Opinions on Flea Market Jump Wings

[gap]

Looking for opinions on whether these jump wings are WW2 era. 

 

First wing is pin back, unmarked.  Pin rotates 180 degrees.

 

Second wing is clutch back with rather short posts.  Clutches are sterling and came with the pin.  Marked Gemsco and Sterling. 

 

Both wings have a nice patina. 

 

Any help from the experts is much appreciated. 

[Tonomachi]

The pin back unmarked solid backed paratrooper wings looks like a common WW2 era piece of the type they refer to as graduation wings.  Your second wing however may be a post war piece.  This style GEMSCO basic paratrooper wing with the large raised lettering along each side of the wings are encounter in both pin back and clutch back.  The pin backs are considered WW2 era pieces but the clutch backs may be late 1940s into 1950s era wings.  They did have WW2 era clutch back wings and some say that the ones with the longer posts or stems are more likely war time pieces.  This GEMSCO has the shorter posts/stems so the feeling is that it is post war.   However this style GEMSCO wing was never produced in senior or master grade that I have ever encountered.   The senior and master grades did not come out until 1950 so this GEMSCO wing could still be a WW2 variant.  The problem when trying to date GEMSCO paratrooper wings is that they had a number of different pin back designs and the thinking is that they had other insignia companies making insignia for them to fill their orders.  So even though they are hallmarked GEMSCO they may not have produced them themselves.  I don't think anyone knows for sure if GEMSCO made this paratrooper wing both in pin back and clutch back at the same time period during WW2.  

[bulldog06]

I am no expert, but looking at the post back wing, is it possible that the shiny area near the post attachments are evidence that the wing once was a pin back badge?

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Also, while not definitive those clutchbacks could indicate WWII era or not. If there are patent numbers on them that could provide some information (recognizing, of course, that clutchbacks were sometimes ‘mixed’ with other newer ones, etc.)

[Allan H.]

I believe both wings to be WWII vintage. The Gemsco wing appears to have once been a pinback wing and has been converted to clutch back. It is possible that this was done during the war, but the "cap" at the base of the clutch is consistent with post war clutch prongs. Typically, WWII era clutches are silver soldered to the wing. I think you just have one here that was jeweler modified.

 

Allan

[gap]

Thanks Allen. With respect to the clutch back, I have seen at least one other clutch back jump wing on this forum with identical markings. I’ll try to post close ups of the posts on this one; to my eye it does not look like it was modified. 

[Allan H.]

1 hour ago, gap said:

Thanks Allen. With respect to the clutch back, I have seen at least one other clutch back jump wing on this forum with identical markings. I’ll try to post close ups of the posts on this one; to my eye it does not look like it was modified. 

I'm going to help you out, because this wing was undoubtedly a pinback wing before it was modified. I have taken the liberty of cropping one of your photos and have added a nice, bright, yellow circle to show you where the original pin hinge was on the wing. You can CLEARLY see the discoloration as well as the built up "C" where the original metal hinge was. If you look at the photo that you posted showing the other clutch post, you can see a similar discoloration and a built up area where the catch once resided.

 

If these wings were originally made as clutch back wings, GEMSCO should have fired the workers that let these out of the factory looking like they do. There is nothing wrong with these wings from a collector's standpoint. They are still a desirable wing. They have just been modified.

 

Allan

[gap]

I will defer to your most excellent expertise  Allan! Thanks! 

[Tonomachi]

I personally think that GEMSCO or another insignia company producing insignia on behalf of GEMSCO did produce these wings in clutch back based on the below listed photographs.  They don't look modified to me.  These are the only photos I could locate in my reference but I have seen others.