Flotten-Kriegsabzeichen - C. Schwerin & Sohn

[MAP]

Picked up this nice tombak High Seas Fleet War Badge by Schwerin with coke bottle pin, tomback flat wire catch and block hinge. It weighs in at the perfect 32g.

Overall shape is just the way I like them. Good worn condition with just slight wear.

That said, I'm not sure if it is a first pattern 6.01 or a second pattern 6.02. It is missing a few characteristics of each. Would love your opinion.

1) the Maker Mark located closer to the catch with is typical of a 6.02
2) It is missing the alignment dots that follow the curved contours of the 6.01 badge right below catch (they look like braille)
3) It however, does not have the slightly misshapen down sloping right antenna boom die flaw which is typical of the 6.02 version.

Personally, I would think it is a 6.02 struck prior to the emergence of the die flaw in the antenna boom.

Either way, a great award that I am happy to add to my small KM collection.

Double click to enlarge photos

Regards,

Michael

[Combat Boots]

Awesome looking badge! How was the gold wash applied? To my untrained eye, it almost looks like gold paint? Thanks, Bob

[MAP]

Thanks Bob.

It is my understanding that this is a simple gilding and is also stated in the Weber/Skora book "The Kriegsmarine Awards". But to be honest, I don't know for sure.

It is not uncommon to see KM awards with the "gilding" overlap area on the obverse where there should be none as well as some overlay on the rear.

And also areas where there should be gilding and there obviously never was any. You can see a bit of that on a few of the edges of the oak leaves on the bottom of my award above.

Maybe someone else has a better explanation.

[Combat Boots]

Thanks for the explanation Michael. I understand the idea of dipping an entire badge to "wash" or "gilding" the surface but I would like to understand how it is applied to specific areas of a solid badge as opposed to a badge like the Luftwaffe Pilot / Observer badge where the wreath is gilded and then the eagle is applied.
By the way, excellent photographs also. Bob

[MAP]

And for that...we will need others to explain. I would expect some type of leaf or paint like liquid but don't know.

Glad you enjoyed it. Photo's btw are not perfect. Couldn't get the depth of field on the top part of the first two photos...I'm overly critical...

[martinw]

Possibly 6.01,if you are referring to the Weber/Skora book.

To me it is just a nice early tombak Schwerin with the domed head hingepin.

It shows slight wear on the the obverse highlights,revealing the tombak basemetal but still a great looking Fleet badge.

Cheers,Martin.

[MAP]

Thanks Martin. Yes I was referring to the Weber book. And agree that in the end it doesn't matter to much whether it be a 6.01 or 6.02.

[big ned]

Thanks for the explanation Michael. I understand the idea of dipping an entire badge to "wash" or "gilding" the surface but I would like to understand how it is applied to specific areas of a solid badge as opposed to a badge like the Luftwaffe Pilot / Observer badge where the wreath is gilded and then the eagle is applied.
By the way, excellent photographs also. Bob

Hi Bob,

The fire gilding method was used on many TR awards, just like the HSF badge above, and an example of the process can be seen below:



And a description of how it is achieved here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilding#Fire-gilding

A cheaper method using a powdered metallic paste known as 'Brennlack' was more common later in the war as material restrictions became prevelent, but the application process is basically very similar to that of fire gilding only not as resilient in many cases unless other undercoatings of copper were first applied and then a sealing compound of liqiud nitro lacquer similar to nail varnish, and called 'Zaponlack' being used as a top coat.

Regards, Ned.

[FALLSCHIRMJAGER]

A very nice Tombak Schwerin award Michael, a great addition. Leon.

[MAP]

Thanks Leon! Now looking for the next KM award to add....