04-08-2005, 03:22 PM
What exactly do we mean by "fake" here?
Does anyone know if the wings that were actually given to the cosmonauts were any different in materials or construction?
In other words, we might see an Order of Lenin that is not made of gold and platinum; or a Hero Star made of gold, but lacking details that an original posesses; or a KGB badge that has obvioulsy poor enamel. In all of these cases we say "Fake"; that these were items made in an attempt to duplicate something else that was different in detail or construction.
But Shawn previously offered the opinion that these might be not be "fakes", but rather that whatever manufacturer that made them made LOTS of them, some going to cosmonauts, others going to collectors.
There are some dealers who sell U.S. astronaut wings. They come from the same manufacturer who makes them under government contract. In fact, they are exactly the same wings that an American astronaut receives, and can purchase for his use. So are these "fake" wings? No, they are, I suppose, "un-awarded examples".
So does anyone know the specifics on these cosmonaut wings? Do we have any information at all on whether the wings such as were offered on Ebay are different in any respects from the wings given to the cosmonauts?
Does anyone know if the wings that were actually given to the cosmonauts were any different in materials or construction?
In other words, we might see an Order of Lenin that is not made of gold and platinum; or a Hero Star made of gold, but lacking details that an original posesses; or a KGB badge that has obvioulsy poor enamel. In all of these cases we say "Fake"; that these were items made in an attempt to duplicate something else that was different in detail or construction.
But Shawn previously offered the opinion that these might be not be "fakes", but rather that whatever manufacturer that made them made LOTS of them, some going to cosmonauts, others going to collectors.
There are some dealers who sell U.S. astronaut wings. They come from the same manufacturer who makes them under government contract. In fact, they are exactly the same wings that an American astronaut receives, and can purchase for his use. So are these "fake" wings? No, they are, I suppose, "un-awarded examples".
So does anyone know the specifics on these cosmonaut wings? Do we have any information at all on whether the wings such as were offered on Ebay are different in any respects from the wings given to the cosmonauts?
