Medal House

[desantnik]

Gentlemen, I just received an unsolicited catalog from a Finnish firm "Medal House" for an auction to be held MAR 17 - maybe from my OMSA membership (yet another reason to join OMSA). The publisher's address is Medalhouse Auctions Ltd. - Orders & Medals worldwide and email is listed as jani.tiainen@finnmedals.com.

Mr. Tiainen makes the claim "...most of the Soviet items in this catalog were shown to Paul McDaniel and received approval." I'm running down Paul's involvement now, but after fifteen years I know Paul well enough that he issues certificates of authenticity, NOT general "yeah, looks good" to a box of medals.

From the catalog the photos are not the best, but at cursory glance I do not like the following:

402 - s/n and overall appearance - no wear, star on tower, etc.
406 - Nevsky s/n #1860 and a 1980-dated document
414 - strong s/n and face of Ushakov
423 - Republican order 'P' added - could be good, but I doubt it
434,437,438 - OPW stickpins and s/n for 437,438
480 - s/n and brushed reverse
483 - hand/engraved Monetnii Dvor, messed up rivets and lead solder on post
498 - "Dublikat" engraved on numbered labor medal
521,522,523 - any of the serial numbers and reverses of these pieces

I'll keep you posted as to the nature of Paul and Mr. T's interaction, but I don't like the looks of this.

[Laurent]

495 - the rivets (very strange)
496 - bad "N"
489 - MM

[Tretov]

I have met mr. Tiainen and I have the impression he is a "good" guy, but as for the catalogue and the McDaniel involvement in the authentication process, I cannot say anything further.

I would love to go to the auction in Helsinki but I am booked for a uniform event in Gothenburg, Sweden that weekend.

They also issue this "guarantee":

If you buy an item from our auction and, later, obtain a certificate from
this authority that the item was not original you would receive you money back.

[Sergei]

Does anyone know Mr Tiainen well enough to ask if he or his colleagues have been approached by the Russian authorities directly? And if so, do they want to retrieve all awards (which I suppose should mean that everything on the auction is genuine ) or just those few mentioned in Lapa's post on another thread?
And by the way, is Mr Tiainen on this Forum, by any chance?
Sergei

[desantnik]

Originally Posted by Tretov

I have met mr. Tiainen and I have the impression he is a "good" guy, but as for the catalogue and the McDaniel involvement in the authentication process, I cannot say anything further.

They also issue this "guarantee":

If you buy an item from our auction and, later, obtain a certificate from
this authority that the item was not original you would receive you money back.

Paul said he received a copy of the catalog AFTER the OMSA show, otherwise he would have had a few choice words with Klimovich and Tiainen in person. He's not real happy with them right now. Paul's words - if it doesn't have a COA, it doesn't mean anything.

Despite Medal House's "guarantee" and the fact there are good pieces in the auction, I would steer clear of this entire operation. The collecting community must police itself and despite Mr. Tiainen seeming to be "a nice guy", this is at best, a gross misrepresentation with plenty of guaranteed fakes.

Mr. T's conditions of his "guarantee" are also not specified. Will he return the cost of the COA verifying the item is a fake, for example? How about the 18% "buyer's commission"? His own conditions stated under returns "Under no circumstances the return will be accepted once the consignor has been paid."

A fool and his money are soon parted.

[Finnmedals]

Originally Posted by desantnik

Paul said he received a copy of the catalog AFTER the OMSA show, otherwise he would have had a few choice words with Klimovich and Tiainen in person. He's not real happy with them right now. Paul's words - if it doesn't have a COA, it doesn't mean anything.

Despite Medal House's "guarantee" and the fact there are good pieces in the auction, I would steer clear of this entire operation. The collecting community must police itself and despite Mr. Tiainen seeming to be "a nice guy", this is at best, a gross misrepresentation with plenty of guaranteed fakes.

Mr. T's conditions of his "guarantee" are also not specified. Will he return the cost of the COA verifying the item is a fake, for example? How about the 18% "buyer's commission"? His own conditions stated under returns "Under no circumstances the return will be accepted once the consignor has been paid."

A fool and his money are soon parted.

Hello,

If you have any questions related to MedalHouse or terms & Conditions of the auction feel free to contact me directly. Email address is on our web site.

Regarding desantnik's questions; I have not heard that Mr. McDaniel is unhappy(?) He is just the approved expert in case of questionable item.

Buyer's commission would be returned as well in case of refund.

Please ask us first before writing about our terms and conditions on forums.

With best regards,
Jani Tiainen

[Lapa]

Jani,

Terms and conditions of an auction house are publicly published materials. If they happen to be unclear or imprecise, the onus is on your side.
Once something is publicly published, it is available for analysis and comments from all.

As to Desantnik (Paul Schmitt in real life, co-author of the Comprehensive Encyclopedia), I am inclined to believe that he is in much closer and constant contact with Paul McDaniel than you may be.

Marc

[desantnik]

Originally Posted by Finnmedals

Regarding desantnik's questions; I have not heard that Mr. McDaniel is unhappy(?) He is just the approved expert in case of questionable item.

Jani, Mr. McDaniel is extremely unhappy about your claim. I've known him closely for 15 years and spent a week at his house last month, during which time we discussed your catalog. Feel free to contact him and I guarantee you won't like the answer.

Your catalog presents photographic evidence that many of the items you offered for auction were either not original or altered and would not have gained the approval of Paul McDaniel or any other knowledgeable authority. You were wrong to make such a claim under cover of Paul's reputation, then cover your position by offering to make a refund in the event Paul McDaniel found something not as advertised - sounds a little contradictory, doesn't it?

I support any well-researched, honest contribution to the hobby and yours failed miserably.

[EricFG]

Originally Posted by Laurent

495 - the rivets (very strange)

Isn't that an interesting variation??? Wish I could get a good look at it.

[HuliganRS]

Sounds like a place to stay away from.

Rusty