J1 Juncker Pilot Badge Cased

Product Description: This is a really appealing example of a J1 Juncker Pilot Badge Cased. The badge is a scarce and desirable early thin wreath J1 pattern Juncker. It’s made of nickel silver, a fine material associated with these top-quality early pieces. The wreath retains all its original, factory applied silvering, with pleasant, mild patina and toning. The eagle retains most of its dark burnishing, with some slight wear to the high points that reveals the base metal and adds visual contrast. Nearly all of the original crisp detail on the eagle and wreath remains intact. The eagle features the cutout between the bird’s legs, a feature which not all J1’s have. The reverse of this handsome badge features textbook Juncker hardware, with no repairs. The pin is functional, and the rivets are nice and tight. The maker mark is stamped on the back of the eagle as is typical. This badge is complete with its correct early J1 style Juncker case. The exterior of the case retains nearly all of the original surface to the treated fabric covering, with some light scuffs on top and general wear to edges. The designation of the award is embossed on the lid in gold leaf, which shows toning. The push button and hinge work fine. Inside, the badge is beautifully displayed on a blue velvet insert. The purple silk that lines the lid and covers the hinge inside is flawless. This J1 Juncker Pilot Badge Cased is a gem of a set. The condition is excellent.

Historical Description: The Luftwaffe Pilot Badge was instituted by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring on August 12, 1935. It was among the earliest badges introduced in the German Wehrmacht and was worn by all qualified pilots in the German Air Force, similar to the “wings” worn by some other armies. The design of the badge featured a large, swooping eagle clutching the German national swastika emblem, surrounded by a wreath of oak and laurel leaves. The badge was normally presented in a blue hinged case. It was worn on the upper left uniform pocket, and a cloth version was also authorized for field use. In the nearly ten years from the introduction of this badge, to the end of WWII, the manufacturers of these awards made many changes in the features of the designs. Some companies, like Juncker, Assmann, and Deumer, had early first pattern badges which looked completely different from later pieces by the same manufacturers. Pilot badges were made of aluminum, nickel silver, plated Tombak, and zinc. The eagle was always a separate piece, riveted to the wreath, with different manufacturers using different rivet designs. As the war progressed, and dies wore out, many makers produced badges with subtle changes. All of these changes, over time, opened up a large spectrum of variation collecting for Luftwaffe badge collectors.

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