Shock Labour Worker Badge

[Dolf]

Gentlemen,

I didn't post this one on the Fake Alert section, because it really seems to me that this piece is authentic.

So just posting these pics for we all to appreciate and enjoy one of the most beautiful Soviet Badges I've ever seen. In my case this was the 1st time I saw one for sale.
For those interested, it's now available on our favorite auction site for... 240GBP (around $425.00) !!! WOW!!!
I guess not many around but certainly not cheap!
Anyway, a very nice piece!

Dolf

[Lapa]

Dolf,

There are numerous fakes of early badges, this one included. I have seen many of them in St Petersbourg. All I can say is "beware", they are really well made, including enamel.

Marc

[Dolf]

Marc,

I have not the slighest intention to put such an amount of money on a Badge, even if it was the nicest and rarest one on Earth! For that price I can buy quite a few nice cheap Medals or even a couple of medium expensive Medals or even a few nice Red Banners or at least part of an top Mongolian Order... ;)
Just posted the pics because I find it very nice, and on this sector rather than on the Fakes Alert because unless my eyes are really deceiving me, it looks very much an original piece.
Look at that oxidation on both the reverse and obverse for example. It really seems worn and old, not a fake just looking old!
I don't know, what on this piece makes you think it couldn't be authentic?
Thanks for the warning anyway :)

Best,

Dolf

[dannybou]

I must agree with Marc on this one. This badge is not authentic in my opinion. I have included a scan of a photo of this badge that I've taken from my book "Breast Badges of the USSR of the Era of Labor Victories, 1920-1940". A. Zsak, I. Kalistratov, V. Voronchenko. C. 2004 Ekaterinburg, page 62, photo 65. Here are the discrepencies:

1. The chord of the banner doesn't touch the flag pole as much
2. The lettering isn't the same
3. This badge should be made of bronze, gilted and was made in the Ukraine.
4. The badge shouldn't be mirror-reversed.

There are 4 variations of this badge, but the one in post #1 from Dolf should match the image I posted. Unless someone can point me to another source, I would definitely say the one for sale is bad :hurl . Only my hunmble opinion of course.

[Dolf]

Danny,

WOW!
I completely agree with your discrepencies #1, 2 and 4. Indeed they are completely different!
As for #3 I guess it's impossible to know, or is it?

You know I know close to nothing about Badges, but if I was a Badges collector I would have been easily deceived here!

It looks so real (at least for a ignorant on the subject as me :cry: ) that I would have never imagined it could be a fake! Even the worn seems real!
And the price the guy is asking!!!
There are no chances that the pic from your book is of a modern replica or so, as I recently read for another book on another thread, where it seems that despite the seriousness of the authors in some cases they have used pics of replicas because they couldn't find original pieces in good condition for some rare pieces?

Btw, how much can a real one of these cost, or what would be the average price?

Thanks a lot,

Dolf

PS: And realizing that initially I just wanted to post a couple of pics of a "nice" Badge!... :o

[HuliganRS]

The badhge looks artificially aged. The enamel is too nice. I would expect at least a few scuffs and such.

Rusty.