Brian Wolfe

Brian... even were I to "inherit" your collection... I would not want it for a loooooooooooooooooong time to come. Would rather have you around... you're infinitely more important!!!!

Dan

Dan,

Now I'll have to leave you my cabinet shop as well.

Many regards

Brian

Hi Dan,

That's good to know as none of my family is interested in my collection.

Since you are the first to ask....

On the other hand I am working on a plan to take it with me.

I'll keep you posted on how that works out.

I think the point I was trying to make (poorly, as turns out) is that a collector who has purchased something legally from an honest source does not owe it to the family to return it. In one of the cases I mentioned the lady was very ignorant and demanded I return the medals at my loss, turns out her only connection was the last name.

I agree with both you and Chris, it's up to the present owner and each case may be a different set of circumstances.

Regards

Brian

In the past couple of years I have been contacted by these so-called "family members" who want their family's medals returned. I have contacted these folks and, not being one to concern myself about a profit, have offered to sell them back for exactly what I paid. Both cases wanted the medals back at my cost and loss! First of all, what makes anyone think they are entitled to "family" medals once they have been sold? Someone has decided to sell the medal or medals; it was a legal transaction no different than any other legal transaction. Sure, we can get all warm and fuzzy and return the medals to the family, if that is what you are going for. The original soldier was the one who earned the award not somebody years and years later who can only claim association through DNA. If you are looking for a warm and fuzzy then donate some cash to the Salvation Army.

I know this sounds cold hearted and one might say, "Sure, easy for you to say because it was not your family members medals". True, however, late last year a I located a group of three Canadian medals, two WWII and a CD (the only one named), and I was sure it was a family member. I ended up paying $650.00 Canadian for the group which is one heck of a high price. I didn't and don't see this group as being rightfully mine. Well, actually I do now as I own them outright.

One must be careful about falling into the trap set by those wanting something for nothing, they may only be related by name only and not by direct blood line (or DNA). If someone wants something "back" then they will make an offer befitting their desire to reclaim the item. Everything has a price tag and the fact that someone is not willing to even pay a reasonable price is proof of my statement. Keep the medal, it's yours, no difference between you having it or a museum, bottom line is that it no longer is in the hands of the soldier's family. Who knows, if he were alive today he might not even like them or they him, for that matter.

I guess this would be a bad time to say Merry Christmas.

Regards

Brian

Is it possible that the fellow in the first photo is holding a studio prop? It may have been a matter that he showed up in uniform sans a rifle and this one was handy. I know this used to happen here in Canada though it was usually a riding crop. The Japanese lower ranks would often borrow a sword from an NCO for their photo, it must have confused the folks back home when the letter and photo arrived.

Just a thought.

Regards

Brian

Hello SWL,

The brass oil bottle like the one Kev has shown above can be purchased on eBay without a lot of money being spent. That's where I got mine, too bad I sold my Lee Enfield collection years ago. Ah, lots of regrets.

Regards

Brian

Hi DAnny,

Nice addition, I wish to add one to my collection some day if time and the bank are kind.

Well done.

Regards

Brian

Hi Mervyn,

Just catching up one the posts I've missed over the past few days, or was that weeks?

I would guess that this could have been made in Europe after the war for sale to the soldiers returning for memorial services. From what I have read there was a very lucrative business in making souveniers for the returning vets. I don't think buttons on shoes and boots were very popular in North America after the Great War time period tough I could be wrong on that point. However, if my guess is correct (regarding boot buttons) then that may be another indication that this was made in Europe for the souvenier trade as they may not have been up on the current trends in North America.

I've seen similar pieces for sale at different shows but never one with a military button affixed to the end.

An interesting artifact.

Regards

Brian

I have come across tobacco leaf being used in country areas of Transylvania.

It is placed between the folds of sheets and woolen blankets

and the traditional costumes, while in storage.

and it's not as repugnant as expelled tobacco smoke

the other alternative is camphor balls.

Kevin in Deva.

Hi Kevin,

You're sure right about the tobacco leaf. There is nothing as nice smelling as tobacco curing in the kiln, unless it is coffee brewing first thing in the morning. Darn, now I have a taste for bacon and eggs. Thanks a lot Kev!

Regards

Brian

Stumbled across this thread.

I used to buy cedar wood "O" rings to hang amongst clothes, particularly when these were held in storage. However, I was under the impression that you had to sand these from time to time - just a light sanding to re-activate the cedar.

Sounded more like witchcraft to me, yet it seemed to do the job.

Regards,

Jim

Hi Jim,

Greating from my cabinet shop.

I'm not sure about witchcraft but the sanding is necessary because as time passes the oils in the wood start to dry at the surface so what sanding does is to renew the raw surface. That's why the inside surfaces of a cedar chest is not or at least should not be sealed, the inside of a cedar chest should also be sanded once in a while as well.

Now back to my military collection room.

Regards

Brian

An excellent article Peter.

It's good to see some historical background along with the items posted.

Most enjoyable.

Regards

Brian

Hello Peter,

Thnaks.

I got the idea from the jeweller's mandrel then simply added the groove.

Hello Hardy,

Thanks.

I think the original ribbon sets it off perfectly.

Many thanks.

Brian

Thanks Captian Albert.

Viliam, ouch my eyes!

Good luck with correcting the ring, please keep us posted.

