Jaurez Wings

[pfrost]

Hi Steve,

 

The catch is most likely replaced but you shouldnt have any worries about this wing IMHO.

 

The photos are just showing off!

 

Sweet wing (of course you will need to get the whole family now).

 

Patrick

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

Hi Patrick,

 

Showing off....little old me....nooooooo .

 

Yea, from what I have been reading and been told by you guys, I think you are right about the catch. The quality and finish are superb. In this case, a replacement catch does not bother me at all as the patina around the base is consistent with the rest of the wing, so I am satisfied that it is a period repair - all the more better as it shows it was actually worn. Now that I have a good representative example, I will be able to proceed with much more confidence in my search for the Senior and Command variations.

[pfrost]

To my knowledge the senior and command pilots in this pattern do not exist.

 

I think the ones that exist are: Pilot, Glider, Liaison, Service, Aircrew, Observer, and Bombardier. I have also been informed by a few advanced collectors that a very rare gunner wing exists. In addition, one of the WASP class wings use the Juarez pilot wing as its base. I have also seen a War Training Service instructor wing in this pattern. It is totally likely that a few other oddball wings exist here and there.

 

I once saw a Juarez wing with a command pilot wreath that had been cut off another wing and added to the pilot wing. However, I felt at the time that this was an attempt to fool collectors.

 

On a lighter side, soon you will find your self helplessly foundling your wings to the point that you rub off the patina...I believe that shiny wings are usually a sign of an obsessive collector. You know you have gone to the dark side when you start smelling and licking your wings to get that "old metal" feel and taste. To be serious, I actually will smell bullion wings, because they will get an "old" musty scent to them that cannot be easily faked. Also (I wont confirm or deny this) but I have "good evidence" that an old wing with a nice natural age patina, does have a unique taste....or so I have heard....from other people....because tasting your wings is creepy....so don't think that I do THAT.

 

Patrick

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

Interesting that they didn't venture into the other pilot series. Perhaps it was because of demand? So far, in my novice observation, it doesn't seem like there are too many senior or command examples in any of the early wings produced.

 

Geeeesssssshhhh Patrick, I thought I was the only sicko here . When I collected Imperial German Wound Badges, I made little themed outfits for them and would put on lipstick before lovingly kissing them while caressing their curves..... ...this will probably be my last post here as I am sure that the men in white coats have been dispatched to collect me.

[pfrost]

Old tarnished silver does have a taste to it that you can really notice compared to newer and non-sterling metals. If you are ashamed to actually be seen licking your wings, try it with silverware. You can really tell the difference if you use a sterling silver fork vs a plain fork or even a silver plated fork. Of course, you may also have some explaining to do with you wife.

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

But seriously, old tarnished silver does have a taste to it that you can really notice compared to newer and non-sterling metals. If you are ashamed to actually be seen licking your wings, try it with silverware. You can really tell the difference if you use a sterling silver fork vs a plain fork or even a silver plated fork.

 

I better behave myself and not get too far off topic. Although I have never done the "taste test" I have noticed that the odor of old patina on silver is quite pungent compared to oxidation that is say 5 or 10 years old. Another think I always look for on old patina is that deep pitch black oxidation in the recesses. That only occurs after many decades of exposure to the air and is always a pleasant sight to me.

[none]

The catch is wrong and looks electrostatic welded. Notice on the joint it has a fillet of solder that is what should be on the catch. The joint is correct. Concerning the catch, this could have been a replacement since they feel apart so much.

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

The catch is wrong and looks electrostatic welded. Notice on the joint it has a fillet of solder that is what should be on the catch. The joint is correct. Concerning the catch, this could have been a replacement since they feel apart so much.

 

 

Was electrostatic welding a technology that would have been used during WWII?

[none]

Concerning the use of Jaurez wings by the WASP's. For class 43W-7 the background wings used were Jaurez but not one type. The three wings used were: Pilot in Sterling, Pilot in Coin Silver and an Observer in Sterling. If anyone wants the details on the complete set of WASP wings please send me a message with your e-mail address and I will be happy to forward it to you. It provides the details of each one of the class wings. Only one complete set is believed to exist.

 

Also I have been honored by the WASP's and asked to supply the wings for their final reunion this fall. I am making 120 for them and this is sure to become a collector item in the future. Its a 2 inch wing, photo attached.

 

Joe

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

Here is a shot from the other side of the catch. Does this help any...on the electrostatic question that is??

 

 

[none]

It may still have some solder left from the original clasp. You clasp on the wing is a replacement. Electrostatic welding was used on clutch pins towards the end of the war. Clasp were not available for electrostatic back then. They differ from regular clasps in that they have a nib on the bottom that acts as the contact when the electric charge is applied. That is why you get the square look and not the solder fillet.

 

Most manufacturers did not want to use the technology back then because of the cost of the equipment, (around $25,000 in 1944 dollars which would be about $300,000 today) it was much cheaper to solder. Today you can buy a crafts quality unit for a little over $1000. Almost all insignia today are made using this technology. A lot of the die struck reproductions use this welding and is another good way to determine if they are modern production. For example, Fox Militeria, Meyer reproductions uses electrostatic welding. That is the only real way to determine Meyer reproductions, AMICO reproductions as well.

[none]

Old tarnished silver does have a taste to it that you can really notice compared to newer and non-sterling metals. If you are ashamed to actually be seen licking your wings, try it with silverware. You can really tell the difference if you use a sterling silver fork vs a plain fork or even a silver plated fork. Of course, you may also have some explaining to do with you wife.

 

Brand new sterling with the proper tarnishing and you would never be able to tell the difference. The taste is silver sulfide, which is a salt, and I know how to make that new silver as old as you want it.