Alex K

Hi, Thanks, I did find out eventually, that it was Korean, (By accident), maybe a stupid question butit looks heavily Japanese in appearance, maybe a stupid question, was this deliberate?

Regards

Alex K

Hi looking at the image posted by Claudio, I don't recognise this particular star, looks like a mix between a Paulownia star and a Chrysanthemum, but is it a special grade?

thanks

Alex K

Hi Tony, I like them, nice period look to them, keep having a go at the backgrounds, you'll get there eventually.

regards

Alex K

Hi all, whilst looking for something completely different, I came across these interesting images so post just for interest, the caption reads "German helmets from the Victory Liberty Loan parade, New York City, 1919"

and talking of "Ground dug relics complete with bullet hole", where do you want your bullet hole?

regards

Alex K

Nice got one similar but my button-hole bit is round with Ges-Gesch on the back if memory serves me right, I'll have to look to see if there's a maker

regards

Alex K

Nice photoshop job, I think it is only natural that she be "Brought up to date"

Alex K

I tend to agree with Robin, they've reached the "Collectable" age, My Souval Hollow oaks, (from the back, minus the loop thanks to inquisitive grandson), with prices rising, maybe worth repairing!!, with regards to copies v originals, repro's go in framed wall displays as "Bling", whilst the genuine stuff normally hides away for security reasons unfortunately

Unfortunately, E-bay is full of buyers who get carried away and end up in a race, spending far more than the items worth, that unfortunately sets a precedent in that the next person with one assumed that the price paid is now the benchmark value and expects the same (Or more), just destroys the "Hobby eventually)

Alex

Hi Claudius is right, the value of attributable pieces with known provenance will depend on many factors, person, action etc, lone unattributable examples, not a great deal, less than many may realise it seems, attached is a link which many give you a dealer perspective.

http://www.hillmilitarymedals.co.uk/british-military-medals/

regards

Alex K

1 hour ago, AlikN said:

The cross in leaves and the eagle on top is actually a fake, this type of cross have been seen with a variety of markings j.Wagner, JGuS,  14 loth, 800 half moon, the little suspension ring is on top of the rim, not deeped in like S&l and different from Souval. And it also comes in 1813, 1870,1914, and 1939 ....fakes.

Interesting, comments, according to his daughter it was part of his Ordenskissen, maybe she was confused.

Hi Alex, yes very nice collection, (seen them before on another forum),  this my S & L stern, this one actually has a period EK1 attached, I understand the earliest one's often had original pieces attached,

regards

Just returning to the subject of Grand crosses, but this time, imperial, I came across these images which may be of interest concerning Von Hindenburg's Grand Cross (Or one of them if he had several), together with original German narrative and literal translation, does anyone know what actually happened to his GK's? if this is not one of them, (Interesting how they included the suspension loop)

DRITTES REICH ZEITGESCHICHTE, Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg (1847 – 1934) – Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes 1914, Exemplar des Ordenskissens seiner Beisetzung im Tannenberg-Denkmal 1934. Der geschwärzte Eisenkern etwas korrodiert, Silberzarge, Maße 62 × 62 mm. An der Öse und am Bandring befestigte, vergoldete Adlerauflage des Feldmarschallstabes. Das Großkreuz montiert in späterem Rahmen aus silbernen Lorbeerzweigen mit aufgelegtem, silbervergoldetem Wappen der Familie von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg, auf kleinem Marmorsockel. Dazu ein Brief der Enkelin Paul von Hindenburgs an den Autor Rolf Grams aus dem Jahr 1976, ‘Ich bin sehr überrascht, daß Sie einige so interessante Dinge aus früherer Zeit besitzen. …Zu dem Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes kann ich Ihnen selber keine Auskunft geben. Meine Mutter aber… gab mir Bescheid, daß dieses Stück aus den Funeralien stammt und bei den Trauerfeierlichkeiten… auf einem der Ordenskissen lag. Es ist erstaunlich, woran sich meine Mutter trotz ihres hohen Alters noch erinnern kann.’

THE THIRD EMPIRE CONTEMPORARY HISTORY, imperial president Paul von Hindenburg (1847 - 1934) – great cross of the iron cross in 1914, copy of the order cushion of his funeral in the fir mountain monument in 1934. The blackened iron core a little bit corroded, silver frame, mass 62 × 62 mm. In the Öse and in the tape ring fastened, gilt eagle edition of the field marshal's stick. The great cross mounts in later frame of silver sprigs of laurel with silver-gilt coat of arms in the mood of the family of Beneckendorff and from Hindenburg, on small marble base. In addition a letter the granddaughter Paul von Hindenburg to the author Rolf Grams from 1976, ‘I am surprised very much that you own some so interesting things from former time. … To the great cross of the iron cross I can provide to yourselves no information. My mother, however, … gave notice to me that this piece comes from the Funeralien and lay with the funereal festivities … on one of the order cushions. It is astonishing what my mother in spite of her old age can still remember.

