Soviet My Soviet Ribbon Bars

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Per request here is my Soviet "Marshal's" ribbon bar. I got it on the assumption that it's a "put together" but figure it has a ton of ribbons with many examples of different types, all in one place. Got it cheap and I think it looks cool so not too worried if it's authentic or put together. If nothing else I figure it was a good exercise in identifying the ribbons.

I've ID'd most of them as follows:

First Row:

Order of Lenin / Order of Lenin / Order of the October Revolution / Order of the Red Banner

Second Row:

Order of the Red Banner / Order of the GPW 1st / Order of the GPW 2nd / Order of the GPW 2nd

Third Row:

Order for Service to the Homeland 3rd class / Order of the Red Star / Order of the Red Star / Order of the Red Star

Fourth Row:

Order of the Badge of Honor / Medal for Valor / Medal for Combat Service / Centenary of Lenin

Fifth Row:

Defense of Leningrad / Defense of Moscow / Defense of Stalingrad / Defense of Sevastopol

Sixth Row:

Defense of the Causasus / Victory Over Germany / 20th Anniversary of GPW / 30th Anniversary of GPW

Seventh Row:

40th Anniversary of GPW / Victory Over Japan / Capture of Budapest / Capture of Koenigburg

Eighth Row:

Capture of Vienna / Capture of Berlin / Liberation of Belgrad / Liberation of Warsaw

Ninth Row:

Liberation of Prague / Veteran of the Armed Forces / 30th Anniversary Soviet Armed Forces / 40th Anniversary Soviet Armed Forces

Tenth Row:

50th Anniversary Soviet Armed Forces / 60th Anniversary Soviet Armed Forces / 70th Anniversary Soviet Armed Forces / 20 Years Irreproachable Service

Eleventh Row:

15 Years Irreproachable Service / Medal for the 40th Anniversary of the Victory at Kalinin Gol (Mongolia) / Medal for 50 Years of the Army (Mongolia) / 60th Anniversary of the Mongolian Peoples Republic (Mongolia)

Twelth Row:

Medal for 30 Years Victory Over Japan (Mongolia) / Medal for 50 Years of the Revolution (1970) (Mongolia) / UNKNOWN / UNKNOWN

Thirteenth Row:

Victory and Freedom Medal (Poland) / Brotherhood In Arms Decoration (Poland) / Order of Merit to the Nation (1945) (Yugoslavia)

If anyone out there can ID the two UNKNOWN's on the twelth row I'd deeply appreciate it.

I have a few other Soviet ribbon bars and I'll post those as soon as I can get the pics done... hopefully later tonight.

Thanks,

Dan

[Guest Rick Research]

The 2nd Mongolian is 1971 not 1970. Your 1st unknown is Mongolian 1981 60th year of the armed forces. Not sure what the last one in the row is-- looks Mongolian but not quite anything in Dr. Battushig.

Show us the reverse, which I suspect will be felt, and bear with me before going "aaaaagh!!!!"

This is, unfortunately, on first impression a better than average parts fraud. Just too damn many Defense and Capture'Lliberation medals, all sprinkled around out of their precedence. The other tip off is that there is a 15 Years Service Medal to someone who was supposed to have defended Moscow in 1941-- and who would have gotten a 30 December 1956 Red Star for that 15 years, not a 1958+ 15 YSM.

Yes, there ARE screwy mismounts. Seen 'em. Seen 'em on medal bars worn proudly but in major violation of regulations, by General officers. Yes, there are original ribbon bars backed on felt rather than uniform material-- but THAT is the most readily faked style.

I'd have expected a rack this huge to have been broadened out to 5 across, not 4 (few Senior Comrades being malnourished in the Brezhnev years).

So, I would not throw it away... it MIGHT

repeat MIGHT

be OK.

But I don't think so.

I'd say wait and see if anyone can be found WEARING this array in a photo, as mounted here,

[Hauptmann]

The 2nd Mongolian is 1971 not 1970. Your 1st unknown is Mongolian 1981 60th year of the armed forces. Not sure what the last one in the row is-- looks Mongolian but not quite anything in Dr. Battushig.

Show us the reverse, which I suspect will be felt, and bear with me before going "aaaaagh!!!!"

Hi Rick,

Many thanks on the info on the date and one of the unknowns. I'll make note of them on the info I keep with the ribbons.

Sorry it took me so long to get back with you on this but I had to finish some work and then dig things out and do pics... ended up doing a bunch of others I'm hoping to post tonight and tomorrow. In other words... I got motivated again!

As per your request, here's a pic of the reverse. Black felt. Again it's most likely a put together as the same seller on Ebay puts up these huge ribbon bars all the time. But as I got it fairly cheap and bought under the assumption that it was a put together it doesn't worry me in the slightest.

Anyhow, on to other things including putting up the rest of my meager collection of Soviet ribbon bars... two others to be exact. But hoping to pick up more over time.

Thanks,

Dan

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Here are the other two Soviet ribbon bars in my collection. I'm hoping to add more over time.

On this first one... on the reverse view you'll see a couple of US ribbon mounts. I added these "temporarily" as a way to easily mount these on a uniform for display. They can be easily removed with no harm to the ribbons.

That said, here are the bars:

[Hauptmann]

This next set is on what I'm guessing is a proper Soviet pin mount:

All comments (and donations of Soviet ribbon bars ) are welcome.

Thanks,

Dan

[order_of_victory]

Dan,

Fantastic ribbon bars, I real do like the big one!

