Dienstauszeichnung für den Reichsnährstand 20 Jahre

[DrPMC]

I was very happy to be able to recently obtain this Reichsnährstand award from another forum member. It was awarded for twenty years good service (Für Treue und Fleiss) by Landesbauernschaft Schlesien (Silesia). It is a ground dug item but is in very good condition.

Although these are quite obscure items, I have a couple of questions that experienced collectors in other fields will probably be able to answer easily. Firstly, I am wondering what the original finish was? Angolia and Littlejohn in Labor Organsiations of the Reich say that in 1936 the Reichsnährstand instituted long service awards, for which twenty years was 'iron',which would suggest black. However, the same book shows that there was a great deal of variation in the form of these awards as each Landesbauernschaft created its own. For that reason, I wonder if this might be a silver award gone black? My second question concerns the base metal of the award - its non ferrous and quite heavy, and in a few places a bright coppery colour is peeking through where the original finish is lost. I imagine its some find of alloy, but which one?

With thanks,

Regards, Philip

[harryamb2]

nice clean one.