Silverman Corporation jump wings hallmark

[5thwingmarty]

Thanks to Dakotadave, I now know that the 2S hallmark was for the Silverman Corporation (Silverman Brothers). After he passed that on to me I actually found another reference that confirmed this.

 

So anyhow, I have seen a couple of jump wings with the Silverman hallmark of the letters SB in a circle/oval. I was wondering if anyone had any AF/USAAF wings with the SB hallmark, pilot wings, aircrew wings, etc.? I have a couple of wings with the later 2S hallmark, and a wing or two that are from the same dies as these wings but have no makers hallmark, but I have never seen any other AF/USAAF wings with the SB.

 

Thanks,

 

Marty

[tomcatter]

Hi Marty,

thank you for sharing this information about 2S hallmark,

but I knew that SB hallmark was for Simon Brothers!

[5thwingmarty]

Here is a link to a site with hallmarks for American makers. This site has a couple different hallmarks for Simon Brothers, stylized S's in a shield.

 

http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver_S4.html

 

The site does not list Silverman Corporation or Silverman Brothers.

[Tonomachi]

Great identification on the 2S hallmark as now I know who made these two paratrooper wings:

 

 

[Tonomachi]

The top one is marked sterling while the bottom one is not yet it is pin back.

 

 

[5thwingmarty]

One reference I saw said Silverman started business in the late 1800's and went out of business in like 1968. Searching online I found a number of jewelry pieces with the circled-SB hallmark, many of which supposedly dated to the 30's and 40's but no other wings besides the jump wings. I think I saw a couple of rank insignia items with this hallmark too.

 

Here is a link to a jump wing listed on ebay with the circled-SB hallmark. It would be interesting to get that wing side by side with yours to see if there are any differences. http://www.ebay.com/itm/KOREAN-WAR-ARMY-SENIOR-PARATROOPER-JUMP-WINGS-BADGE-STERLING-SIMON-BROTHERS-/251314618098?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8384bef2

[Tonomachi]

I don't seem to be able to compress my photos enough to get two photos on one post but here goes. They look very similar but the 2S wing does not look like it is not made of sterling while the SB wing is marked sterling. The SB wing uses an egg shaped ball catch while the 2S wing uses a skinnier catch.

 

Front of 2S hallmarked wing

[Tonomachi]

Front of SB hallmarked wing

[Tonomachi]

Back of 2S hallmarked wing

[Tonomachi]

Back of SB hallmarked wing

 

[5thwingmarty]

Details on the front of the SB wing seem sharper, but to me they look pretty much the same. The 2S wing looks like the dies were getting worn down, although it could be the wing just saw a lot of wear.

[triplecanopy]

2S is not a common maker for sure. I don't see a connection between the SB Simon Brothers and Silverman. Has one been established? I believe that they are two separate makers. Here is the back of a senior parachute badge marked 2S much like the master in the above photo. Silverman had a very small die that was used to mark "Sterling" on the badge. I'll post the front side below.

[triplecanopy]

Front of 2S, Silverman, marked senior parachute badge, clutchback. This badge has a bright finish.

[triplecanopy]

There may be a connection between the 2S hallmark and the SB Hallmark. At least one old reference lists SB as Simon Brothers. That may be incorrect. Recently I picked up a newer reference book on CIB's that lists SB as Silverman Brothers in Rhode Island. Archibald and Charles Silverman were jewelry die makers from 1926 until 1965. The hallmark used on CIB's was the same as on parachute badges, SB inside an oval. The difference in the lettering is still a puzzle. Why the very small sterling on 2S wings and larger SB and much larger letters used for STERLING?

[WPAFB]

"Hi Marty,

thank you for sharing this information about 2S hallmark,

but I knew that SB hallmark was for Simon Brothers!"

 

Simon Brothers is a fine jewelry manufacturer, 2438 E. Sergeant Street | P. O. Box 29400 | Philadelphia, PA 19125 | Phone 1-215-426-9901 | Fax 1-215-426-9952

 

and never made military insignia. I have attached their hallmark.

 

 

SB hallmark was Silverman before the 2S when the company was called Silverman Brothers.

[triplecanopy]

That is great research information. All these years, SB has been listed by some as Simon Brothers and now we know that is incorrect. I will update all my data with SB actually being the early hallmark for Silverman Brothers and 2S as their later IOH hallmark. Thanks.

[5thwingmarty]

Thanks again to Dakotadave who actually had an older reference with the info. He had posted on another thread about someone's hallmark and it sounded like he had a reference so I asked him. After that I actually found another reference online that listed Silverman Brothers as having the 2S hallmark.

 

I'm still curious as to what all Silverman Brothers made during WWII and what the extent of their relationship with Vanguard was. I know they had wings made with the same dies as Vanguard, but I don't know which company used them first or if the dies got sold from one company to the other. The dies may actually have been another company's all together who made the wings for both Vanguard and Silverman Brothers, who then just used their hallmark stamps on them.

 

Marty

[triplecanopy]

Here is a complete set of Silverman Brothers hallmarked pinback parachute wings, basic, senior and master. All have the SB and sterling on them. Based on some references, the basic wings may date back to WWII. The senior and master logically are post 1950 to early 1960 era. In an earlier post Tonomachi posted a 2s master parachutist badge. I have yet to see a basic 2s marked basic parachute badge. Anyone out there have one?