Order of Victory

Edited May 11, 2006 by order_of_victory

[Riley1965]

Dan,

WOW!!! I just love those ribbon bars!! That large rack sure has a lot of campaigne medals. A Great collection!!

Doc

[Guest Rick Research]

Yeah, the second very flat cloth taped one is also fake-- and I did the same thing with mine (mid 1990s) to use it for display. The awards make no sense on that one.

The tabby backed one does make sense for an EXTREMELY well decorated non-career WW2 veteran alive circa 1985.

[Hauptmann]

Yeah, the second very flat cloth taped one is also fake-- and I did the same thing with mine (mid 1990s) to use it for display. The awards make no sense on that one.

The tabby backed one does make sense for an EXTREMELY well decorated non-career WW2 veteran alive circa 1985.

Hi Rick,

Many thanks! Had no idea that second one was bad but good to know. Also good to know I'm not the only one to do that with the US ribbon mounts. Seems an easy way to pop them on and off and yet can be removed with no harm to the bar. I guess great minds think alike!

That's also great to know on the good one. I definitely need to start getting more but know for sure I'm going to check any potential purchases ahead of time on here to avoid any more bad ones. Of course the "marshal's" I just wanted because it was cheap, looked neat and had so many and not due to any possible history it had if it did turn out to be real. I'll PM you with the dealer info on that one.

Thanks,

Dan

Edited October 21, 2008 by Hauptman

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Well, been accumulating some new ribbon bars for quite some time and finally got the time to scan the little buggers... so here we go:

[Hauptmann]

[Hauptmann]

[Hauptmann]

[Hauptmann]

[Hauptmann]

[Hauptmann]

Dan :cheers:

[Guest Rick Research]

:Cat-Scratch:

10) NICE serving officer 1968-70, Capture of K?nigsberg, got a 15 and 20 so the MMM ofr 10 years and a "real" Red Star.

FUNNY little TWO OVER TWO bar. I've never seen one like that-- but with the 1948 Jubilee, he must have worn that on active duty. Maybehe/she was werrrrrry small shouldered?

11) 12 bar from 1970-75 has a 20, so MMM and one Red Star for long service and a "real" Red Star for soemthing. Note the last riubbon is the PRE-1962 Mongolian WW2 Victory Medal in ENAMEL pattern rather than the ribbon version that replaced the too fancy enamelled bars in 1961!

13) 3rd one down, painted. VERY nice, post_WW2 veteran with a MMM he squeaked by for in 1956, obviously. Has a 15 (1961/62) but no 20 yet, and pre-1965. North Korean WW2 Liberation next to last BUT...

what is the last ribbon, that just looks all solid pale gray as scanned?

[Hauptmann]

Dear Rick,

Sounds like you're having fun with these. Re: the grey one... it is indeed as it appears... just plain grey. No idea what it is. That's one reason I grabbed it. Figured it might be something interesting.

Mucho thanks for all your help. Sure hope we can ID the rest.

Dan :cheers:

[Eric Gaumann]

Re: the grey one... it is indeed as it appears... just plain grey. No idea what it is. That's one reason I grabbed it. Figured it might be something interesting.

Isn't the ribbon before the grey one a North Korean award for Sovi participation in a late GPW offensive against the Japanese? Maybe it's related to that somehow?

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Here's my latest addition to the ribbon bar collection. It's from our member Vitaly (mucho thanks my friend! ) and are his pics used with permission:

I'm assuming the last award is Polish?

Dan :cheers:

[Guest Rick Research]

That's an odd one. 1985 Jubilee OPW2... on active duty in 1948 but not wearing his 1968 all living veterans of WW2 jubilee medal. Last ribbon is Polish "Victory and Freedom" Medal-- their equivalent of a WW2 victory medal for the Communist forces.

[Hauptmann]

Here's my latest... hoping original but even if made up easily worth what I paid. Photo by Vitaly Kudinov and used with his kind permission.

Looks to be some Polish and Hungarian ribbons there. Will ID when I get it in.

Dan :cheers:

Edited June 18, 2009 by Hauptman

[Hauptmann]

My latest addition to the ribbon collection. A plastic backing with plastic protected ribbons. I couldn't pass it up!

Pics are the sellers (Vladimir Shifrin in Israel).

This is my first of this type and to be honest I can't remember seeing others like it although I'm sure they're out there.

As always opinions are most welcome.

Dan

[Guest Rick Research]

:Cat-Scratch: Oho!!!! NEVER seen a PLASTIC BACKED one like that-- MUCH much better quality than the usual Potemkin Vilage horrors...

any maker mark or price/date impressed into it?

That's a First Sighting for me! :cheers:

[Hauptmann]

Oho!!!! NEVER seen a PLASTIC BACKED one like that-- MUCH much better quality than the usual Potemkin Vilage horrors...

any maker mark or price/date impressed into it?

That's a First Sighting for me!

Hi Rick,

Wow... it's not often I can find something that you've not seen before. I'm honored! I'd not seen any either and I just could not resist... she's a beaut!

No idea on markings... I'll try and ask if I can but if nothing else I'll check it out thoroughly when it arrives. But it's coming from Israel (should be shipping out tomorrow) and I'm guessing will be a couple of weeks... but one never knows. It's coming with my latest ORS. Hoping you'll check that out... but from what I found in the green bible I'm guessing it's a 1953 long service.

Anyhow I'll keep you posted on this one for sure.

Dan