The Soviet Military Awards Page Forum  
  • Serial Numbers Database 2.0
Enter Here

vBClassified Featured Listings
Echoes of War
Seeking following Soviet campaign medals for ..,
Echoes of War

Go Back   The Soviet Military Awards Page Forum > Soviet Awards Forums > General And Slightly Off Topic Talk

General And Slightly Off Topic Talk Forum for exchanging ideas and talking about general issues without straying too far off topic.

View Poll Results: Repair or not
Leave the damn thing alone! Don't mess with what looks like a period repair 12 54.55%
Have the solder removed to make the serial number readable 9 40.91%
Repair the enamel only 0 0%
Remove the solder AND repair the enamel 1 4.55%
Voters: 22. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-23-2002, 02:11 PM   #1
Tal Inbar
Senior Member
 
Tal Inbar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Israel
Age: 55
Posts: 2,302
Damaged, Repair, Clean, Preserve Soviet Awards And Documents.

That is the question...

If an order from WW2 shows patina from age, is it worth to clean it and restore it's former glamour?

What do YOU do when you have an old piece with a lot of patina?
What recommended cleaning materials you use (for copper, silver and gold)?

Tal

(I personnaly clean some of the orders and all the medals - exept those in mint condition with the very thin layer of coating from the mint).
Tal Inbar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2002, 05:49 PM   #2
Art
Forum Founder
 
Art's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Buffalo NY
Age: 58
Posts: 1,646
Tal,

Funny you should start this thread..my brother has a suit of armor that he needs to be cleaned with a polish from time to time, otherwise it gets rusty..he asked me, what do you polish your medals with? I started to shudder..I don't think I could ever bring myself polish an award. I will look to see if there is any visible accumulation of dirt or grime. If there is, I will put a drop of dishwashing soap into a shallow bowl, fill with warm water and dip the medallion into the water for 2-3 minutes. Then with a very soft bristle toothbrush, lightly brush away anything. It is very rare I do this though, as I like to leave them intact just as I receive them. Same thing with the ribbons. Some collectors insist on new, clean ribbons..personally I enjoy looking at an Order of the Red Banner with a dirty ripped up ribbon. The condition of an award contains part of its history.

What I will do is put any Order into a protective mylar envelope made for suspended awards. This keeps any further damage to the ribbon from happening and protects the medallion from rubbing against anything and getting scratched.

Interesting topic, let's hear what others have to say..
__________________
Visit the main site to the forum: The Soviet Military Awards Page
Want to sell awards on the forum? Please read the FAQ
Important Links: Forum announcements and rules | Image posting FAQ
Art is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2002, 11:00 PM   #3
Doug
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 45
I'm of the same mind as Art. I like the dark patina that silver accumulates over the years. I think it adds a lot of charactor to the piece. As Art does, I also use mild dish soap to clean off any loose dirt. When finished, I take my wife's hair dryer to them to make sure there is no moisture remaining before putting them away.

I've noticed that Paul M. always makes note of the patina (or lack of it) in his authentications. Genuine patina takes years to accumulate which helps determine authenticy. As we've all learned, the fakers go to a lot of trouble to put fake patina on their wares to try to make us believe they're "right".

I also tend to think of medal collecting in a similar light to coin collecting. Coin collectors never clean their collections. Just my $.02.
Doug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-27-2002, 07:12 PM   #4
Eugene
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NY,NY
Posts: 157
Completely agree with Doug. Medals are treated the same way as coins. Don’t clean it, don’t replace ribbons. Patina is one of the criteria to establish authenticity. Cleaning the medals can reduce their value. The most you can do is to wash in mild soup if they are dirty.
Eugene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-27-2002, 11:33 PM   #5
Doug
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 45
Renumbered / Reissued Orders

Often, we come across groups where there are orders that have had an old serial number removed and a new one added. Dealers and collectors often attribute these changes to official replacements for lost orders or reissues for pre 1943 awards. As we know, sometimes these are marked with a "D" but more often, they are not. Interestingly, some dealers even charge more for these official replacements.

I would be interested in knowing the group's opinion of these pieces. Myself, I tend to avoid them because while many are truely official replacements, it seems that it would be easy for the fakers to make the orders fit the groups this way. In any event, it seems that these are still altered pieces and therefore, shouldn't carry the same value as an original as issued group.
Doug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2002, 06:11 PM   #6
Art
Forum Founder
 
Art's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Buffalo NY
Age: 58
Posts: 1,646
Doug,

I agree. If I do not know for sure the altered number was the result of it being re-issued or issued as a duplicate I will not advertise it as such. Take for example my Red Banner #2 re-issue ( you can see it in the Orders forum, in the Red Banner thread ). I was so unsure this was an official re-issue I had McDaniel authenticate it.

I was offered an Order of Suvorov last year which had an unusual looking serial number. I had McDaniel take a look at it. Here is his reply. I cropped the letter real tight for space..
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 782letter.jpg (15.3 KB, 125 views)
__________________
Visit the main site to the forum: The Soviet Military Awards Page
Want to sell awards on the forum? Please read the FAQ
Important Links: Forum announcements and rules | Image posting FAQ

Last edited by Art; 03-28-2002 at 06:14 PM.
Art is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2002, 06:42 PM   #7
Tal Inbar
Senior Member
 
Tal Inbar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Israel
Age: 55
Posts: 2,302
Art

Interesting letter...I think the collector value will be low, but Suvorov 3rd class isn't veteran of labor medal...it is very rare, and there must be a value for an original order, even with the number changed.
I saw some orders in Israel, with serial numbers removed by veterans when they left USSR.

