Jump to content
News Ticker
  • I am now accepting the following payment methods: Card Payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal
  • Latest News

    orderderwelt

    Standard Membership
    • Posts

      4
    • Joined

    • Last visited

    Contact Methods

    • Website URL
      www.orden-der-welt.de

    Profile Information

    • Gender
      Male
    • Location
      Constance / Germany
    • Interests
      All Information (books, journals, pictures, etc.) on orders of chivalry, decotaions and medals from all over the world; very special interest on Holy See (Vatican), Orders of St. John and of Malta, and so named "ephemeral" orders

    Recent Profile Visitors

    The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

    orderderwelt's Achievements

    Rookie

    Rookie (2/14)

    • First Post
    • Conversation Starter
    • Week One Done
    • One Month Later
    • One Year In

    Recent Badges

    1

    Reputation

    1. Dear collectors and colleagues, First of all some words concerning my own person: Born in 61 I’m interested in orders, decorations and medals from all over the world since more than forty years, since 1986 I’m working also as dealer in this subject, since 1996 as a publisher of phaleristic books (about 100 titles, mostly reprints) and since 1999 also as an independent expert for German and foreign auction houses, museums and the police/courts. My own phaleristic reference library contains more than 6,000 books, nearly all worldwide journals since 1945, and nearly all worldwide auction catalogues since about 1850. Secondly, I would like to add some words about Kuenker for whom I’m also working as an independent expert for orders of chivalry, decorations and medals from Germany and from all over the world since 1999. They made their first coin auction in 1985 (offering also order’s insignia). In 2005 there was the first auction with worldwide orders of chivalry, decorations and medals. Since that time they have had every year one or two medal auctions offering lot-numbers from about 700 to 1,600. In total, Künker did hold more than 260 auction ales and achieves a positive reputation among many coin collectors and dealers worldwide. It has always been one of the main policies of Kuenker to take over full responsibility for all offered items and to give a lifelong (!) warranty on authenticity of the pieces. Kuenker and I myself try to do our very, very best to examine authenticity and to describe the lots as exactly as possible. It is obvious that there may be pieces in every auction which after catalogue-publication are publically discussed concerning their authenticity and this is highly important and well accepted by Kuenker. Such pieces are carefully checked again and if there should be any doubts, they are withdrawn from the auction. A fact that is also published in the list of results as well as the addenda and corrigenda which Kuenker receives until the auction day! As I’m concerned of orders, decorations and medals from all over the world, it is absolutely impossible for me to know everything. Mutual help is highly necessary and four eyes may see more than two eyes, especially in those days when fakes are becoming better and better and more and more dangerous. It is highly necessary to learn from each other because only together we can combat the international scene of fakes. What concerns the “diamond”-set of the order of St. Andrew (cat.no. 620) in my opinion it is correctly described as a non-Russian jewellers manufacturing from the 1920ies or 1930ies. Antonio Spada publishes in his work “Onori e Glorie – Volume 3” (Brescia 193) a St. Catherine’s breast star with diamonds (pages 192/193) and a White Eagle breast star for non-Christians with diamonds (page 212/213) with similar (not the same!) reverse constructions (taken in consideration of all differences) that had been part of his collection. And therefore unless other “proof” (which I would highly await to receive in order to convince me!) I would consider this set due to the quite “sophisticated” construction, especially of the breast star not to be a fake after 1991 but as that what I wrote in the catalogue. Therefore, dear collectors and colleagues, I would highly appreciate if you would let me know also the other cat.-numbers of the items of which you take in doubt their authenticity and perhaps also the reason why and perhaps also to give the “proof” of the respective publication. It could also be possible to contact Kuenker directly. However, give me at least the fair chance in order to enable me to react because it is impossible for me to react “only on rumours”. Dear collectors and colleagues of this highly important international forum, I would like to ask you to give your statements with a little more of British fairness. A term “auction full of fakes” to be used with illustrations of only four illustrations of Russian pieces and after all to use an “etc.” without any further information seems to me to be quite unfair. The auction offers 931 lots in total of which the Russian and Soviet part contains only about 88 lots, thus representing less than 10% of the entire auction – and then speaking of “auction full of fakes” seems to me to be quite a doubtful expression, especially if there are no further examples. Concerning recent statements showing pictures of orders from Kuenker’s auctions without auction and catalogue numbers has to be considered not only to be unfair but also as very unscientific and polemic which should not be the level of such an important international forum in my opinion. My comments concerning the pictures shown in message ID 15: all three pieces shown that there had been offered in Kuenker’s auction 235 (June 2013 – 8804, 8814 and 8815) and were withdrawn from the auction before it’s start. The first picture of message ID 16 shows cat.- no. 1160 of auction 253 which was correctly described as “later non Russian jewellers manufacturing” (those words also in English) and made “only” 4,800 Euros. Concealing such published facts may not only be considered to be polemic but may also fulfill the legal fact of being defamatory. Are such statements in accordance with the statutes of this highly esteemed platform if they aren’t in accordance with the British law? Does this quality of statement perhaps has something to do with the fact that the identity of its author is hidden and thus maybe permits him to move on such a low unscientific, incorrect and polemic level? I’m far away to criticise this forum, its members and their anonymity as it is a highly important platform for discussing important questions. But shouldn’t this happen on a more scientific and less polemic level? Coming to the end of my admitted very long statement, I would like to point out as a matter of fact I do not like to continue to defend myself against these absolutely unqualified accusations because this behaviour is absolutely beyond my level. If the intension of such “accusations” would really be honest and positive in terms of combat the fraud, it would be quite fair to state the reason why the pieces considered to be fakes. Another alternative is to contact me directly and to provide me with those information. I am sure that there are also plenty members of this forum that I’m always very, very thankful for every correction to my own descriptions and for their support and also to everyone who has a question to me! Best regards to all of you! Michael Autengruber
    ×
    ×
    • Create New...

    Important Information

    We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.