slava1stclass

To all: Another nice portrait. Regards, slava1stclass

To all: The second in our continuing series - Ivan Ivanovich Kravets. Like Gospodin Radkov in post # 1 above, he spent his entire working career as a road grader/machine excavator operator. Regards, slava1stclass

To all: The unchecked appreciation of the Order of Glory 1st Class continues unabated. Igor's asking price for serial number 963 is $13,900.00. For border reverse Glory 2nd Class serial number 457 it is $22,500.00. Regards, slava1stclass

matteti, Interesting images. While seven or even nine Otlichnik badges awarded to the same person for repeat excellence in a single technical area certainly look impressive, our Triple Threat man in Post # 1 above earned his in three distinct areas. That is factually impressive. Regards, slava1stclass

To all: For the labor award aficionados among you. Regards, slava1stclass

To all: Yes, that appears to be it. Regards, slava1stclass

To all: It's not very often that you see one like this. Regards, slava1stclass

To all: And then there were two... Regards, slava1stclass

To all: Soviet ODM prices continue to explode for exactly the same reasons. Regards, slava1stclass A Rich Market for Russian Icons As Tycoons Reclaim National Treasures, Counterfeiters Also Emerge By Peter Finn Washington Post Foreign Service Tuesday, February 5, 2008; Page A15 MOSCOW -- Last May, Maria Paphiti, an icons specialist at Christie's auction house in London, was invited to inspect some religious paintings on wood that were among the contents of a building recently bought by an English family. The artworks had been found wrapped in plastic, and the building's new owners wondered what, if anything, they were worth. The answer: a lot, particularly if they drew the attention of Russian buyers who have embarked on a massive spending spree to recover the country's exiled treasures. Paphiti quickly singled out one piece as quite valuable. The 1894 icon "St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker of Myra" had a rare signature by the acclaimed Russian icon painter Mikhail Dikarev. It had also been framed in gilt and enamel by Jakov Mischukov, a well-known Moscow craftsman. Adding to the icon's value was a dedication on the back saying it had been presented to the last czar, Nicholas II, by the Old Believers community, which broke with the established Russian Orthodox Church in the 17th century over changes to the church's rites. How the icon got to London, only to be discarded in an obscure building, remains a mystery, Paphiti said. The icon was put on the block last June 11. Bidding started slowly at 20,000 pounds, or almost $40,000 -- Christie's pre-sale estimate. An impatient Russian bidder quickly stepped in with an offer of $200,000 and then two bidders, both unidentified Russians, faced off in bids made by intermediaries over the phone until the icon was sold to one of them for $854,000, a world record for an icon at auction. For the happily bewildered English family, who told Christie's they wished to remain anonymous, it was an astonishing windfall. "They couldn't believe it," Paphiti said in a telephone interview from London. The sale was new evidence that the market for Russian icons is skyrocketing. Fueled by religious patriotism and encouraged by both the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church, Russia's tycoons are reclaiming masterpieces that were scattered worldwide by the chaos of the Russian Revolution, the flight into exile of those opposed to the Communists, and the illegal export of art, which continued into the 1990s. Russians are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to reacquire all kinds of Russian art, not just icons. To help the process, the government has eliminated customs duties on the import of art. The market is so good that con artists are occasionally getting into the act with fakes. In recent years, the billionaire oils and metals tycoon Viktor Vekselberg acquired the 180-piece Forbes collection of Faberge eggs for $100 million and put them on exhibit here. In September, the steel magnate Alisher Usmanov spent $40 million to buy the art collection of the late cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich, then promptly turned it over to the state as a gift. At Christie's, sales of icons and religious artifacts have jumped from $140,000 in 2005 to $14 million last year, and 70 percent of the buyers are Russian, according to Paphiti. Both Christie's and Sotheby's are reporting tens of millions of dollars in annual sales of Russian art. "A patriotic wave has appeared in Russia," said Mikhail Elizavetin, 68, who made his fortune in construction and now has one of Russia's finest private collections of icons. "There is a pride in returning these icons to their motherland. I'm not talking about speculation in icons, I'm talking about real national pride. Many people have a sincere, pure reaction to this kind of art." Four months ago, Elizavetin said in an interview, he paid a private collector in Switzerland nearly $1.5 million for a 14th-century icon called "Descent into Hell." Six months ago in Berlin, he said, he acquired an entire private collection of 110 icons for what he described as "considerable millions." Prices of icons are doubling and tripling each year. "It's fantastic," said Vladimir Studenikin, a Moscow dealer who makes regular trips to London to bid at auctions for himself and private Russian buyers. The booming market has also spawned skilled counterfeiters who retouch primitive but old icons to make them seem like masterpieces. Complicating matters is the fact that some apparently ancient icons are forgeries made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries -- a period when there was also a lively black market in counterfeiting. Distinguishing a 19th-century fake from a 14th-century original can be extraordinarily difficult, art experts say. For some Russians, icons, particularly those that predate the early 17th century and are uninfluenced by Western motifs, are the truest form of Russian art. Icons made for the last czars and their families are also particularly valued. Their possession dovetails with a renewed sense of nationalism and religious identity among the elite of President Vladimir Putin's Russia. "The soul of ancient Russia is expressed most clearly in an icon," said Nadejda Bekeneva, head of the Department of Ancient Art at the State Tretyakov Gallery. "It's a wonderful thing that our businessmen are returning our wealth to the motherland." Mikhail Abramov, also a construction magnate, said he experienced a religious awakening three years ago when he turned 40 and had made his fortune. He began to collect icons, first for his home. Two years ago, when he had acquired nearly 400 of them, Abramov opened a private museum, a common move by Russian tycoons these days. (Elizavetin also is planning to open a private museum for his collection.) "I get a lot of offers, but I believe I don't have a right to sell them," Abramov said. "They belong to Russia." The Tretyakov will hold an exhibition of Elizavetin's and Abramov's collections next month. The show will be called "Returned Treasures."

