Don't feel bad and take the purchase of the spurious piece so hard. I would like to claim I have never purchased an order, medal or uniform that wasn't a bogus piece. But if I did I'd be lying!
If you collect long enough you'll get stung. We all have.
In fact, I personally have several orders/medals that were a long shot or too good to be true resting in a cabinet drawer. All purchased because I thought they were the "real thing" .
07-21-2012, 09:35 AM (This post was last modified: 07-21-2012, 11:10 AM by Curator.)
For the benefit of all those who encouraged me in this,
I want to share with you how good these fakes are. But fakes indeed they are - I have yet another corroboration from a very great expert in New York...
To be honest, when I had this in hand, I waffled, doubted - could this be fake? Look at these details, this age!!!! I even deleted the two pictures at the front of this post until I had the final proof -but yes - fake- as we agreed. Thanks everyone. Not only fake, but fake made in the last 10 years.
I am going to post some close ups to show you how good these are -at least how good they look to the inexperienced collector of Soviet Badges. But in the spirit of the OGPU, they were always good at deception, disinformation, and especially at provocation - to lure the unsuspecting into their traps! Whoever is creating these fakes is doing the OGPU proud:)
07-21-2012, 09:45 AM (This post was last modified: 07-21-2012, 09:51 AM by Curator.)
In the pics in the previous post, and in this one, notice how aged the script looks!!!
To "The OGPU Forger," whoever you are and wherever you live, I can only say, you really put in the effort.
Unfortunately, the real experts can tell in a fraction of a second that all of your hard work is for nothing. But still, you are quite an artist, I will admit.
07-21-2012, 12:25 PM (This post was last modified: 07-21-2012, 01:30 PM by Curator.)
Ok, almost done. Note that the profile is Thick - thicker than a dime. This is hand hammered, hand worked metal - brass, bronze? Definitely silver in here. This was made by a silversmith - within the last 10 years. I guess he's carrying on the traditiion.
I think these are enough pictures. This should be enough to keep the unwary from spending their hard-earned dosh on this type of forgery.
Last detail - perhaps the most disturbing of all of this.
A clear, reddish lacquer has been applied at the joint where the bottom banner and the silver wreath meet -to seal it. Likewise, at the top of the badge, where the CCCP is affixed, again, a clear, reddish lacquer has been applied, as if to seal it, to preserve it from moisture seeping into the joint over the years.
And finally, on the back, where the rivets are peened over the tiny holes they fit into, wherever there is space, an incredibly small ring of lacquer has been hand applied to seal the joint from moisture. I couldn't have done this, with a tiny brush and a loupe, unless I practiced for years. This took a lot of skill.
What does this suggest? That the forger doesn't want his handiwork spoiling over the years?? Or is he trying to make us think that this was the work of, perhaps, a museum, some method of bygone years to preserve badges? Honestly, when I first detected this, I thought - hmmm.....lifted from a Soviet-era museum after the collapse? Makes sense, with the economic crises that were occurring throughout Russia and the former Republics during the 90s, and with all of the subsequent crime. Stolen OGPU Badge? Do I really want the SVR after me?
But no - luckily, it's just a case of "The OGPU Forger" strikes again!
Ok - I hope all of this is of interest to youse guys!
Has anyone else seen OGPU/NKVD forgeries/spurious fantasy pieces of this quality?
For the right price, I might start collecting these as place holders. I'm willing to bet that "The OGPU Forger"s work may one day, years from now, be valuable in its own right!
There is no question that a good bit of quality workmanship went into this one. Attention to detail is unusually high. It would/will make a nice display in any case.