Tal
Tal Inbar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2002, 11:30 PM   #8
Art
Forum Founder
 
Art's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Buffalo NY
Age: 58
Posts: 1,646
Tal,

While switching numbers by a vet so that the award cannot be traced isn't uncommon, I would have preferred an original, unaltered number on such an expensive award. I would have liked having the option to further research the award if I ever desired, with the numbered destroyed it is impossible. Also, for re-sale value I think many collectors would have preferred an un-altered piece. I've always been leary about buying altered awards. My mind starts thinking maybe it was stolen from another collector, or maybe from the original recipient or their family, or maybe it's fake..

Art
__________________
Visit the main site to the forum: The Soviet Military Awards Page
Want to sell awards on the forum? Please read the FAQ
Important Links: Forum announcements and rules | Image posting FAQ
Art is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-29-2002, 10:37 AM   #9
Tal Inbar
Senior Member
 
Tal Inbar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Israel
Age: 55
Posts: 2,302
Good points, Art!

I met a veteran who - because of financial problems - sold his HSU gold star medal, but kept the document, in hoping that some day he will be able to "unite" them again. ( or buying another gold star medal and change the serial number himself - for himself).

Relative of mine smuggled his awards from the USSR inside a piano...

I think the lesson from "re-issue" pieces is simple: AUTHENTICATE them all.

Tal
Tal Inbar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-29-2002, 05:26 PM   #10
Art
Forum Founder
 
Art's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Buffalo NY
Age: 58
Posts: 1,646
Tal,

Agreed. This hobby is tricky enough trying to weed out the fakes without the extra hassle of changed numbers.

Interesting story about your relative from USSR. What were the awards?

Art
__________________
Visit the main site to the forum: The Soviet Military Awards Page
Want to sell awards on the forum? Please read the FAQ
Important Links: Forum announcements and rules | Image posting FAQ
Art is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
badge, broken, cut, cutting, damaged, defense of stalingrad, homemade, orphans, repairs, screwback, threaded


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Glory III,791431,Telephonist,Communication Platoon,557th Rifle Regiment,Catch-Up 1992 Dave Researched Orders Of Glory 4 11-15-2016 01:37 PM
Red Star,0395403,Repair Platoon Commander,20th Separate Repair And Recovery Battalion Bill Garvy Researched Orders Of The Red Star 10 06-17-2013 11:00 AM
Red Star,0101187,Rail Repair,1st Separate Repair Battalion,Leningrad Front Bill Garvy Researched Orders Of The Red Star 3 03-16-2013 07:33 PM
Red Star,1829497,Head Of Repair Department,Stationary Aircraft Repair Workshop #217 Bill Garvy Researched Orders Of The Red Star 3 01-26-2013 05:02 PM
How do you preserve flags? medals73 Soviet Flags And Banners 5 12-19-2009 07:37 PM


USSR Army Belt 1981 Brass Buckle Original Dated Soviet Uniform 45

USSR Army Belt 1981 Brass Buckle Original Dated Soviet Uniform 45"/116 cm

$20.95



 USSR  ARMY Soviet Russian Sling Carrying Belt Canvas Strap Original NEW picture

USSR ARMY Soviet Russian Sling Carrying Belt Canvas Strap Original NEW

$29.98



USSR ARMY Soviet Russian Carrying Sling Canvas Strap Original NOS picture

USSR ARMY Soviet Russian Carrying Sling Canvas Strap Original NOS

$29.95



USSR ARMY Soviet Russian Carrying Sling Canvas Strap Original NOS picture

USSR ARMY Soviet Russian Carrying Sling Canvas Strap Original NOS

$31.95



USSR Original Soviet Army Canvas Multipurpose Trouser Belt Size-1, 37

USSR Original Soviet Army Canvas Multipurpose Trouser Belt Size-1, 37"/94 cm

$9.95



US & USSR INF Treaty Coin Made of Nuclear Missile Metals Decommissioned Cold War picture

US & USSR INF Treaty Coin Made of Nuclear Missile Metals Decommissioned Cold War

$26.99



Military Soviet summer Jacket

Military Soviet summer Jacket "Afghanka" Ussr Original Size L

$69.00



Carrying Sling Belt Two Point Soviet USSR Army Military Strap Canvas Original picture

Carrying Sling Belt Two Point Soviet USSR Army Military Strap Canvas Original

$7.95



Original Steel Helmet SSH 40 WWII USSR Ukraine Military Soviet Army RKKA WW2 picture

Original Steel Helmet SSH 40 WWII USSR Ukraine Military Soviet Army RKKA WW2

$29.99



Original USSR Military Soviet Army Helmet SSh 68 Type Steel Size 2 Russian NOS picture

Original USSR Military Soviet Army Helmet SSh 68 Type Steel Size 2 Russian NOS

$65.00




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:02 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2011 Arthur G. Bates III