07-16-2012, 08:12 PM
Coming from a continent where today is built on yesterday (without getting too Thatcherite!), I would put a strong focus upon the fact that your ownership of this award is now part of its history.
I believe I received a Warsaw in the same condition some years ago which had the purpose of display as it was detached from any history it had had. I removed the ribbon and touched up the original suspension with a cloth and some washing up liquid. I let to ribbon air for a few days as it arrived damp and then gave the medallion a wash. Put it all back together and it was in a happier state than what it had been. Whilst retaining all original parts.
With damage on awards (as with anything else) they are inanimate items and can not tell you if they were aged due to the strange lifestyle of the original recipient or a dealer not giving a damn about it last week.
Don't go putting it in aspic though!
I believe I received a Warsaw in the same condition some years ago which had the purpose of display as it was detached from any history it had had. I removed the ribbon and touched up the original suspension with a cloth and some washing up liquid. I let to ribbon air for a few days as it arrived damp and then gave the medallion a wash. Put it all back together and it was in a happier state than what it had been. Whilst retaining all original parts.
With damage on awards (as with anything else) they are inanimate items and can not tell you if they were aged due to the strange lifestyle of the original recipient or a dealer not giving a damn about it last week.
Don't go putting it in aspic though!
"Signed with his own rubber stamp"
