Polish badge 303

[Janek79]

Hi guys, found this badge in Chicago IL in antique shop , and would really appreciate some comments.*
Any help would be appreciated.
*Thanks
Janek

[StefanM]

Janek, hi,

Seems like a hash of the original 1920 Polish 7th Air Escadrille Kościuszko ....



...and No. 303 ("Kościuszko") Polish Fighter Squadron badge of 1940s.



Maybe as commemoration or just simple fantasy. Nobody in their right mind would add "303" to and original super rare 7th Air Escadrille Kościuszko breast badge.

If it was made for a 303 squadron purpose it would most likely have UK maker marked on the spinner definitely not one marked for Warszawa(Wa-wa)...unless it was made there recently IMO.

La-la land rather than Wa-wa...sorry couldn't resist it

[StefanM]

Assuming this badge was produced in the time 303 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki was in operation which was July 1940- December 1947 then "Złota 25" or "Wa-wa ulica Złota 25" was still standing but the block was pretty much destroyed during the war...which begs the question how could it have been made there at that time?

Below is a photo I have of just one destroyed section of ulica Złota taken in October 1939 by German troops entering Warsaw. It gives a good impression of the destruction.




I also searched the Warsaw Telephone Directory 1939 and only found theses names associated with "Złota 25":

• “Garbomart”, fabr. galant. artyst., Zlota 25
  
• Jabtoiniski Leon, dr. med., chor. kob., akusz., Zlota 25
  
• Michaiowicz Stanislaw, ini., Zlota 25
  
• Osiecki Jozef, m., Zlota 25
  
• “Riviera”, kwiaciarnia, Zlota 25
  
• Wilner Dawid. m., Zlota 25
  
• Zarnowski Waclaw, adwokat, Zlota 25

None of whom are "Grawer" as one would expect. I appreciate that companies come and go, but I would have thought that such a badge maker would have still been in business 15 years or so after the 7. Eskadra Lotnicza 1919-1921 badge was made.

[Janek79]

Thanks for your help, and the extensive details pertaining to the spinner. It looks like the 303 was added to the badge at some point after the badge was made. My main thing is whether or not the badge, just the badge, without the spinner, and taking away the 303, does a badge like that exist? If so anyone have any examples? To me the details on the badge are in one word unbelievable. I just dont see that anyone would take the time and energy to make a copy or fantasy piece with such perfect detail. As I mentioned earlier I found it at an Antique shop in the Chicago area, and the owner, an older lady said she had it for 40 years now.

[harryamb2]

perhaps he was more proud of his service in 303 polish sqdrn than the 7th AEK.unit.

[StefanM]

I don't think any of the original Polish pilots of Kościuszko squadron made it across to Britain with "Sikorski's tourists" remembering that most of the original were in fact Polish-American volunteers who returned to the US once the Polish-Bolshevik war was over. Although Merian Cooper one of the founders of the original 1919 Kościuszko squadron did visit 303 Kościuszko squadron in England during WWII.

So this badge would not have been made for men who served in both Kościuszko units.

Janek, I think the badge is merely an older reproduction, admittedly the detail is finely crafted.

The motivation to despoil an original of which there were only a handful made (the original Kościuszko was a Squadron not a division or regiment) is in my mind much harder to comprehend than someone taking time to personalise and solder a re production. The "303" was not added by a jeweler as the lettering is so "ragged", it is done with skill but not IMO the skill of a jeweler.

I could not immediately find a "Grawer" on ul. Złota 25, Warszawa so how did this spinner come into being? If there was no jeweler at the address then the spinner is a fantasy which begs the question why is a fantasy spinner on a modified Kościuszko looking badge? Or maybe I am wrong and the jeweler at Złota 25 had simply moved or closed by 1938 when the 1939 Warsaw telephone directory was published.

I will try and see if the engraved name "Burdyński" on the spinner is in a telephone book of the period.

I am pretty sure that the original badges would have been numbered on the reverse?

[StefanM]

I searched these Warszawa directories (1930-1942) for the name "Burdyński" as engraved on the spinner looking for any associated references to the name and address "Zlota 25"...nothing.


1942 Warsaw Telephone Directory, image 31 {d668}
Source: Mazovian Digital Library
Burdynski Lucjusz Ziegelei I Skorosze Szusterstr 33 443 03 I

1940 Warsaw Telephone Directory, image 45 {d669}
Source: Mazovian Digital Library
Burdyński F., skł. galant, ramiarskiej, Bracka 18 8 43 12 Burdyński Lucjusz, arch., Szopena 19 10 36 96

1939/1940 Warsaw (City + Suburbs) Telephone Directory + (Small) Trade Directory, image 90 {d285}
Source: Yad Vashem
Burdyński F., skł. galant ramiarskiej, Bracka 18 9 7164 Burdyński Faustyn, krojczy krawiecki, Raszyń- . *ska 48 8 43 12 Burdyński Lucjusz, arch., Skorupki 10 6 21 44

1939 Warsaw Christian Business Directory, image 230 {d506}
Source: Mazovian Digital Library
Burdyński F. Bracka 18 t. 277-76

1938/1939 Warsaw (City + Suburbs) Telephone Directory + (Small) Trade Directory, image 577 {d39}
BURDYŃSKI F. BRACKA 18. EGZ. OD 1890 R. „DOMAftSKI i ZABŁOCKI"wI. M. KadzidtowsUl 101672 — fabryka, 63073

1937/1938 Warsaw Telephone Directory, image 516 {d670}
Source: Mazovian Digital Library
BURDYŃSKI F. BRACKA 18. EGZ. OD 1890 r. „DOMAŃSKI i ZABŁOCKI"wł m. Kadzidiowski 10-16-72

1930 Warsaw Address and Business Directory, image 781 {d219}
Source: Mazovian Digital Library
Burdyński L., Piękna 32. 18083.

1930 Warsaw Address and Business Directory, image 850 {d219}
Source: Mazovian Digital Library
Burdyński Franciszek, pozłotn., Żórawia 21.

1930/1931 Warsaw Telephone Directory, image 55 {d672}
Source: Mazovian Digital Library
Burdyński F., skł. galant. ramiarskiej, Bracka 18 Burdyński Lucjusz, arch., Skorupki 10 Burdzyński Wacław, m., Chmielna 71b

1930/1931 Warsaw Telephone Directory, image 424 {d672}
Source: Mazovian Digital Library
Burdyński F., galant. rani, Bracka 18

[Gunny Hartmann]

Great research on this thread by Stefan!...

[StefanM]

Great research on this thread by Stefan!...

Thank you But unfortunately it still does't solve the puzzle of the badge. Even the abbreviated "Wa-wa" for "Warszawa" is in my mind strange to see in this context.

Janek, can we see the disassembled reverse of the badge without the spinner and backing plate?

[Janek79]

Thank you Stefan for all help!
I did more pictures of this badge and those numbers 303.