This eagle is the tombak variety (with a gilt wash), which was worn by both water police and traffic police on the full dress shako. The ordinary police wore the same device in a matte aluminium finish. All traffic and water police insignia is relatively scarce. The water police duties involved patroling canals, rivers and ports.

This is the 'contributing members' pin awarded to financial supporters of the SS. The translation of the German is: 'Thanks of the SS for loyalty // help in the time of struggle'. It is nicely stamped with RZM and some issue numbers on the reverse, as well as 'GES.GESCH.' (for patent pending).

One of the rarer Third Reich lapel pins, these were given to the civilians who operated as air wardens in Danzig (the present day port of Gdansk in Poland, which, in the 1930s, was a free port and an autonomous entity surrounded by Polish soil). They have the emblem of Danzig at the base of the badge on the white circlet.

One of the rarer Third Reich lapel pins, these were given to the civilians who operated as air wardens in Danzig (the present day port of Gdansk in Poland, which, in the 1930s, was a free port and an autonomous entity surrounded by Polish soil). They have the emblem of Danzig at the base of the badge on the white circlet.

One of the rarer Third Reich lapel pins, these were given to the civilians who operated as air wardens in Danzig (the present day port of Gdansk in Poland, which, in the 1930s, was a free port and an autonomous entity surrounded by Polish soil). They have the emblem of Danzig at the base of the badge on the white circlet.

This badge, of which the most common fake is in aluminium, is actually die-struck tombak with a heavy silver plate finish. It may commemorate the swearing in of the Leibstandarte in Munich in the winter of 1933. I'm not absolutely sure about this and would welcome any comments.

This is an uncommon one-piece Bevo weave Customs officer's side/mountain cap badge. The Customs units wore a meddley of uniform, typically Army belt buckles, for instance, sometimes SS ones, but the distinctive insignia was worn on the collar and the sleeve band, as well as this cap insignia.