how do you know when a pab is fake,what defines a blob and is just the mayer maker that this term applies to? does this just apply to hollows or is this general to all badges that has the infamous blob effect? understanding what to avoid when buying and any pics would be appreciated...
Hi Ray, im not to keen on PABs though I do own one Bronze and one Silver (both non-maker-marked) examples. However, I understand the "Blob" has to do with the way the Tanks Gun Barrell looks. I have been actively trying to find a reasonably-priced PAB that is called the "Daisy" PAB. Those are pretty scarce but are nice looking. If im wrong on this? go to http://www.ww2f.com/militaria/www.warrelics.eu site and look for a Gent by the name of Stewy-and you can ask him. This guy is a walking Dictionary on Panzer Assault Badges as well as Infantry Assault Badges.
Hi Ray, glad to help. Also, if you ever need any info in Iron Crosses? Not only is Stewy knowledgable but so is Bill Garvy and a Gent from Ireland by the name of Rob. Between these guys-you can't go wrong. Also, for another expert on IABs-there is also another Gents by the name of Fischer-who is probably as good as Stewy is. Take care--Carl.
Hi Ray, no prob/ and glad to help. Also, if you ever need help on Army cloth as well as cufftitles-I can help on the Rank insignia and I know a few gents who can help with the cufftitles ;-))
Castings,gun barrel position,eagle are all things to watch for. Hardware's often a good indicator. But there are a lot of permatations with fake awards of any type. Stewy
absolutely stewy, and how you find out,is what it,s about,you pointed this out to me on the W-A.and that was the start of learning to understand..and still am,ray..
Hi Ray, I too am constantly learning from the new teachers too ;-)) I ran up against and almost got shafted on two PABs a few years ago. I wa at a gunshow and saw a guy who had two very nice-lloking PABs-one bronze-the other silver, and wanted $200.00for the pair and I talked him down to $150.00 as he had not made a penny at the gun show, and this was on late Saturday afternoon. Well, these two PABs looked perfect from the high quality of detail on their fronts. One thing that should have raised a red flag warning is that both of these PABs were in the exact same condition as the other, and both made by the same maker. OK, that might have just been some guy who liked the same maker-and just happened across two PABs by that firm, that were in minty condition. Well, I was excited as heck to get these two PABs, and I SHOULD have done my homework but did not. Well, the frontsides were flawless. However, what identified these as fakes to me-after a quick searh at the Library when I went there after I left the gunshow-was that both PABs were ""made by"" JFS-Josef Felix und Sohn. However, I found out these wer akes done so good that were meant to purposely fool even the more experianced collector. I found out that JFS ONLY made numbered PABs and not the unnumbered ones. Well, I knew the dealer had not decieved me but he did in face purposely was decieved by another local collector by the name of gary-who had had these in his collection-which at that time-was half full of fakes and some badly made fakes at that. What this jerk did was to intentionally screw over an honest dealer who came down here from Illinois. The guy was what they call: a "Winter Texan" and he spent his Winters down here and one of his main money making things was to sell militaria at local gun shows. I've bought many great things from him including LW Flight/Para boards sets, Collartabs, two early take-down Gravity knives, a few badges like an IAB and a LW Flak Artillery badge-and some other stuff. Anyway, I found out late Sat afternoon that these were fakes-which did decieve a few local collectors who I trusted and whom have been collectors for ell over 30 years. Anyway, after I found out these were fakes, I had to wait till the next day to go see the gent i bought them from so I could get a refund or exchange them for something else. I felt bad about doing so because I was the only one he made any money from the entire time he was there. Well, I managed to make it back to that gunshow early Sunday afternoon armed with printed proof that told how these badges were fakes. The guy of course was pissed a sheck but was gracious enough to give me full refund and an apology. I told him that I knew he didn't intentionally try to decieve me and I then asked him if I could buy his Army Artillery badge-which is an excellent one to say the least. He had that one at $225.00 nad I did have a little extra money with me that I could have given to him but-before trying to talk hm donw some on the pice-he asked me if I was still interested in that Army Flak badge-which we both knew was a good one because he bought this one from Col John R. Angolia himself a few weeks earlier. I told him yes I was interested in it, but I didn't have enough money to pay full price. I think I was short about $25 or so bucks, and he said that since the others were bad (PABs) and that I had to come all the way back to the show and such-that he would let me have that Artillery badge for $150.00 I was as happy as a kid in a candy store. He was somewhat happier that he still made money. I then also bought something else from him in which he made another $50.00. So he not only made up some for what he spenton tables at the show, but also still came out somewhat ahead. I asked him if he remembered who he got those two PABs from-and he told me the jerks name-who is the same one who tried to swipe my 1870 EKII, that 11-place ribbonbar and some other items-from me that I told you about. Anyway, that guy from Illinois, showed me the jerks business card and indeed it was the same jerk. That jerk who is supposed to be an un-standing member of the community because of his position with the City-intentionally screwed a nice guy out of his money with fake badges. It was then I lost any respect I had for that jerk-if indeed I still had any at that time? Never not once-have I made it a practice to shaft someone while trying to get ri of a fake or a suspected fake. There is a guy who is a member here who I felt bad about something i muddeled up for him about 9 years ago-so I gave him my Coast Artillery Badge as a way to make up for things a bit. I was forward with him on it and told him that I wasn't sure if the badge was real or not? but that it was in excellent condition an I think made by Schwerin of Berlin. Anwyay, if that CA badge was good-then that guy got a great deal and I lose out, if it was bad? then we both lost out but-he did appreciate the badge as it was/is, and that was good enough for me ;-))
true respect carl,being honest and doing the right thing by your mistakes is all you can ask of yourself too,ray..
