winding and the wool does not. That might also explain why the woven cloth backing is UV positive on the frayed edges but doesn't glow in the intact tightly woven areas. I'm speculating of course but it seems a reasonable theory.

Best regards,
---Norm

[chman59]

Hi Norm F

The eagle is beautiful congratulation

Manu





http://atlantikwall44.actifforum.com/
German coastal artillery (Küstenartillerie)

[Norm F]

Thanks Manu.

@Eduardo: I think you're right about the core thread under the silver winding on the collar tabs often being UV positive. I checked the unworn collar tabs that I had posted before here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=346413, and under black light the core of the silver thread was again UV positive while the rest was not. I wonder what type of fibre was used for this thread.

In contrast, I think the bit of positivity on the loose threads of the eagle was likely residue from later cleaning.

Best regards,
---Norm