To all: You won't find an awardee of the Medal for Combat Service much younger than this. Regards, slava1stclass

Enzo, The standard gold purity for the Order of Glory 1st Class is 950 (23 karat). Regards, slava1stclass

To all: There has been a real dearth of Full Cavalier sets for sale on the open market. The last Full Cavalier set on the open market (late September 2007) had an asking price of $21,000.00. Given that a single Glory 1st sold for $11,000.00 at a NYC dealer's recent internet-based auction, it is not unreasonable to expect the price for Full Cavalier sets to soon cross the $30,000.00 threshold (if not higher). Regards, slava1stclass

To all: In a first, IM's website no longer carries an "Order of Lenin" category. That's how desperate the situation has become. Who would have thought? Regards, slava1stclass

To all: Certainly not a bad environment within which to operate when it comes time to dispense with one's "gems" should one have them. Regards, slava1stclass

To all: I'm very thankful. $11,000.00 for good old lot number 2231 ($3,500.00 over list) makes me very happy! Regards, slava1stclass

To all: While rather uncommon, Soviet enlisted personnel did receive the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitskiy 3rd Class during the Great Patriotic War. I have a photo of one such recipient (a Guards NCO who was also a single or double Slava winner) in my collection. There are also a few Full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory who received the Bogdan 3rd Class. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, No one was arrested. The newspaper journalist did some of his own detective work (with the help of tips from concerned citizens). He then brokered a deal with the unknown thiefs wherein they would pass the orders to the journalist who, in turn, would return them to Kuznetsov. As part of the deal, the Russian militia was not brought in/tipped off. Regards, slava1stclass

