The official, "unofficial", Party badge thread.

**Greenhorn** · 05-07-2013, 02:40 AM

by Metallwarenfabrik

You can see the messing showing through on parts of the obverse

Interesting of this maker to have odd attributes and then disappear. My guess is there was no sub contractor.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 05-07-2013 02:40 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Jo Rivett** · 05-07-2013, 02:48 AM

by Greenhorn

Interesting of this maker to have odd attributes and then disappear. My guess is there was no sub contractor.

Not quite sure i follow you here? They didn't disappear, they have their M1/ license forcefully withdrawn by the RZM. And it`s already proven that they used the services of a sub-contractor. Some of their obverse dies can also be attributed to a common source, with 100% certainty.

**Greenhorn** · 05-07-2013, 02:59 AM

by Metallwarenfabrik

Not quite sure i follow you here? They didn't disappear, they have their M1/ license forcefully withdrawn by the RZM. And it`s already proven that they used the services of a sub-contractor. Some of their obverse dies can also be attributed to a common source, with 100% certainty.

Figured they didn't have a sub contractor....due to the poorish styling. Lost their license is what I meant by disappear. Although, I want to say this font looks familiar, possibly from another badge or just looking at too many badges, lol.

**Jo Rivett** · 05-07-2013, 04:05 AM

by Greenhorn

Figured they didn't have a sub contractor....due to the poorish styling. Lost their license is what I meant by disappear. Although, I want to say this font looks familiar, possibly from another badge or just looking at too many badges, lol.

Nooooo he says, and holds a hand before his mouth.. It is only the obverse die that is indicative of a sub-contractor. The reverse dies will be specifically for a certain maker, so will be all be different anyway. There are even reverse dies known that show different makers, from different periods as well, and completely different areas, with the identical obverse die.
Some reverse dies will look the same, or be similar, but it`s not the reverse markings that are the give-away, only the obverse.

Maybe it was easier for them to order the obverse die from a die maker in their town (there were a few) and make the reverse themselves? who knows, they certainly are marked in a strange way though. RZM 31 is similar, but the obverse of their badges are all unique though, and not found on other makers badges - yet! I guess the people marking these dies back in the day, didnt really care, and many times there is a strong "personal" influence shown in the numbers, style etc....

Many of the small companies like F.K was, were nothing more than a home business with one machine in the basement and 1-2 workers... so the reasons they stopped making party badges could very well be that they were not in any position to fill large orders. Maybe the markings were a reason, but i doubt it when you compare the "other" markings all the way through to 1945. In saying this though, in 1935 the RZM marking system had only been going for 2 years, and the RZM were clamping down hard then, especially when they lost their license, so it could very well be that they were not happy with the markings found on their badges, or the magnetic materials used by them at this time, which is very unusual, and only really comes into play 5 years later....

**Greenhorn** · 05-07-2013, 04:21 AM

by Metallwarenfabrik

Nooooo he says, and holds a hand before his mouth.. It is only the obverse die that is indicative of a sub-contractor. The reverse dies will be specifically for a certain maker, so will be all be different anyway. There are even reverse dies known that show different makers, from different periods as well, and completely different areas, with the identical obverse die.
Some reverse dies will look the same, or be similar, but it`s not the reverse markings that are the give-away, only the obverse.

Maybe it was easier for them to order the obverse die from a die maker in their town (there were a few) and make the reverse themselves? who knows, they certainly are marked in a strange way though. RZM 31 is similar, but the obverse of their badges are all unique though, and not found on other makers badges - yet! I guess the people marking these dies back in the day, didnt really care, and many times there is a strong "personal" influence shown in the numbers, style etc....

Many of the small companies like F.K was, were nothing more than a home business with one machine in the basement and 1-2 workers... so the reasons they stopped making party badges could very well be that they were not in any position to fill large orders. Maybe the markings were a reason, but i doubt it when you compare the "other" markings all the way through to 1945. In saying this though, in 1935 the RZM marking system had only been going for 2 years, and the RZM were clamping down hard then, especially when they lost their license, so it could very well be that they were not happy with the markings found on their badges, or the magnetic materials used by them at this time, which is very unusual, and only really comes into play 5 years later....

Jo, that makes a world of sense that a sub contractor would make the obverse and not the reverse...based on some of the marking found. I have wondered about this for some time, thanks for the answer. I assumed the sub made the whole badge, when a sub was used. In thinking Kohm made their own badges so poorly, was the reason they lost their license but with this new information...it's anybody's guess.

**slados28** · 05-07-2013, 01:51 PM

Great looking badge, Mark! Very nice with the early/transitional type oddball font, lots of silver wash and the nice markings to the reverse. Strange texture to the reverse indeed, almost looks like it has been roughly polished and re-silvered (or the other way around)... at the very least it's obvious that it sports a very thick layer of silverwash to the reverse judging by some of the deeper scratches. Peculiar.

But, yeah... a very nice looking and very interesting addition to your collection either way!