Regards

Brian

This is the 1914 EK 2 finished and mounted on a piece of original ribbon which a fellow Canadian and GMIC member was kind enough to send me.

The black finish that looked to have been rubbed off was replaced with simple Kiwi brand black shoe polish.

Thanks for bearing with me and I hope this will help you in your own restorations.

Regards

Brian

Next slip the ring on the dowel as shown in the photo. Hold the medal back along the dowel and then turn the dowel 180 degrees so that the medal is on the bottom of the dowel. Rest the tappered end on the work bench or your fine coffee table if your wife is away and not expected home any time soon. I will warn you that this may leave a mark or two in the table so I would suggest a work bench, scrap piece of wood or even the telephone book under the end of the dowel. Otherwise you'll have to blame the marks in the table on the family dog. Bad dog! Bad dog!

Remember the two feet of dowel that I told you to use? The extra long piece of dowel acts as an addition weight or lever making what we will do next much easier.

With the ring on the dowel with one of the high spots of the deformed ring upwards lightly tap the ring with a hammer to gently convince it to bend towards the round tapper. Once this has been done rotate the ring on the dowel and tap the next high spot. Repeat this as many time as needed to return the ring to its original round shape. You can be a fussy as you want though I must admit that I stopped short of what I would call prefection as I was putting a ribbon on the medal and close enough was...well...close enough.

Next using a sharp wood chisel or a sharp knife make a "V" shaped groove along the taper. That flat spot I told you to sand along the taper makes cutting the groove easier. Trying to cut a groove on a round dowel can be tricky and dangerous. This groove allows a place for the ring, that is soldered on the medal, to safely rest away from the work you are going to do. It also allows almost all of the ribbon ring to come in contact with the dowel's surface, which is very important.

You'll notice I didn't take much time and care in cutting the groove as this is not a carving demonstration. :whistle:

The first step it to get a round hard wood dowel that is larger in diameter than the inside of the medal's ring. Use a piece about two feet in length, I'll tell you why as we proceed.

Next taper the dowel on one end using a power belt sander. I have a stationary sander but a portable one works as well. No Sander? Use a very sharp knife and whittle the end to a taper and finish it off with sand paper. It takes longer but also produces the correct tool. Also sand a flat spot on one side on the taper, again this will become clear as we proceed. The dark rings on the taper were made by the work I am going to describe. Remember I was working on the ring when I got the idea to post this process.

Hello Everyone,

Perhaps this has been covered before but I couldn't find any record of it so here's my "How To" regarding a bent ring on an EK 2 made by H.J. Wilm.

When I purchased this EK from a fellow member the black on the iron core was just about gone and the ring which is marked WILM was very much out of round. I liked the look of the Iron Cross mainly because I knew it was in need of some TLC.

The first photo shows the ring after I had started to work on it. I had not thought about posting this technique before I started; so imagine it in worse condition.

I'll write up the steps as I post the photos.

Regards

Brian

Hello Kevin,

No, it indeed is not a military medal but the subject depicted sure fits this forum. What a beautifully struck piece. I hope that if this is one of a set that other members will post theirs.

Regards and thanks for sharing this with us.

Brian

I am happy to see that my post has generated such informative and educational input.

Thanks fellows you've added greatly to my knowledge base (as small as it presently is).

Regards

Brian

Sara - I don't think Ed Heynes comes to the Forum very often. I will ask Brian Wolfe to contact you with his contact details. Best wishes and welcome to the Forum.

Mervyn - Done

Brian

Is there a suspension hook on the back? I seem to recall that when the award was for a TWM on a ribbon bar there was no hook in back. Can anyone show their example of this?

Hello Claudius,

My medal bar has suspension hooks on the back.

While examining the ribbon more closely I can see the the edge red stripe is indeed much thinner than that of the TWM ribbons I have in the collection. I suppose now the question is, could this have been the Gessian Long Service Medal or the Turkish War Medal? Adding the Gessian Long Service Medal would be easy enough providing I can find one, however if the TWM it more likely then I would not want to proceed with that project.

I would like to hear more regarding the debate.

Regards

Brian

But it seems to me, that the fourth band is not ТWМ's band. It is a band of the Gessian LS medal.

Hello Sergio,

The ribbon is an exact match for two other TWM ribbons I have in the collection so from this and considering the source of this group is very dependable I tend to think the ribbon on the bar is the TWM. However, being one who likes to keep an open mind I would like to see the ribbon for the Gessian Long Service Medal to compare it with the one on the bar.

Could you possibly post a photo of the Gessian L.S. Medal ribbon? It would be most helpful.

It would be good to hear from the other members as well regarding this discussion.

Regards

Brian

Here is my TWM collection so far.

One day I will organize my collection to keep all of the different states together as at the moment they are all mixed together throughout the cabinet. A winter project.

Regards

Brian

Hello Everyone,

I've wanted to post this group for some time now but something always seemed to come up and it just never happened. Anyway, here is an Imperial German group that one on my fellow GMIC members made available to me for my collection that features the TWM ribbon.

I have also attached a photo of my TWM collection so far. Sorry that the photo has picked up the red hue from the drawer lining, but I figured you'd get the "picture". I have posted this in the Imperial German section as that is where this collection resides as I don't actually collect the medals of Turkey...yet.

Regards

Brian

The reverse.

Mine is missing the pin as you can see.

However, it show up the company marks clearly.

REgards

Brian