Marine Frontspange

[zephyr4]

Not sure what this badge is called or if its ok.

Thanks z4

[StuG III]

Outside my collecting realm, so cannot comment on originality, but it's called a Marine-Frontspange.

Tom

[Wagriff]

The Marine-Frontspange came Very late in the war-it was constituted on On November 19th, 1944 and almost none were awarded or even produced aside from an Extremely tiny number. The genuine pieces of this award are quite different in appearance than this one.

[zephyr4]

Thanks for the replies, I am going to give these badgees a rest for a few days I need a change of seen.

z4.

[Adrian]

This is an award that was awarded on paper although not put into production. A few prototypes were made and actually were quite an attractive decoration.

Unfortunately the examples that we know in the mainstream as the Marine Frontspange were not so impressive in design or execution. This is down to the fact the only confirmed wartime examples known to exist were made on board ship and therefore vary in look although the design was pretty much the same, that being a fouled anchor motif in the centre, flanked by an oakleaf spray on each side.

They are generally very crude in manufacture and vary in materials depending on what was available on board ship at the time. Because they were made after the end of the war, the swastika is missing from the design and are different from the original idea which had an eagle clutching a swastika over the fouled anchor.

Could this be a post war produced piece for those who were entitled to wear them? I have no idea but maybe someone else can add their thoughts.

[Redcap]

Here is the authorised design. Probably only a handful of trial strikes were ever made.

[martinw]

Hi Z4,

is there a maker mark in the rectangular box,seen on the center of the reverse ?

I have seen a couple of postwar examples with this reverse set up that are attributed to Rudolf Souval.

Cheers,Martin.

[zephyr4]

The mark is not eligible.

[harryamb2]

a post war item.

[martinw]

a post war item.

Indeed it is.

But it is based on the 1957 design that was produced by Steinhauer & Luck.I think this example was produced postwar by Souval?

I have seen other examples of this MFS badge discussed in the 1957 areas on other forums.So,possibly an "official" post 1957 piece by Souval ?

I have a hunch that the illegible maker mark may be L/58 as seen on postwar Souval awards?

I have a postwar Souval Hilfskreuzer award that is marked L/58.It is barely visible but under heavy magnification you can just make it out as L/58.

IMO this is not a badge i would discard as a fake,but just another example of Souval's postwar production ?




Regards,Martin.