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

[yolkin]

A member of this forum, whose opinion I value, hypothesized that the attached is an example of a "dug up" order.

Order of Glory IIIrd Class s/n 6390.

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[yolkin]

Order of Glory IIIrd Class s/n 6390.

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Eric

[Mozzabloke]

Yolkin,

Do you know where it was found and have you researched your glory?

Mark

[otlichnik]

As a side note, with the release of information from the Soviet archives in the 1990s and the work of excellent scholars like David Glantz it is now possible to get some idea about possible units that were in the vicinity if an exact find location is know.

This sort of basic information has been known for decades when it comes to the western front and the UK, US, French, Canadian, etc forces. However, it is still relatively untapped regarding the Eastern Front.

Shawn

[yolkin]

Mark,

I do not possess any additional info or research on this order. I purchased it from Alexei, so maybe he has some info on its origins.

Alexei?


Thanks,

Eric

[Nota Bene]

Eric,

I just got it together with a bunch of other Glories. Sorry.

I am not convinced it's a "dug out". Dug out Glories usually have no enamel left at all, and have at least some pitting. I have seen several dug out Medals for XX Anniversary of RKKA, and even they, though they have thicker enamel layer, didn't have any traces of the enamel left. I suppose it can also depend on soil and other local conditions.

Alexei

[charlet]

I agree...I think you must respect the proudness of the veteran grandpa who would exhibit it for many years...I don't reallly appreciate brand new ribbons on old pieces. Sure, heavy worn and scratches that hide the sculptures are a pity, but...

Your glory 3rd class call a new question: the conditions in which a medal ages: a good friend of mine displays a medal bar on a nice general parade mundir of 1962, protected in a suitcase (? vertical, you can hang it with others clothes), with anti-mothes, in a safe room, warm, no humidity (the friend is a photograph): well all silver in three-four years became heavy grey-blue!! almost like the most ugly chemical patina shown in PMD books! imagine an october revolution with gold and silver plating gone, and silver dark grey...it happen often to glory 3rd class. Your diagnostic gentlemen?

[otlichnik]

Metal corrosion does indeed depend greatly on the soil type. I know very little about such effects on silver and gold but I have picked up a fair deal on knowledge about iron and bronze corrosion in my other hobby - collecting ancient and medieval maces, spurs and armour fragments.

For example, I have seen many dug swords from the 12th century in an extremely wide range of conditions from largely eaten away fragments to almost prefectly preserved swords with a layer of hard encrustation on top. I know a museum expert in London wo can often tell you what river a medieval sword was pulled from simply by looking at it - the corrosion and patination patterns come in so many varieties.

I have also seen and handled medieval and viking era jewelery with intact, though damaged enamel!! This stuff has been buried for about 15-20 times longer than a dug WWII award and likely had poorer quality enamel to start with.

I would be interested to hear from anyone on silver and "modern" enamel corrosion properties.

Shawn

[kabanchik]

I recently stored a KGB colonel's uniform in a garment bag, on a hanger in my closet for about a year, protected by a handfull of mothballs. When I took it out, the gold-plated, sterling silver Member of Supreme Soviet badge was black as old iron, and it took quite a bit of careful , yet forceful polishing to get that tarnish off without damaging the piece. Everything else on it (non-silver items) was fine. Seems mothballs (the paradichlorobenzine types) and silver DO NOT MIX!! Has anyone else had this experience?

[Kjetil Kvist]

Silver medals will always develop patina when they are exposed to air. You can slab the medals in an airthight space, but that will often not be a nice way to display your collection. Many factors come in to play - one of them is air pollution in the area you live. I have store my collection in many ways in two cities - I always got a nice seagreen/purple/steelblue patina in a lesser poluted area. That really looks great on mint medals!

I am not so sure if you should do so much about the natural patina that developes on the medals and orders. If it really hurts the eye appeal, you have to intervene, but I think medals and orders become nicer with a little natural and colorful patina. Use of chemicals or other remedies often destroys good medals.