Germany, Kriegsmarine. A U-Boat War Badge, by B.H. Mayer

(U-Boot-Kriegsabzeichen). Constructed of gilded tombak, the obverse consisting of an oval laurel leaf wreath, joined together at the bottom by ribbon, topped by a Kriegsmarine eagle clutching a mobile swastika, overlaid by a central U-Boat set over a hollow background, the reverse with a block hinge and banjo-style pinback meeting a flattened catch, unmarked but with the physical characteristics of a design most commonly accredited to B.H. Mayer, Pforzheim, but also known to have been produced by Pforzheim-based manufacturers Schickle and Zimmermann, measuring 48.77 mm (w) x 40.38 mm (h), weighing 20.1 grams, with loss of gilt finish throughout, in better than very fine condition.