06-11-2002, 07:44 PM
(Copyright: Shawn M. Caza, June 1998)
Enamel, Cold: Cold enamel is actually a paint or varnish. It is applied at room temperature ("cold") to the object in the same way that paint is. Cold enamel may be used to create opaque (solid) or translucent (clear) colours. Cold enamel is very thin and tends to pool in corners and crevasses, it is often done sloppily even on official badges. Colours are often very "washy" or faint. While it is used on many fake and fantasy pieces cold enamel was also used for genuine badges. Many badges which were made of hot enamel in the 1940's to 1960's where made with cold enamel by the 1970's and 1980's (for example the red stars on enlisted cap badges). This transformation was often accompanied by a change in materials from brass to aluminium.
Enamel, Fake: Fake enamel is really a type of epoxy which is usually mixed with paint to give it a colour. It is usually a sign of forgery though sometimes minor repairs were made on legitimate items using fake enamel. Fake enamel looks dull and cannot imitate the brilliance that a translucent hot enamel has. Under U.V. ("black") it often glows or looks milky.
Enamel, Hot: Hot enamel is true enamel. It is made either by placing small coloured grains on the object which then melt when baked at high temperatures, or (more commonly nowadays) by pouring the hot melted liquid onto the object. Hot enamel may be used to create either opaque or translucent colours. Hot enamel is thick, of high quality, has definite colours, and does not usually glow under U.V. ("black") light. Hot enamel was sometimes applied in a sloppy manner, especially during the war. Soviet hot enamel is the direct descendant of the famous Tsarist enamel, many artists from the Tsarist era worked on Soviet badges and orders. Hot enamel is not necessarily proof that an item is genuine! Many valuable and rare Soviet military orders and badges have been faked using hot enamel, real silver and gold, etc.
Enamel, Cold: Cold enamel is actually a paint or varnish. It is applied at room temperature ("cold") to the object in the same way that paint is. Cold enamel may be used to create opaque (solid) or translucent (clear) colours. Cold enamel is very thin and tends to pool in corners and crevasses, it is often done sloppily even on official badges. Colours are often very "washy" or faint. While it is used on many fake and fantasy pieces cold enamel was also used for genuine badges. Many badges which were made of hot enamel in the 1940's to 1960's where made with cold enamel by the 1970's and 1980's (for example the red stars on enlisted cap badges). This transformation was often accompanied by a change in materials from brass to aluminium.
Enamel, Fake: Fake enamel is really a type of epoxy which is usually mixed with paint to give it a colour. It is usually a sign of forgery though sometimes minor repairs were made on legitimate items using fake enamel. Fake enamel looks dull and cannot imitate the brilliance that a translucent hot enamel has. Under U.V. ("black") it often glows or looks milky.
Enamel, Hot: Hot enamel is true enamel. It is made either by placing small coloured grains on the object which then melt when baked at high temperatures, or (more commonly nowadays) by pouring the hot melted liquid onto the object. Hot enamel may be used to create either opaque or translucent colours. Hot enamel is thick, of high quality, has definite colours, and does not usually glow under U.V. ("black") light. Hot enamel was sometimes applied in a sloppy manner, especially during the war. Soviet hot enamel is the direct descendant of the famous Tsarist enamel, many artists from the Tsarist era worked on Soviet badges and orders. Hot enamel is not necessarily proof that an item is genuine! Many valuable and rare Soviet military orders and badges have been faked using hot enamel, real silver and gold, etc.
