Stogieman

My latest group of Hungarian Badges, can you guys help ID them?

In any event, that's one of the nicest Saxon carryover ribbon bars I have seen in some time. I will speak to RR about it Christophe

Post 105/106-Charles' uniform. What is the medal in first place and is it really a higher precedence?

A Happy Christmas to one and all from me as well. I have been absent due to family/work/we moved stuff for soome time. But my old friend Rick Research has made some CD's for me of some of my badges which I hope to share after the holidays. Peace to all.

Once prices soared through the roof on ribbon bars the fakers become far more sophisticated. Over the last 20 years or so what I have learned is that if there's a bell going offing my head, I should listen to it! (sometimes it's a good bell btw) With this bar and no ID, and questionable bow, I would run away. Other's would not and that's Ok because I am in no way an expert on anything. The real expert is Rick Research, Daniel Krause and the pool of knowledge associated with all the fellows doing research. If they don't make a sign of the cross over it I would not personally touch it with a ten foot pole. But I am old, tired and had enough bad decisions over the years to know when it's time for me to take a pass. I put the old 5X glasses on and looked closer at the device attaching the bow. It's something i am still not comfortable with, nor do i like the backing. But the pix are crap and as my Neurosurgeon says "they are not of diagnostic quality". Cheers! & Happy Christmas, Rick

I don't have any doubts at all, I plain do not like it. Primary concern is the bow device itself; which is so <expletive deleted> rare on a bar of this style (post 1915); that the presence therof is enough to make me have serious doubts as to authenticity.

That is just foolish..... Beau is correct regarding the medal. If it's silver gilt it's not a legit gold medal.

Hi Rene, I have loads of images but none as fine as what's been shown in this thread!

Here's my Bronze version, cased. Images show the medal, the case, the seal on the lid.

Hi Les, nice of you to weigh in. Perhaps you could help us all out by referring to the specific thread and/or your specific questions/concerns regarding the piece. Thanks!

stogieman editorial comments: It's not often in life that one has a great dinner, washes up, sits down to relax with some really good friends and start's to have PLM's passed around the room. I had a wonderful working-meeting with Steve Previtera a few weeks back and of the many subjects we touched on, one was PLM's. I confessed that unlike flight badges, the characteristics of the PLM are just lost in translation/viewing images to me. I'm sorry, I just don't get them; just as I find it impossible to "see" what Rick, Daniel, Paul, et. al. "see" in the rank lists. After this meeting I don't think there will be too many authenticity questions for me if I am ever fortunate enough to actually hold a real PLM in my (too flabergasted to be sweaty) hands.... As is so often the case in this hobby of ours; there is simply no substitute for handling known originals. Quality simply cannot be duplicated in an image, no matter how well the scan or photo may be. The "feel" of piece cannot be replicated, no matter how clever a fake. This was one of the most special nights of collecting I have had in a very long time and I am grateful to all the participants. Thank you for your time, your efforts and for sharing your collective experience(s) and knowledge. PS: Did I mention the ca. 1866 and the ca. 1870 St. Henry RK's I was able to lovingly hold again?

Thanks to all members of the Traveling Museum involved for bringing these along to share with you all, and to Evil Ricky for posting these since I am offline. We all hope that those of you interested in insanely rare and hideously expensive exotica will be interested in seeing such nicely varied types. These crosses have all, alas, come and gone again, so I have no other magic Epson scans to share. In the general festivation, I cannot recall seeing any maker marks, probably because my hands were shaking… pawing them. Then again, the entire non-PLM-owning throng’s hands were shaking…. pawing these. After all, how the bleep often do FOUR Blue Maxes grace anyone’s Humble Abode from the four quarters of any particular quadrant of the globe? Speckles sprinkled on some of the scans are from our superabundant pine pollen and not IN any enamel. Can’t keep it from every surface here currently. Should there be any questions regarding further points of theoretical interest in these four treasures, post away and can get relevant replies back eventually through Evil Ricky. Rick Research

This charmingly chubby little foreign made replacement from the mid-19th century bears an official Prussian-issue 50th jubilee Crown. Because this one no longer has a ribbon, will just post close-up sizes

Close-ups

A late WW1 silver gilt example with 1960s 50th jubilee Crown

And close-ups

A WW1 example with oak leaves

Close-ups of the cross

Reverse of the same

Rick Research Speaks: So many people have interests far beyond what Yrs Truly always refers to as the "Actually Possible for Mere Mortals" that I finally asked far more senior offline members of the Traveling Museum to bring along their collective Pour le Merites for Theme Day scanning at our most recent pre-turista season Island gathering of Magic Epson worshippers and aficionados of fine food, wine, and cigars. Herewith, for those of you who are interested in such unobtainable items, four different examples spanning over a century of wear of the Prussian Order Pour le Merite. Obverse of a gold 19th century example

OK, so the earliest ones are red cases and the late one(s) are the blue case? I know the site, hence the question ;>)

No, Zsolt is helping me, have not been to Lowell since last time we met. Will not be there this Sunday either and if you're smart..... you will not be there either! ;>)

Isn't the third ribbon the Sax-Altenburg Civil Service 25 Year Award?

Correct blue case??

and, the Order itself (all scans courtesy of Rick Research)