Help please with Infanterie Sturmabzeichen in Silber

[Johndevon]

I have looked through the ISA database but can't find a match to this badge , the front looks good to me but I have my concerns when it comes to the back of the badge and the catch set up , I'm amazed how many makers of this badge there are and also the variations .

[rbminis]

Uploading photos and posting multiple items.
Ralph.

[fischer]

Hello

This hollow is attributed to Friedrich Linden, Ludenscheid and is a silver grade.

The base material is zinc and there are three (3) slightly different examples of the zinc hollow FLL's.
I refer to this one as the Type 2.

The Type 2's can be found with five (5) different hardware set ups and this one has a sheet metal hinge and so-called "big" catch.

In the FLL line of ISA's there are multiple badge design variations (hollows and solids) and the zinc hollows alone have twelve (12) different variants...(24) if you collect both silver and bronze.

Best Regards, fischer

[Stewy S]

Hello

This hollow is attributed to Friedrich Linden, Ludenscheid and is a silver grade.

The base material is zinc and there are three (3) slightly different examples of the zinc hollow FLL's.
I refer to this one as the Type 2.

The Type 2's can be found with five (5) different hardware set ups and this one has a sheet metal hinge and so-called "big" catch.

In the FLL line of ISA's there are multiple badge design variations (hollows and solids) and the zinc hollows alone have twelve (12) different variants...(24) if you collect both silver and bronze.

Best Regards, fischer

My mate Fischer's right & he probably has nearly all 24 variants! Stewy

[Johndevon]

Thanks again for the interesting information and confirmation the badge is good , I really am amazed how many makers and variations there are , I don't think I've seen a bronze badge as yet so I will have to search the threads and take a look , all I have seen are silver and I'm guessing the most common , was there a gold grade also?

Cheers John

[Stewy S]

No. No gold grade. Bronze was for motorised infantry. I've got about 75 different variants. Fischer has 200+ I think. Stewy

[Stewy S]

John, some bronze ISA's are harder to find. But one of the most common of all is the bronze JFS, due to a "hoard" find of unissued ones a few years ago. Bronze ISA docs & their entries in soldbuch or wehrpass are definitely not encountered as often as silver. Stewy

[Watchdog]

No. No gold grade. Bronze was for motorised infantry. I've got about 75 different variants. Fischer has 200+ I think. Stewy

As Stewy says, no gold grade. For the sake of clarity the distinction between silver and bronze badges is not one of hierarchy as in the silver is a higher grade than the bronze. The distinction is in the fact that they were actually two different divisions of the same award. The silver was for standard infantry formations whilst the bronze was for motorised (mechanised in the parlance of today) infantry. There was a similar distinction with the bronze and silver Panzerkampfabzeichen with the silver being for purely tank troops/formations and the bronze for troops employed in other types of armoured units such as Panzerjaeger etc.

What sometimes causes confusion (this is very much the case with bronze NKS / CCC which did have a bronze / silver / gold hierarchy) is that the bronze finish of some badges is so light that it can sometimes be taken for gold. That said, this is not a mistake one would ever make having actually seen a gold NKS and of course the confusion can only occur if one is under the belief that a gold PKA / ISA actually existed.

I hope this helps.

Regards

Mark

[Johndevon]

That's impressive! I've since had a look at some of the bronze ISA's and some of them have a really nice patina definitely an attractive variation of the badge, I also found a picture online of an SS officer with a box of ISA's handing them out , I like the story's you hear of hoards being found and still like to think there may be more

Cheers John

[Johndevon]

Hi mark , great information and very interesting the distinction between between the two , also as you say without knowing it's possible to make the mistake of believing gold does exist as many wouid assume , I collect ww2 German in general and mainly Heer items and as yet have not added many awards and insignia to my collection but lately I have made a start so this is valuable information that helps me gain confidence when searching for the next purchase as like us all the paranoia of getting ripped off unfortunately is a constant threat , thanks again.

Cheers John