Stogieman

Final bid on this set was $1425!

Whoops! Thanks Bernd!

Another interesting bar, went for $162. Thoughts?

To me, this is a copy badge and case, document not withstanding. Vince or Bern’s, can you please weigh in on the document? Final bid was $577

There was a time, about 20 years back, there was minimal interest in Austrian ODM. I snatched up every single one that Detlev Nieman offered in his weekly update.

Nice! Love the Leopoldo! Used to have a couple cased ones back in the day!

I watched this one with great interest but missed the end of the auction. Not sure if it can be identified. Condition was excellent. $132

“1870 Godet EK1” for $800!

Good Morning All! I’m more than a little disappointed to see so many pieces that are clearly being separated from their award documents and sold as individual lots. I haven’t bothered to see if they were all to one individual just seeing an order and the document apart. I understand the desire to maximize the return but I don’t like it one bit! Having said that, there are some rather spectacular and interesting lots listed!

Unfortunately, looks like this was stripped from a bar, but I believe it’s legit. $228

Another “Wagner” PLM, $707

I really got amused at some of these offerings, how about this “1813 EK1” for $461?

Good Morning! I agree wholeheartedly with you Vince. Not only Albert Order, but the Saxon Merit Order and a number of others from the duchies have been appearing. And they’re selling, so more keep flooding the market. I feel very strongly that this will ruin this hobby. It’s getting to the point where if it’s not coming out of an old collection it shouldn’t even be considered. Even at that, I’ve seen some questionable pieces at auction. As long as the uninformed keep buying, these copies will simply keep coming. Take a look at this variation of the “cased pilot set”. This seller from Germany has one a week! Plus PLMs, Grand Crosses, etc. I mean, at some point, you would think the buyer would say wait a minute. But they just keep selling and for stupid prices! The EK1 here looks good to me, but the case and Austrian badge are copies. The set sold for $607. The unmitigated greed of the seller gives me serious pause. But as long as there’s a group of willing buyers who can’t be bothered to do the research, this will continue. I started this thread with the hope of keeping the members informed of what’s happening and going on in the market. At this point, I’m getting more discouraged and depressed just looking back through the thread. Can you imagine how these buyers are going to react/feel at some point if they try to put their “collection” on the market with a legitimate seller or auction house? I simply cannot imagine having the resources to be pouring my money into a hobby but not spending the time, money and effort to do some research and get an education. I remember years ago, a former member of this forum reached out to me saying he wanted to collect ribbon bars and medal bars. Asked to buy an extensive list of pieces I had for sale at the time. My reply was that before buying the items he should invest his money in multiple reference books, read/study them. Reach out to the community and ask to visit/inspect/handle their collections and listen to their advice and experiences. I get the impression this just isn’t happening anymore. I don’t know if it’s because the internet has caused us to all become distant and isolated. I don’t think people are going to the major shows and events like OMSA anymore. Even I have let that membership lapse but I will leap at an opportunity to see/visit an older collection. There’s simply no substitute for handling the real deal. Once you’ve had 3 or 4 real PLMs in your hands you will never mistake what the copy is again. Yes, the fakers are getting more and more accurate and sophisticated but they haven’t achieved perfection yet. But you have to do your research. At this point, I’m beginning to start looking at and considering the lesser medals simply because there’s no real money in faking them! All of the sudden a Saxon FAM has more appeal to me than an Albert Order! Which is rather a shame as back when I started collecting I quickly fell quite enamored of Saxon enamel!! I don’t know where our hobby will go but I fear the plethora of fakes is diminishing the hobby.. At this point, I’m just sitting back and watching the decline. It’s making me feel very sad.

I laughed when I saw the ribbon bar! Keeping my eye on it for chuckles!!

And a fake “Poellath” Bavarian Pilot Badge, the usual suspect, $689

Good Morning Vince! A most excellent group! Nice to see the matching feldspange & kette! Thanks for sharing!

And where would we be without this week’s obligatory fake PLM that went for $1550?

One would think with these fake sets popping up on a weekly basis that the buyers would smarten up, but no, this one brought $615

This one went for only 199 Euro, not my favorite mounting but I do believe it’s legit

Again, the usual suspect, the bottomless pit of fakes, people just snap them up! This one enhanced with fake engraving, $386

Good Morning All! Don, I missed this too! What did it go for? This one looks interesting, is it real? I like the feet of the eagles

The trifold ribbon looks like a modern replacement??

Good Morning! The 1870 EK2 in a case sold for about $672 if memory serves me

Yet another fake Prussian Observer Badge in a fake case from our Usual Suspect. $577. I really have to wonder what on earth people think, this seller has a never ending supply of flight badges and PLMs but people keep snapping them up!!

Good Morning All! Thanks for weighing in Lew!