Chris Boonzaier

Nice docs :-) Ages ago you wanted to concentarte on MW... is that still the case?

That is very nice on so many levels, especially the Fleury entry!!!!

Some time ago Weitze had a pair of Gebirgs MG straps with a dog tag... I hesitated, forgot about them... then they were gone.....

Hi, is this man Bulgarian? Thanks Chris

Are they all different in some way? Variations or makers? Thanks Chrs

I just need one! :-)

There is no "Close enough to period piece" IMHO... simply because not all engravers back then had a high standard... some would have been pretty mediocre... Also difficult to keep track of good ones as there is little proof for any of them... so what i consider good, you may not, and vice versa :-( I think as with any collecting field were variation is infanite, engraved crosses will always be a section with gut feeling and belief in individual pieces...

Engrave a dirty patinaed piece... clean it with brasso... and suddenly the engraved lettering is filthy dark black and looks 100 years old....

Hi, I think it harder than that... I have seen old engravings on regular silverwear where the piece istelf is patina covered... but the inside of the engravings silver... and polised silver pieces were the inside of the engravings were filled with dirt... Also, it is possible to have a late award, barely worn, with an engraving, then kept in a drawer... or someone who got a cross in 1914, wore it throughout the war, then had it engraved in 1920, then wore it further on other uniforms.... or an engraved cross given as a present and never worn.... There are probably as many combinations and posibilities as there were crosses awarded. As far as people doing the engraving.... most old crafts still have a hard core on enthousiats who practice just to keep it alive... we are all digital, but plenty of people who are still hardcore and develope and print photos in the basement... or shave with a staright razor... or dont buy readymade curry powder but mix it themselves.... and, as such, there are still hobby engraves out there, maybe they are not as good as the topline engravers of back then, but they are surely as good as the "average" engraver of back then....

Fantastic! I am glad the Russian awards have advanced from the "wild west" days... Maybe some day they will reach the level that British Medals have... by which I mean that the individual award is rated as opposed to the kind of medal. best Chris

Nice one Tony! Have found out for sure mine is one of a huge amount of modern copies... Guess i was screwed....

Unfortunatwely faded, but it is what it is....

You can find "Schlacht" "Stellungskampf" "Gefecht" etc.... There is an official cut off date (for example) where entries from one day to the next change from "Schlacht" of Verdun to "Stellungskämpfe" at Verdun.....

My understanding is these are flight crews and paratroopers? Am no expert on dog tags though. All the POW I have seen have been rectangular...

Hi, There are indeed artists who are still to be found today... a few years ago there were some guys who were engraving all kinds of silver things and turning them into SS presentation things... I think the truth is probably that the average jewller cannot do it... but like with anything, there are individuals who can... and if one of then gets into the Cross engraving market.... With these things it is always a question of faith. I probably passed over 10-20 originals and the same amount of fakes until I found one where I thought "now i am confident!!"

I have a suspiscion that this may be something important.... At about this time an order came out that men who had been seriously wounded would get an EK.... Does anyone have access to the Verfügung of the 9th of Jan 1917? maybe, just maybe... this is a long lost piece of a puzzle?

I think it depends just what is engraved.... if it is a name and some obscure unit... i think there is less problems... But I have a healthy suspicion when somethig has a really eye catching turns up... Dont forget, these are often done by hobby engravers... half an hour of work can add EUR100 to the price... For me it is always a case by case thing..... and then it is a case of your "feelings" for the piece....

Very nice indeed!

Very nice!!! I like!!!

Seller had really bad photos... looks WW1, but I dont think it is.... Sheath also not WW1?

I assume a normal Pucelle.... worn on the right shirt pocket on a leather Fob... Best Chris

Some interesting Collar badges....

A pretty clean trench....

Nice studio pic... unfortunately no EK

Not really my collecting field... but nice!!