Alright friends, I have a barrage of questions and I'm hoping to get a good discussion going on here for those who enjoy learning every tiny detail. I've done my research, and will post what I have learned thus far.
This thread could theoretically include any and all enamel and painted zinc badges of the era, including the HJ and Austrian badges.
-My basic understanding of the enamel badges is that a base metal blank planchet was stamped with a heavy die. (I had a photo of the dies, but I can't find it now.) Then the struck planchet was cleaned up, "Cloisonné" glass enamel was applied, other polishing techniques came next, then the pin was soldered on.
-The zinc badges: everything the same except paint instead of enamel.
-My questions on the badges are:
1. How was the enamel applied? Is it actually made of glass?
2.Did each individual badge have a worker spending time doing a lot of hand machining and finishing?
3.Was there a factory of workers (slaves even?) with tiny paintbrushes in their steady hands applying red, white, and black paint?
4. What metals were the enamel badges made of? I imagine brass, but I'm not entirely sure.
5. Why not make an enamel zinc badge?
Thanks for reading everyone
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