Yankee

Right you are. Used cotton swabs a much safer route with excellent results

I thought Coca Cola was only used to clean car engines and pizza restaurants. Good idea to experiment on something of less value.

Hi Igor I too noticed the dirt for the first time. I can only think of the high humidity that I live in that would cause this build up. I don't like to disturb medals in trying to clean them, perhaps make it worse. I had no idea that it was rare. Hi ilieff I bought it about a decade ago, from a Bulgarian dealer. The reason why I purchased it was the high relief and crisp details that struck me. I believe it is silver and appeared to be in mint condition. Now it is heavily tarnished which I suspect must be from the humidity. I did not see any hallmarks. Any idea how many were awarded?

YOUNG FERDINAND

Hello Can anybody provide the number of Cholera medals awarded. Did they also come in gold and bronze. In a recent auction one fetched an amazing 40,000 dollars more or less including auction fees in silver. Thanks in advance.

Hi Graf Can't believe it's been ten years, glade were both around. As I recall mine has a lozenge too. Mine is not made by Kretly. The jeweler is Chobillon did arts and craft as well. BTW your example is splendid. Your lozenge looks to be on the lower right ring.

Hi iliieff Thanks for that. Seeing the Hessian pieces should have figured the connection. That is most unique to see a bath on a foreign bar. I wonder if the bar had been restored to some extent for the ribbon on the Saint George is not accurate.

Absolutely fantastic bar & super nice early Hessian awards. Any idea who the recipient was? Any idea what the 3rd ( yellow black stripe ribbon ) &4th (red ribbon)award are? Thanks for posting.

Hi ilieff If the award case is not contemporary than really good chance it is the same medal. Unfortunately the auction house produced a black & white however the fold on the ribbon (reverse) has a slight angle and as you clearly noted same thread stitch on the reverse ribbon hook. As I recall the silver crowns have no enamel insert. I'm curious if the gold ones too were struck without enamel. Or if customary for the solid gold examples to have enamel placed in the crown.

Another solid gold example with enamel in crown. Perhaps reasonable to assume that all the gold examples had that special feature in crown. This foto came from catalog well over a decade without the award case. They are rare indeed. Now we know of two!!!!!!

Hi Dave Never imagined to be reading a German obituary. To read his life and see him up close allows us to appreciate his achievements. Thanks for completing the puzzle to a respected man and his bar. Sincerely Brian

That is sobering, flip side is now we know where to take our damaged pieces for fine restoration. If being conducted by dealer should be mentioned as such in description. An excellent restoration job should have no impact on price. I've seen to my horror enamel jobs botched, better it was never touched and left in its natural decayed state or give the item into the hands of an expert to restore as when issued. What perplexes me is If we assume that early Sword has been restored why than partially. Why allow that horrible clearly visible enamel to remain that can be easily fixed to its former glory at a fraction of the price of fabrication. Remember white is the cheapest and easiest of all enamel restoration.

Just occur to myself to come across two of these early models in such close proximity of being offered for sale and not seeing any in decades prior is odd. Maybe one of a kind and you guys are correct? Any collectors have images to share of the very early type?

Gentlemen to fabricate the missing parts to an exact match and not showing the slightest sign of restoration repair on something so small and delicate including the hinge would be the work of a genius. Good collecting always.

Hi Trooper_D Refer you to EUROPAISCHE ORDEN AB 1700 KATALOG OHNE DEUTSCHLAND ARNHAND GRAF KLENAU. That same piece was recently in the Benimerenti Auction #9 lot 550. One can clearly observe the left hilt is missing from both images.

Hi Christian Thank you for pointing out the striking similarities in the enamel however it is a coincidence. The picture came from Graf Klenau 1978 Orders guide book without Germany. Interesting is that the same badge came up for Auction in a benemerenti.de about 2 years ago also missing the hilt.

Hi Graf I know what you meant just glade you posted that better pictured example for others to see. A different conclusion on post 34, unfortunately the black & white scan is not very sharp.

Except the left hilt is missing & attachment twisted to crown.

It seems what you have discovered is a skilled and thoughtful forger. This thread is most informative for any stage of collecting. Let us hope he or she is not faking those Bulgarian/Turkish War bars that is seen from time to time. Good collecting.

Hello Gentlemen On post 133 might be a genuine inscription. The Germans referred to 2nd class (star) sets "star to the commander". This was engraved obviously by a German speaking country and the jeweler didn't know the proper wording I suspect & the owner might have caught the mistake after the work was completed and was OK with it.. The crossed swords (engraved) are neatly placed just don't think a forger would give himself extra work. With fakes exploding in the Bulgarian market can understand almost all being suspect....

Hi Graf Looks much better in color. Post 19 example has a broken hinge so we know its not the same piece. I've seen only two of this type in the dozen or so years to give you an idea of just how rare they are. There is a fine Swedish Auction site that occasionally offers some old Orders & Medals that you might like to view probusauktioner.se Sincerely Yankee

Hi Megan Have you any idea who the jeweler was for that long run in time. Have you any sketches or fotos from the inception of badge and post WWll to compare. Maybe some subtle differences over the 100 plus years & perhaps we can date Graf's piece. Hi Graf Most likely to somebody from France or one of the Italian States. Have never seen an award document from the 2nd Empire era or a case too from that period. Sure am curious. Yankee

Hi Graf The style of crown suspension & swds being visible on reverse is not common. Perhaps it could be attributed to a certain date but without award documents or period fotos that would be a hard one to date. Your example is very striking. I find Swords having finials to be of later manufacture. Foto of an 1860 era with the ribbon dating from the 2nd Empire. Sincerely Yankee

It could have been a reissue for the 1870/71 War. They are rare in any grade. 1807 Knight 64 1808 Knight 32 1809 Knight 168 1810 Knight 51 1811 Knight 17 1812 Knight 86 1813 Knight 94 1815 Knight 4 1816 Knight 6 Hope this helps, unfortunately not too many have survived.

Hi GlennC For 1870 GC 4, Commander 1st class 3, Commander 2nd class 4 & Knight 90 1871 Commander 1st class 3, Commander 2nd class 2 & Knight 26 The example looks to be from 1807-15