Buyer beware - Enamel added to Australian badges
 

Hey Guys,

This is pretty much a bad blast from the past.

These badges are original 1930-42 period badges but enamel has been (badly) added to them to make them appear to be (much more rare and expensive officer hat badges).

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WW2-AUST...sAAOSwImBfGubT

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WW2-AUST...YAAOSwxoxfGuEx

I'm not going to name and shame the individual accused of this (it happened in 2005 and copies of the emails that floated around still exist accusing the said individual of buying enamel powder on ebay back in the day before user's ebay IDs were hidden) however the individual concerned is a member of this forum (who always hides behind an alias).

I believe this was an attempt to deceive and another example of damaging our hobby for the sake of financial gain.

Anyway, buyer beware.

Mick

Why not name and shame?
Just state the facts, no conjecture of course just the facts.

The stated individual was accused on a now defunct badge collectors forum back in 2005 of purchasing enamel powder when it was noticed that these badges started appearing on ebay and his buying/bidding ebay account showed purchases of enamel powder.

He was offered the chance to disprove these assertions via a 3rd party from memory but he declined and was removed from that forum. I was the forum admin at that time and soon after received a nasty email from someone who probably was an acquaintance and also a member of the legal profession (which was sent to the group owner email).

The said individual also was convicted before the courts in the State of Victoria for offences relating to medal fraud (I have a good article about that from a Coin and Medal magazine) and unfortunately which also also cost a good man (a mate of mine) his full time military career.

These are the facts.

Mick

Thanks for that.

Pretty bad job on the enamelling :eek:

Rob

You have got me worried now, is the badge on the right OK? It certainly isn't the same quality as the one on the left.

Phil.

From the photo the thing i see is why the enamelling is on the scrolls and not the other badge ?

Rob

I think yours look ok. The enameling looks good. The enameling on the badge on ebay looks like it has been very crudely applied.

Mick

It looks like an Officer's badge from the back, has a voided crown and maker mark, different makers perhaps??

Phil.

Yeah I would say so.

Mick

Quite a few years ago I saved these images as reference to a fake set of badges.
Hat badge looks very familiar

Hi Phil, hows you travelling ?

When we get back to the sigs museum, if ever I will print the photo out and compare them to the actual ones. We are in shut down and might not re open this side of Xmas.

I will keep you posted.

Regards

Phil.

Hi Mick

Man that really is a truly Horrible looking badge !!

Its got a starting price of about $25 where as if its genuine it would start at $200 or more, this is a really rare badge. The only one that Ive seen is in the museum. Sorry the museum and the whole base is closed till further notice.

Regards

Phil

Thanks Phil Appreciate that.
Phil.

I think Mick was showing things back in 2005, if it was genuine, it probably would start today at $1000.00.