ardmhacha

Well I find it best to avoid selling in areas in which you are uncertain about, there is always someone out there who covers the field. I would get rid of them to a collector who cannot afford original examples, as long as you tell them there is some doubt hanging over them. Sadly in my opinion, there is no doubt, these are copies that you obtained from someone. Godd luck

Hi,

I have just joined the forum to put forward my side of the debate on the 1916 and Service medal pair auction on Ebay. To start with I should let you know I am every-thing-irish.

The explanation of where I got the medals is true, they were found in a house clearance in Dublin. When I found them the original ribbons were covered in black mould and I discarded them.

On Monday morning, the day the auction was due to end, a collector of 1916 medals called to me to pick up some ribbon and was kind enough to bring along his original 1916 medals for comparison with the one I had listed on Ebay. After some examination, detailed measurements and discussion there was a doubt concerning the seam which should run round the edge of the medal where the two halves are joined during manufacture, the seam on the medal in question was intermittent rather than continues as you would expect. This could have been as a result of a good join or it could have been the seam was not recorded in the mould if the medal was a copy. Because of this doubt I decided to pull the auction, I only sell genuine items.

The size of the medal was almost identical to the comparison. I had the ribbons done on the medals twice. The first time it was by a medal collector in Dublin. He did a good enough job but when I bought some WW1 medals from a dealer in England I availed of his 'Professional Medal Mounting' service, as this forum and Ebay forbid the use of profanities I would say the job he did was less than perfect although they do look alright from the front.

As it turned out my attempts to pull the auction failed because Ebay do not let you cancel an auction if it has less than 12 hours to go, I replaced the pictures of the medals with Do Not Bid images and cancelled any bids but as I sort of expected someone went and bid in the last few seconds and I was unable to cancel their bid in time. I was also unable to add to the description to inform potential bidders of my doubts about the authenticity of the medals because Ebay do not allow you to add to the description if the auction has less than 12 hours to go.

I have decided not to sell the medals and to avoid 1916 and Service medals in future as there is too much controversy surrounding them, I think I will stick to currant Irish military items although I suppose it will not be long before they are copied. I have put the medals back in the cupboard where I should have left them, maybe when I am dead and gone someone else might discover them and the debate can start all over again.

These are both copies coming into the country from Australia. I bought two to compare them to my originals and then destroyed them. The guy in Australia seemed to have closed his website down. He told me he was having problems obtaining suspension bars from his supplier.

These are the most blatant copies I have seen in a while. Actions like this ruin it for up and coming collectors.

The auction was stopped at ?2,700.00 today, with five hours to go, by the vendor. No explanation given. However, I rather like the answer regarding the rings of the medals and how ribbons are fitted.

I wonder how much that Dublin medal collector paid for them. Or do you think the penny dropped and this chap withdrew them after realising that there was a problem?

PK

Hi Ulsterman

Like any uniform or tunic, you have to be so careful. Nice when an old sleeper turns up. Sadly all the old houses have been knocked down and the days of a builder finding one in the roofspace is over. Now in saying that a friend who is a builder found a lovely U.V.F. swagger stick recently and gave it to me.

I think anything relating to the troubles will become the collectables of the future. A friend of mine who is a dealer in England told me recently that the demand for Irish related items from the seventies is rising, there are so many ex servicemen looking items relating to the conflict that they served in.

My own collection now reflects this.

Best wishes

Paul we can watch out for them in auctions in years to come. Very few originals ever appear besides the Dublin Brigade. There are also reproduction belt buckles on the market too. There were items at the last auction in Dublin that I have doubts about.

I wrote the ebay guides concerning these medals. They are being turned out in Australia. I got a couple to compere to my originals and they are good, very good !

Also watch out for copies of Irish Volunteer cap badges. They are sold in Dublin as copies, sadly some guys buy them and sell them on as originals. Spoke to a collector in England who paid out hundreds for one.

As to Tom's 1916 medal. It's in the hands of one of the finest collectors of that period. And he's Irish.