The relative of mine had an order of Lenin, 2 order of the red banner, order of Alexander Nevsky, orders of the GPW (1st and 2nd class) and some medals.
To my sorrow, I learned about the awards after he died and his family gave them away - I saw only pictures.
Another relative had many awards from the 1920's and 1930's, including order of Lenin and Red banner of the RSFSR - but all was left in the USSR.
03-30-2002, 01:28 PM (This post was last modified: 03-30-2002, 01:31 PM by Art.)
To bad Tal...I can sympathize with you though..my great great grandfather fought in the American Civil War on the Northern side. He had a musket rifle that was in the family until the 1960's, when my grandfather sold it. I'll bet similar sad stories account for 90% of the awards we all own..
BTW, here is a closeup of the number of the award mentioned in the McDaniel letter. Upon close inspection the entire "starpoint" the serial number occupies had been sanded down by what appears to be a wire-brush of some sorts. Probably one of those wire-brush motorized discs that are used for cleaning rusty metal.
This piece is original in every respect, including the serial number. Fake patina was applied to match that of some fake items apparently sold as a lot. Note variations in color.
There's an auction in process on eBay for the group of awards to a Soviet veteran.
Interesting enough, all screwbacks in this group were converted to pinbacks!!!
This is the first time I see anything like this done to the high Soviet orders - Nevsky and GPW 1st class. We usually read about the conversion from old suspensions to screwbacks, but this group is something unusual.
I would be curious to see other modifications done officially as well as by veterans themselves.
06-12-2002, 06:45 PM (This post was last modified: 01-01-2013, 07:40 AM by CtahhR.)
Just wait to the reply be Dave, he is the seller...It is very common among veterans. If you were a veteran, I am sure that the last thing you would want is to have large holes in the suit, due to screw back orders.
I really like this group a lot. To me, these modifications add something to the personality of the group. I don't see it as mutilation but rather as a part of the history of the group. In fact, I've been fighting the urge to bit on it. If he lowers the price any further, I'll be "forced" to buy it even though I have a couple of similar groups already.
I consider it to be 'character', vice 'mutilation'. But of course, as Alexei (Nota) knows well, I like awards that have a little (or more!) wear on them!
The fellow I bought this group from in the FSU was going to have the screwbacks replaced on the awards, but I quickly stopped that! This was how the vet wore them- why should I change that? I didn't include a scan of the back of the Guards badge, but it was also converted as well, also using the same older pinback.
As I am leaving soon for an extended deployment with the Navy, the group has been locked up in my safe, to be offered again sometime early next year...
06-23-2002, 10:36 AM (This post was last modified: 09-30-2012, 05:24 PM by CtahhR.)
I was thinking that my Order of Glory 3rd was in a poor condition, specially its 5-suspension ribbon, but lately I´ve seen a lot of Orders of Glory in poorer condition.
It´s said that almost all of the Orders of Glory 2nd have damaged its gold plating.
It looks like Orders of Glory guys weared their medals rigth in the assaults...
Why this orders generally look to be in poorer condition that others??!!
