Brian Wolfe

Hi Tim, That is interesting indeed. I'm pretty new to collecting Japanese medals but I've never seen one of these before. I hope other, more knowledgable, members will weigh in with their opinions. Thanks for posting this interesting medal. Regards Brian

Please post them as we would like to see your work. Regards Brian

Thanks for your positive words gentlemen. Regards Brian

This is the finished project. I don't know how many times I had to remove a medal and try again but finally I managed to complete it. The medals are not even at the bottom but I had to stop somewhere and I like the way it turned out. I've seen a lot worse work on original period groups. I chose the 15 Year Long Service Cross as I had it on hand and from what I understand it cold have been the one on the original. In researching period groups containing the Long Service Cross I noticed that some were mounted with the number of years service as the obverse and others were with the Imperial Crown as the obverse. I decided to mount it with the crown showing. Considering that I paid way too much for the ribbon bar I'm not sure I would do this again, (we all know I probably will), but it was a fun project and I didn't stab my finger even once with the needle. I hope you like my newest addition to the collection. Regards Brian

This is the view of the back. I won't show it again as it looks the same in the finished state. I have no qualms that this is an original bar, especially considering the condition.

Hello Everyone, Last year I purchased an Imperial German medal bar that had lost its medals. I'm sure someone had removed the medals and sold them as singles thereby destroying the group. Since I already had replacements for the missing medals I decided to purchase the bar. The next step would be to reaffix the medals to the bar. How hard could that be, I'm thinking. Once the bar arrived I could see this was going to be quite the task as I had forgotten about the metal plate upon which Imperial medals are mounted. Using curved sewing needles I was, after a lot of tedious work, able to once again see the bar as it may have once appeared. I'll post the ribbon bar, as it looked when it arrived, first and then the finished project. Regards Brian

I would but you know what a "pill" I can be, besides it really is worth waiting to see. Regards Brian

Hello Trakkles, Thank you for posting this wonderful collection. It was most enjoyable to view it with my coffee this morning. Regards Brian

Excellent find. "Amazing" is not enough to say about this group. Regards Brian

One of the best purchases for my collection was made from a fellow GMIC member. I don't have permission to use his name so I will just say to him, "Thanks again for making it possible for me to add this group and ribbon bar to my collection". Regards Brian

Most enjoyable, thanks for taking the time and effort to post these images. Regards Brian

An excellent addition to your magnificent collection. Now to review the whole post, as I do from time to time,especially over as coffee on a sunny Sunday such as today. Thanks for not only posting your latest addition but taking the time to display your whole collection. When Linda sees me looking at your collection she just says, "No! No! Bad Brian bad! As if I'd be tempted to collect. Regards Brian

Ha ha. My youth and ladies of easy virtue = Zzzzz Regards Brian

Darn! I hate it when that happens. No, It should have been "horror". Thanks for pointing that out. Are you able to make those changes as I am unable to correct the title arae of the post. Thanks Chris. Regards Brian

Finally the framed document that was unharmed. I have covered the document because I am waiting until Christmas to reveal it to the membership. No it's not a naughty picture (in case you were wondering). It is always a treat to open parcels but parcels such as this are the best of the best. I hope you liked my little photo documentry. Regards Brian

Next I opened the cardboard wrap that was exposed after the outter shell had been removed. This revealed the bubble wrapped item.

This is the package as it looked after the tape and the first layer of heavy plastic was removed. It reminded me of biology class witout the smell of formaldehyde.

I really can't say enough good things about Canada Post, the Royal Mail and the U.S. Postal service, I've found them to be top notch. I know there are many who would not agree and perhaps I have been lucky. It is some "shippers" that I have issues with. Canada Post will place a damaged package into a plastic bag and tag it as damaged. Then you can inspect it and, if necessary, make a claim. Some of these bags have contained letter-style envelopes with one or two medals in the group contained within dangling from a tear in the thin paper envelope, some have contained the broken glass shards of framed pictures. I usually put these in new frames anyway so no big deal. This post is in regard to the second well packed item that arrived earlier this week. The package arrived looking like it had been vacumed packed. At first I thought it was a shippment of yarn, wool or cloth material for Linda as she is always receiving such parcels and some of these dealers actually vac-pack the items. The package turned out to be mine and contained an item in a frame. I will not show the item in the frame as it is of a WWI Christmas theme and I intend to post it next Christmas, so you have a little under 12 months to wait. I think it is a cool item. The following series of photos shows the packing job that resulted in an unbroken delivery of a framed item with the glass intact. The first photo is the package as I received it. Regards Brian

Hello Everyone, Earlier this week I received a package that contained my latest addition to my optics collection. The item had been wrapped in bubble pak and then surrounded with those Styrofoam "peanuts" and shipped in a heavy gage cardboard box. When I opened the box and dug down through the Styrofoam "peanuts" what I found looked like a leg of mutton wrapped in bubble pack. This got me thinking about all of the great packing jobs, like this one, and all of the disasters I've encountered over the years. I would like to hear about your stories both good and bad regarding packages you have received. I'll post a few to start things off, please add to them and lets see who comes up with the best and worst experiences. I have one to post with photos but I am sure,like the rest of my stories, you may not have taken photos. No problem, your written words and our imaginations will do the trip, I mean trick. My mind must have drifted back to the 1960s for a moment. Oh yes, the tip (so this post fits the category). I've shipped everything from cast iron to porcelain plates, so thin you could see through them, with no problems. I use crumpled news paper. Wrap the item in tissue paper so the newsprint ink will not get on the item and then pack crumpled news paper around the item. Those Styrofoam shapes are good for sturdy metal objects but not delicate china etc. Styrofoam shapes will transfer the shock wave through each piece and then breaking porcelain and glass objects. Crumpled news paper will absorb the shock wave well before it reaches the packed item. Please add your tips and your experiences. Not only will it be interesting but educational. That almost sounds like something you'd say to get your kids tricked into playing an educational video game. Regards Brian

Beautiful! It almost leaves me speachless...yes it does happen. Regards Brian

Many thanks for the information. So often these thpes of medals come with just any old ribbon attached and I could not find reference to this medal. I guess if I looked under the correct catagory (Bayern) I would have found it. Thanks again. Regards Brian

This is the ribbon that came on the medal. It matches exactly with the American Army of Occupation medal ribbon so I'm pretty sure it is not the correct ribbon. Is there a generic ribbon that was used on these commemorative medals? Thanks again for your help. Regards Brian

Here is the reverse.

Hello Everyone, The last of the three medals I have questions about from a purchase I made a few months age is regarding a ribbon on a Prussian commemorative medal for the 1870 conflict. I will show the obverse and reverse of the medal first with the third photo showing the ribbon that came on the medal. The medal is 26 mm in diameter and looks to be plated bronze. I think the ribbon is actually for the American Army of Occupation from the First World War period, but I don't know anything about American medals. If this is not the correct ribbon would anyone know what the correct one is and where I might find one? As always, thanks for your help, it is greatly appreciated. Regards Brian

In this photo I show the other medal from my collection that I believe has the correct ribbon. Though I think the ribbon for this medal was wider, this one is only 30 mm. but the dealer I purchase my ribbons from was out of the wider ribbon. My question is, what is the correct ribbon for the medal on the left hand side (viewer's left)? Would it be the same as the ribbon on your right hand side? Thanks again for any help you cn give me. Regards Brian