Stogieman

Hmmmmmm, Red Banner 2, #2 was just recently auctioned off on eBay !!

Here's a pair that used to live here.

Correct ribbon and quite the find....... only the fourth piece of original ribbon I've ever seen. Superb!

Chris, I do not feel good about this bar. A) Even a Saxon would mount an EK2 in front of a Long Service Award B) Rick's already noted time/awards recd. theory C) Note that every single medal has a very different fold to it. The sign of an amateur mounting. The folds/wraps/bows should be much more consistent.

Les! Is that an applied silver tag w. 800, or actually integral/stamped into the metal itself!?

Well, I'd like to add that coming from an Imperial German collecting background and German/Austrian buying/selling for years now........... I continue to be utterly astounded at the pricing of some of these rarer Soviet era awards.

Well, it's nice to know what a real one looks like up-close and personal via photos...... http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=13487

You guys are not paying attention...... that price was a steal. The recipient of these awards was the very first man to drop bombs on London England.............

It's great to see so many different examples! keep 'em coming!

I'd be really careful....... not even the "experts" seem to concur on what's good and what's bad.

Hi Doc, the badge is an "Honored Employee of The NKVD. Dudeman, yes, pretty sure on this one. The entire group was purchased direct from the family in Giorgia. The only thing they did not sell was the book for the NKVD Badge, however they did eventually give up a copy. The Orders book was issued with only the 2 Red Stars entered. The other awards all date/entered after the issue. Numbers and dates do fit logically into the known sequence/records currently available.

I shall refrain from commenting on the purchase of the "underwear"...... this brings to mind the mythical trunk of General Bader.... Please PM me before even considering breaking that second set... I could always offer indentured servitude to keep it intact.

I would be proud to own either set, irrespective of the price/condition. Both are wonderful and I cannot imagine breaking up the second group.

Dave, I would sincerely hope that a simple disagreement over perceived value would not prevent you from posting anything. As I originally stated, damage per-se doesn't bother me in a documented/attributed group. My opinions for value are just that, my opinions. I own two double glory groups, not a full cavalier. One of which ended up being wrong to boot and it was actually Rick R that caught that. Not the seller, not me and none of the OMSA guys that fondled it over the years. I'd love a full cavalier group, but realisticly the (so far) shown price tag is prohibitive to me. Your set is phenominal for exactly all the reasons we've all stated and then nicely summed up by my "Evil Twin"?..... Then it becomes a question of what it's worth and that will always be a very subjective thing to me and probably to most people. Yes, I would agree "well-loved" to be a much better representation than "rough". My intent was not to denigrate the set in and of itself in any way. Frankly I am still fascinated and would still like to know when the Cavalier Book was issued...... the fact that he had polished them into oblivion by that time quite obviously meant nothing to him, he continued to proudly wear what he earned. I don't think there's any "wrist slapping" deserved by him or any other recipient that wore, polished and occasionally dropped and broke his awards. I'm sure if he had wanted to, he could have presented them and had replacements issued, but he kept these...... good enough for me. Again, I would sincerely hope that a difference in opinion of monetary value would not keep you from posting anything for discussion and/or enjoyment of us all. And, I am sincerely sorry if my inexperience and lack of appreciation of the value of this very wonderful set has offended you in any way, shape, manner or form. Truly. Mea Culpa.

Hi David, never made any pretense of experience where Soviet is considered.... but I have bought and sold many countries militaria for many years. Excuse my mistake in calling his "Cavalier's Book" his "Orders book". I'd still like to know when the book was actually issued as that would interesting to know that at (whatever time that was) his medals had already been polished into oblivion. I hope for the sake of your consignor you can get $2500-$3000. But as a long term-buyer of militaria, PMD approved or not, that's a lot of money for a really rough set.

I find the set fascinating and makes me ask a great number of questions. Foremost, what the heck did he polish those with? Secondly, when was the orders booklet issued that it already had a photo of these 3 medals buffed out like this!? I think David, for a set in this condition, atrributable or not, you'll be hard pressed to get the value you're seeking. At the point where you're 40% in, to me anyway, you're better off saving that extra amount for one in vastly better condition. Yes, they still have value, but the historical significance/value has superceded the value of the medals themselves. In the absence of the provenance, I don't think you'd be able to get anything for them. My best inexperienced guess hear is that if you can find someone willing to pay $1500 in that condition I'd take the money.

I guess this makes me the oddball then. While I was heavily warned to stay away from damaged stuff when I wandered down this lane....... to me, if it came with the group, so be it. He wore it, he was proud of it, it was his. Damage/condition was irrelevant if it was correct to the group. Having said that, I will shy away from groups with extensive amounts of damaged pieces...... but one damaged/lesser piece in a nice group? I would have no problem with that!

Look at this item: http://cgi.ebay.com/Awards-of-the-USSR_W0Q...1QQcmdZViewItem Then look at feedback/comments/items sold. How stupid do these people think we are??

I find that embroidered Glider Badge to be way more interesting!

This might explain why he received that rather impressive group of awards in the 1950's.... His photo and his other award:

His Orders Book:

I only have one Lenin:

Talk about frugal...... I have no doubt it was made this way long ago!

Just can't figure out why that Turkish Medal is tucked in at last place!! How the heck did he get one of these!?

Thanks Matt for adding those extremely interesting bits of history!!!!