Germany, Wehrmacht. A Pair of Service Badges, Maker-Marked Examples

(Wehrmacht Abzeichen). A pair of service badges, including:

1. A War Merit Cross I Class with Swords, constructed of silvered zink, consisting of a Maltese Cross with crossed swords piercing the centrepiece, the obverse with pebbled arms and a central wreathed mobile swastika, the reverse with a barrel hinge and tapering vertical pinback meeting a flattened and rounded catch, the pinback maker marked with Präsidialkanzlei code “4” for Steinhauer & Lück, Lüdenscheid, measuring 4897 mm (w) x 47.85 mm (h), weighing 18.9 grams, demonstrating total loss of silver finish to the base metal, an interesting zink variant with transitional hardware, in very fine condition.

2. A General Assault Badge, constructed of silvered zink, the obverse consisting of an oval oak leaf wreath, surrounding a central Heer-style German national eagle clutching a mobile swastika, situated above a crossed bayonet and stick grenade, the reverse with a crimped hinge and vertical pinback meeting a round wire catch, maker marked with the logo of F.W. Assmann & Söhne, Lüdenscheid, measuring 42.60 mm (w) x 53.04 mm (h), weighing 32.9 grams, demonstrating total loss of silver finish to the base metal, a semi-hollow variant in very fine condition.