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WWII & Pre-WWII Submarine Dolphins


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The back has a different style pin and is only marked "STERLING"....but it looks like your "GEMSCO" marked example.

IMG_1951_crop.jpg

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Unknown Manufacture

 

post-589-1294723475.jpg

 

post-589-1294723485.jpg

 

That block lettering style, combined with the overall dolphin design and highly polished bow planes suggests Blackington manufacture to me.

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Nice badges everyone. Keep them coming. I promise 5-6 AMICO variants sometime in the next month or so- just no time to take the pics or access the badges right now. Nice engineering badge too. A solid reminder to collectors that just because a sub badge is pin-back and is hallmarked for precious metal content, it doesnt mean it was wartime.

 

Also, nice pairs of medical dolphins. I've seen it mentioned that the submarine medical officer's insignia was introduced mid-war, but I've never been able to track down any regulations that mention their introduction into use. Has anyone ever seen that official regulation change where these insignia are authorized?

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This is also my understanding. Regardless, a very nice, fairly scarce badge! You keep pulling out some real treasures, especially for a guy who doesn't specialize in these!

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A comparison shot of two "deep wave" sub badges. The H&H on top, and the GEMSCO example on the bottom.

 

As most collectors well know, this badge style is amongst the most desirable and thus good examples of the full sized badge sometimes command silly prices. Consequently, fakers have focused on these, making the purchase of a set fairly scary on today's market. Both of Russ's badges look like fine period examples to reference.

 

Because of their widespread reproduction, I have a personal fascination with H&H pin/hinge and rotor styles, as well as variant hallmarks. I touched on this in the following thread on H&H- produced combat patrol badges.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=93686

 

H&H used a wide range of hardware on the backs of their badges. On Russ's H&H example, I can see what I believe to be the early-war period 4 nub roller and looped-wire hinge/pin assembly. I believe this style is earlier because I've seen H&H- Imperial dual marked examples with this distinctive rotor setup. Other rotor styles and pin/hinge assemblies were also used by this company, making the reliablity of these attributes for establishing badge originality only part of the picture (especially amongst those that vary from the above example).

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Thanks JLENG! Some outstanding and scarce badges or variants that hadn't been posted yet. Was the BB&B a recent purchase? That looks like an example I think I'd seen not that long ago. Also, that last H&H hallmark is not one I'm familiar with- can you please post pictures of the front and back of the badge it is on? I'm reading it to be 1/30th 14K Rolled Gold Plate- first time I've seen that one on an H&H sub badge. Thanks again... Josh

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More great information and images! Josh, thanks for the H&H pin assembly details. Collecting authentic militaria badges sure requires a scientific approach! I appreciate the shared intel. JLENG, you have one fine collection of sub badges! Would your BB&B Bronze example be considered late 1920's, to mid 1930's vintage?

 

Russ

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Hi Josh

I was the person who inquired about the sub badge.So i want to take a minute to thank you for posting those fine badges for review.For those who didnt originally see my post here are two photos from my original thread,Jay

Ps. I still have not 100% been able to date the year of them.

 

 

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I have had the BB&B badge for a few years now and I believe them to be from the 30's. Here is the Obverse and Reverse of the H-H Imperial badge Josh requested.

 

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post-589-1294983958.jpg

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