Product Information

Die-struck tombak badge, with excellent gold gilt coverage. It is marked clearly to the rear with the Adolf Bock and Schwerin, the designer and manufacturer names respectively. Please read this description carefully -  It has been discussed as it has had a good repair to the catch – However I have reduced the price to reflect this, despite its fault it is a beautiful badge – Please do not ask for another discount – I’m already taking a loss – This is the reply I received from a very knowledgeable and helpful member of WAF John R – Moderator……..Along with Norm and Steve………………………

This is the first type of HSF badge from the type 2 die. This is evident by the very clear open portholes in each side of the bow, or as we have classified this badge, the “OOOO” version. It has a very nice obverse appearance, original gilding in super shape. The reverse has the expected dome headed hinge pin and original main pin. , the catch was broken off somehow, but somebody made a tremendous effort to get as close to what had been there as possible. If it was done post war, then who did this was extremely lucky to get it right,

No doubt, almost nobody at a show or an average collector would see this problem, so I credit the owner with posting here. There is a big market for an almost right great looking obverse Schwerin HSF badge costing less than if this beauty had the original catch. This one is 1.1.9 in the classification table for HSF badges, the waffle head pin is 1.1.10.

“It was a major decision for a sailor to throw such a badge away just because he broke the catch. Any machinist mate could have replaced it for him for free in the shop while buying a new badge would have represented a weeks’ worth of bread for the average family during the war using price lists and food cost comparisons. This badge would not have been tossed by the original owner”.