Damaged, Repair, Clean, Preserve Soviet Awards And Documents.

[Tommy]

Auke, thankyou!

These make me do a happy dance!

[CtahhR]

I'm sure the original recipients wouldn't be doing a happy dance if they saw the state of them.

[Tommy]

You never know!

But your probably right haha.

[Bill Garvy]

Will never know how this happened. . .

[Tommy]

To me i would guess that someone dropped it and a chunk came off, so someone just said "balls to it" and chipped the rest off.

Or a child got into grandads locked drawer!

[CtahhR]

Maybe someone did a happy dance on it?

Being that the enamel acts just like glass a knock on the front can shatter the entire section clean off.

The letters on Medals "For Bravery" and "For Combat Merits" often come away VERY easily.

There is also a distinction between deliberate and accidental damage. Finding an award that has been polished smooth or come apart due to poor production is very different to something that has been mutilated for unknown or malicious reasons.

[Tommy]

Haha maybe happy dance wasn't the best choice of words to describe my feelings towards broken awards!

You do make a valid point.

The average person may not know that the extensive polishing can damage the award, but people who deliberately damage or disfigure the awards, i find that much more intriguing.

People and the choices they make are fascinating, if sometimes disturbing.

[CtahhR]

Maybe the word you were looking for was "jig" because for lots of these awards the jig is up!

I have had a number of awards damaged en-route etc., recently and only recently have I sweet talked a jeweller in Lancaster to perform "surgery" but no "elective surgery" only repairing what shouldn't be broken (like rings), not covering up honest wear.

[Jeffrey Meffert]

Fascinating pieces. This one less damaged than those but the hard way...personal effects of a KIA panzer grenadier

[drill]

Chipped enamel and broken screw - it's not interesting.
Look at these! They are pierced by bullets and shrapnel!

Eternal glory to fallen heroes!