To all: A very happy ending! Per a Russian press report dated December 23rd, 2007 (follows below), his orders were recovered and returned to him! Regards, slava1stclass Награды вернулись к герою Награды, украденные у Героя Советского Союза, нашли и вернули. Николай Кузнецов - единственный оставшийся в живых полный кавалер орденов Воинской Славы, именно он водружал знамя победы при освобождении Севастополя, был ограблен несколько месяцев назад. Заслуженному ветерану помогли журналисты. Когда на пороге появился незнакомый человек в костюме, Николай Иванович не сразу понял, что произошло, а через несколько секунд на его глазах появились слезы ? от радости. Он уже не верил, что когда-нибудь вновь увидит свои награды. Николай Кузнецов - единственный оставшийся в живых полный кавалер орденов Воинской Славы, Герой Советского союза, ветеранов с таким набором наград за всю историю было лишь четверо, и он один из них. В свои 86 лет Николай Иванович плохо видит, ордена узнает почти на ощупь. "Я очень рад, ведь это ? кровь моя", - говорит ветеран. Он вспоминает, как тяжело приходилось в войну, но о своих подвигах говорит скромно. Орден Славы III степени - за освобождение Крыма. Когда почти в одиночку остановил танковый прорыв немцев в Прибалтике, был награжден орденом Славы II степени, за еще 16 подбитых вражеских танков под Кенигсбергом получил орден Славы I степени. А в 45-м старшина Кузнецов был награжден звездой Героя Советского союза. "Это мне за 2 города ? Севастополь и Кенигсберг. Когда в Севастополь вошли, я первый водрузил знамя, так там было ? кто первый водрузит знамя. Ну, и за штурм Кенигсберга", - рассказывает Николай Кузнецов. Он так и остался старшиной. Говорит, что воевал не за звания и ордена. Но о его подвигах рассказывают на школьных уроках истории. К Кузнецову в его уже родной городок Пестово часто приезжали домой историки, студенты. Он никому не отказывал. Три месяца назад в дверь постучал молодой человек, представился студентом из Москвы и, как многие, попросил показать китель с наградами. "Я-то пиджак разложила, и смотрю, что он шарится, что-то щупает. Я схватила пиджак ? он стал тянуть, Коля его палкой железной огрел, он и рванул, надо было по башке его шарахнуть", - вспоминает Нина Кузнецова. "Я в жизни никогда никому плохого не сделал, думал, что и ко мне так, но нет", - добавляет Николай Кузнецов. Во дворе вора уже ждала машина, на которой мошенники бесследно скрылись. Это чудовищное ограбление потрясло всех. Когда стало ясно, что милиция бессильна в поисках, за расследование взялись акулы пера из бюро журналистских расследований. Сергей рассказывает, как на сайте издания разместили статью и обращение ко всем, кто может и хочет помочь вернуть награды. И желающие нашлись. Он как в детективной истории месяц с ними по телефону общался, без обратной связи. Узнал, что награды уже находятся в Харькове. Сергея долго проверяли, выслеживали. Когда люди на обратном конце провода убедились ? журналист не приведет милицию и гарантированно передаст награды владельцу ? позвонили и сообщили, что ордена можно забрать в почтовом ящике его офиса. Но о том, по чьей доброй воле награды вернули, и кто хотел на них нажиться, узнать удалось не много. "Заказчик ? мрачный коллекционер, скорее всего из Прибалтики, он нанял группу людей из Украины и Белоруссии", - говорит Сергей Соколов, главный редактор бюро журналистских расследований. Если версия о прибалтийском захватчике подтвердится, то география судьбы Николая Кузнецова замкнется. Он говорит, что это злая ирония судьбы - ведь именно сражаясь на Западном фронте, освобождая Прибалтику, он и получил эти награды.

To all: This picture says it all. Regards, slava1stclass

Rick, Yes. NavyFCO has posted examples of Soviet award record cards for American general officers who received Soviet orders during WW II. Regards, slava1stclass

Ed, Glad to help you out - that's why we're here. Nature of the stamps as well as "heavy" cursive. Unfortunately, our colleague usairforce has posted other items of this caliber in the past. Regards, slava1stclass

This is fake. Regards, slava1stclass

To all: Ed raises a great point. The displays I've seen in former Soviet war museums have generally been outstanding - Kyiv's war museum is particularly well done. The issue cutting across all of them, however, is the absence of adequate lighting/illumination in the individual display cases which leaves one straining to see details. Regards, slava1stclass

Rick, Dancing on "die Uebereste der Mauer in der Naehe vom Potsdamer Platz." That's where! Regards, slava1stclass

To all: Concur in Dudeman's take. He, if anyone, should know. Regards, slava1stclass