Flotten-Kriegsabzeichen

[John Brandon]

Need some help on this one please guys before I put it up for sale.
Originally I didn't have a problem with it, but I bought it "on spec" The badge displays the correct traits to the front for an FO badge,and has excellent detail, except that the hardware is not typical to that maker. There is no "square" underneath the makers mark, but there is a "splurge" above, and it does not have the wire catch one would expect on a Frederick Orth badge. The thick pin and especially the catch is a typical "Meyer" piece. So I'm a little confused.
Incidentally, it weighs 381grms.
What are the consensus of opinions?

Thanks

[Adrian]

Hi John,

Interesting badge. To my eye it looks like an original Orth badge but with replaced hardware.

Late war badges were found with cast in hinge and catch but often these failed, were ground off and a new hinge and catch soldered in place. I have never seen one with a Meybauer pin and this type of catch.
The replacement pin looks like a period piece so my best guess is that this was done privately, by the owner, not by the Orth factory.

It will be interesting to see if any of the others can offer a different opinion!

[John Brandon]

Appreciate the feed back mate. I'm still not convinced. Anything out of the ordinary will always cause a debate. The badge detail is very high. It's just that is not the sort of Set up you world expect to see on an orth badge. It's identical to a Mayer rear ? As you say it may have been replaced period. Thanks Adrian

[Adrian]

Can you take any images of the hinge block from the side or give us a sense of what it looks like?

Can you see any places where it looks like the original hinge and catch have been removed? Grinding marks for example?

[John Brandon]

I have a usb micro scope. I'll take some tomorrow as I'm bushed tonight

[Adrian]

No worries.

I expect some of the KM collectors will see this in the meantime and perhaps shed some more light on it.

[harryamb2]

don't know about the pin setup but the badge looks fine.

[Norm F]

Hi Guys,

I agree, a good Friedrich Orth Fleet badge but with post-war replaced hardware. As Adrian mentioned, the cast-in hardware was prone to failure and was often ground off and regular soldered hardware applied in factory but this is not the Orth hardware. It's also not the Mayer-type setup (attached here) and that extra-wide flat-wire stock catch is more suggestive of much later post-war, in my opinion. Still a very nice looking badge.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

Here's a reverse of one showing the cast-in hardware that was prone to fracture.

[martinw]

I agree that it is an original FO with replaced reverse hardware.

Regards,Martin.