Mark Posted March 25, 2012 Share #26 Posted March 25, 2012 I think it is the surface coating applied during manufacture and then a clear lacquer coating that give them this appearance. Seems to be typical for this maker on all types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted March 25, 2012 Share #27 Posted March 25, 2012 Liaison from my collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted March 25, 2012 Share #28 Posted March 25, 2012 Liaison reverse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted March 25, 2012 Share #29 Posted March 25, 2012 Glider Pilot wing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted March 28, 2012 Share #30 Posted March 28, 2012 This could be a rhodium plated wing - I recall having some discussions years ago about this as something that was available althought expensive..? maybe someone has more information or better yet a catalog with the option and the price listings Take a look at this pilots wing notice the difference and when you look at the reverse whatever was used only really was used on the front... I dod not know if this is rhodium but it is different then the other example posted. Thoughts \ Ideas? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b jay Posted March 28, 2012 Share #31 Posted March 28, 2012 Nice wing B Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graham Posted March 28, 2012 Author Share #32 Posted March 28, 2012 Thanks for all the replies. Just been looking on ebay at some USMC officer collar insignia in original H&H box with those little stickers they used. One says 1/20th-10kt gold filled. The other says sterling silver rhodium finished. The finish covers the back of the EGA completely as I would expect with electro plating unlike Johns pilot and my Liaison pilot. I notice H&H used the term finished not plated so maybe thats a clue. Thanks Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffP Posted April 8, 2012 Share #33 Posted April 8, 2012 This could be a rhodium plated wing - I recall having some discussions years ago about this as something that was available althought expensive..? maybe someone has more information or better yet a catalog with the option and the price listings Take a look at this pilots wing notice the difference and when you look at the reverse whatever was used only really was used on the front... I dod not know if this is rhodium but it is different then the other example posted. Thoughts \ Ideas? John John, You are correct, it is a rhodium plated wing. During World War II rhodium plated wings were not expensive nor were they as uncommon as most people might think. Rhodium plating provided a cheap alternative to having to hand polish sterling silver insignia but for some folks its appearance projected a bit too much "bling" or shine. One drawback to any type of rhodium plated insignia is that over time it had a tendency to flake-off. Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted April 18, 2012 Share #34 Posted April 18, 2012 John, You are correct, it is a rhodium plated wing. During World War II rhodium plated wings were not expensive nor were they as uncommon as most people might think. Rhodium plating provided a cheap alternative to having to hand polish sterling silver insignia but for some folks its appearance projected a bit too much "bling" or shine. One drawback to any type of rhodium plated insignia is that over time it had a tendency to flake-off. Cliff Thanks Cliff for the correction - (sorry for the late reply) Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted February 28, 2013 Share #35 Posted February 28, 2013 just caught this amcraft with a snowflake back. the catch for the pin is the open type and think its from the 20's. am i right????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovmilinsig Posted February 28, 2013 Share #36 Posted February 28, 2013 Sweet AAC badge . Wish I could help you date it . Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted March 3, 2013 Share #37 Posted March 3, 2013 Costa, Just off the top of my head I think Amcraft used the "snowflake" patter on the reverse late 20s to just before the war... I am not at home so I can check my notes on this but I am sure someone will be able to lock this done for you. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted April 16, 2014 Share #38 Posted April 16, 2014 This thing seems die struck to me.. but the "silvered" finish over whatever the base material is has me scratching my head. is it a fake? Thanks, Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuftStalg1 Posted April 16, 2014 Share #39 Posted April 16, 2014 Die struck with a lot of the original frosty finish. A lot of honest original wear, I like em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted April 16, 2014 Share #40 Posted April 16, 2014 OK so there were sets made of some other base material (seems brassy?) and "sprayed" or "applied" with a silvered finish? I don't have any experience with these types of wings. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomcatter Posted April 16, 2014 Share #41 Posted April 16, 2014 Hi Brian, I may be wrong, but I think that's a nice pair of WWII wings. Most of wings and badges Makers used and still use a technique called "electroplating" to apply silver, gold or rhodium finish.Here you have the Wikipedia page about that:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroplating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted April 16, 2014 Share #42 Posted April 16, 2014 I guess I get stuck on people saying that WW2 wings should be "sterling" and marked as such. I do understand electroplating.. I just wasn't sure if it would produce such a paint-like result on them. These just seem so much more "silver" (lighter in shade) than any of my other sets. Thank you guys for the input!! Every day is a learning experience in this hobby. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skypilot6670 Posted April 17, 2014 Share #43 Posted April 17, 2014 Nice wings. Lots of original finnish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschwartz Posted April 17, 2014 Share #44 Posted April 17, 2014 Not all WW2 era wings are sterling or marked sterling. The wings you have look just fine to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted April 17, 2014 Share #45 Posted April 17, 2014 thanks guys... I was about to try to send these back as fake! I guess others must have thought the same thing.. I think I paid $22. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingcommander Posted April 17, 2014 Share #46 Posted April 17, 2014 I had a wing almost exactly like this once! Mine was clutchback though. Mine did say sterling, but that had been blobbed over with solder before it was plated, presumably because the applied centre device was a different metal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted April 17, 2014 Share #47 Posted April 17, 2014 You know.. looking at these more closely with your comment in mind, it does appear to have something odd on the back of the disc... like "sterling" was ground off perhaps (before plating) ? -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomcatter Posted April 17, 2014 Share #48 Posted April 17, 2014 Hi Brian,if a wing is "Sterling" marked, it means it's made of solid Silver 925, so it's not just silver plated.If a wing is silver plated, then it will not be "Sterling" marked.Non-sterling marked wings are generally made of zinc alloy or brass with silver plating; sometimes they are made of silver 800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted April 17, 2014 Share #49 Posted April 17, 2014 nice wings Brian. Real and right as rain.Will have to post a silvered set I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROBS Posted April 17, 2014 Share #50 Posted April 17, 2014 Would love to see them Ron! I apparently have just not encountered this type. You get stuck on a set of "rules" for period insignia, and then just don't look at stuff outside of those "rules". I bought these off an ebay auction with a bad picture.. otherwise I definitely would have passed them up as "fakes". -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now