 Images and narrative credits to AKG images

J'accuse...!,  interesting image of a former KZ inmate identifying a former camp guard, no information as to it's location, but I believe taken in June 1945, perhaps a clue is the KM officer in the picture, the Wehrmacht officer has a look of " I wouldn't like to be in your shoes" on his face

Alex K

Thank you all for appreciating my humble effort, (Who knows someone may spot it and say, actually it looks like this and post the real thing, you never know), the only other image I've found are these, unfortunately not enough details, but interesting

1 hour ago, 922F said:

Graf--You may have a point.  However, notice that the individual rays on mid-late Boris emission Merit stars you posted are distinctly spaced [space in between rays], most noticeable at the extremities.  Merit star facets diminish in size/diameter as they approach the star center.  The XX 'star' exhibits neither of these characteristics.   XX star rays abut each other.  Facets appear smaller than those on the others and very uniform in size from center to extremities.  So perhaps Alex's XX 'star' image is the jewel set ‘star’? 

By the way, do you believe that the 1936 date is accurate for introduction of diamond-cut rays for Boris type Merit Order stars?

I noticed the difference in the gaps between diamond cut stars and the one indicated in the image I posted, I'm at it again and after a slightly better image I think it may look like this, the laurel circle around the central medallion appear to be diamonds also, this is my best guess

10 hours ago, 922F said:

Alex raised the officer long service awards [‘stars’] given to Boris question in a GMIC post titled "unknown Order” on March 31, 2014.   That discussion addresses most points/issues but is not conclusive due to the lack of authoritative references.   Alex’s 2014 post includes a colorized composite image of a XX ‘star’ and an actual image of the X ‘star’. 

I

 

Hi, Yes I remember the discussion, in the intervening years, I was hoping that someone, somewhere might have located an actual image, unfortunately the mystery remains,

Alex

This is the best I can muster, looking closely the star is facetted, which may indicate that it's the diamonds version, could be wrong though

7 hours ago, ilieff said:

Unfortunately, nobody has got a decent photograph of this breast star. The Military museum in Sofia have on display the X-years one, so I assume that they do not have the XX-years star (otherwise, they'd show it). I guess that if it still exists, will probably be part of the Royal Collection of HM King Simeon II, OR part of the collection of an advanced private collector.

Pity, and thanks

Hi Robin, that WAS big money back then, unfortunately way-way before the internet all we had to go on were very often poorly printed and photostatted paper catalogues (No pickies) to make decisions on, and of course the belief that the dealer was impeccably honest, at least nowadays internet access can make life less of a gamble. My first EK1 arrived sometime in the early 70's and I was over the moon, my first Iron Cross!, alas not quite, it turned out to be what became known as the "Polish fake", still got it.

Alex

1 hour ago, ilieff said:

"By the way, King Boris had blue eyes.

 the unique breast stars for X and [later] XX years of faithful army service, presented to him by the Army HQ."

Thanks for the information of his eye colour, I will as usual change my colourisation now that I know, unfortunately that sort of information isn't always known at the time.  With regards to his special star for 20 years service, I know it was unique to him and have spent a long time trying to locate a good image of it, it seems to be one of those that just doesn't appear in images

regards

Alex

3 hours ago, paul wood said:

They did indeed, one of the few Ugandan medals that are very easy to sell.

Paul

 worth a fortune one day I bet

1 hour ago, paul wood said:

Yes they made a fortune out of Idi Amin.

Paul

I believe they made his version of the Victoria Cross.

image credit GMIC

Very interesting, thanks for posting

Alex K

These are two images I "Colourised" of King Boris quite a while back.

You are quite right of course, it was Colditz, not Secret Army, although I watched them both, (In the final series of "Secret army" set in South America, wasn't there a subtle reference to someone with a limp and a cased ritterkreuz with Golden Oakleaves, or is my memory playing tricks again)

The earlier versions are certainly preferable, I did have a very late Souval KC, which was extremely lightweight, once I discovered that it was a "Fake", I disassembled it, to my surprise it was a four piece construction, front and back frames as usual, and two thin sheet metal stamping, one obverse and one reverse,, explained the lack of weight, alas I have it no more

Alex

Hi Robin, Souvals will always raise different comments, positive and negative, I'm obviously of the opinion that originals are better, given financial consideration, failing that, Souvals are a nice alternative, those early Souvals are really quite nice, particularly the vet bring-back.

Here's an old photo of my early-sh Souval RK

BTW I remember watching him in I think "Secret Army",

regards

Alex

Hi Pieter, thanks for your comments I obviously prefer original, but when they are unavailable.... (I may even win the Euro-lottery before you!!)

regards

Alex

Hi all, I had the chance to purchase a Souval Grand Cross of the Iron Cross to add to my ek collection, so I did. Many collectors will poo-pooh Souval stuff as post-war junk, even though he was a legitimate war-time manufacturer (alas not the GK), given the fact that authentic GK's are as rare as hen's teeth and when the odd one surfaces, it's a mortgage job, many don't have that kind of spare cash lying around and if they did, may well decide to spend it on more useful things. As space fillers I think they fill a gap nicely, they are most probably the best alternative to the war-time piece, so am I deluded, are they trash or affordable treasure?

Alex K

Hi 922F, every little bit helps, thanks

Alex