Alex K

The swastika does look a little shiny, is the core magnetic or not?, it may be zinc, removing the paint wouldn't increase the value though

in my opinion

regards

Alex

Many recipients removed the paint of the swastika to make it stand out more, it was a personal thing and not part of the manufacturing process.

regards

Alex

Hi I agree, they are both original, BTW there's nothing wrong with your English, I wish I could speak Spanish that well

regards

Alex K

To the novices, like me, does that mean that an identifiable Zimmerman or Godet is more likely to be genuine than the S & L, Juncker, etc?? genuine question

Alex

Purchased today WWII Airgunner RAF

hi Stefan I believe that the order of the red eagle was not officially awarded after 1918, so it would predate that year. As for issuing for state visits, I would guess that it could have been, that is why it may be the non-combatant ribon, the military combatant ribbon resembled the 1914-18 iron cross.

perhaps others can confirm or correct me

regards

Alex

Hi Royal victorian order is actually UK but could be awarded to others. The last one looks like the Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, non combatatnts ribbon, but I could be wrong, It depends on the age of the spange

regards

Alex

sorry didn't read your message properly, you don't want RAF?

Alex

Or maybe you do!! some attached

firsttwo well worn, the third May be a repro

regards

Alex

sorry didn't read your message properly, you don't want RAF?

Alex

Hi, New Zealand pilots wings, regards, I will try to post some RAF ones also

regards

Alex

Hi Kevin, thanks for the pictures, It sometimes seems to bring the reality home when there are pictures of the individuals and not just names like in the UK. Names are that, just names, a picture however shows that the person was actually flesh and blood at one time

regards

Alex

This has the general "feel" of the various "brotherhood" awards of chefs and vintners at the highest professional levels. See: http://www.omsa.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=866

Either that or it is a self-awarded joke.

Just my thoughts at a late/early hour, why would anyone award themselves that? I would have thought that if one was into self awarded gongs, something that said BLING BLING would have been much better.

Alex

Hi gentlemen, thanks for the comments and info. I must admit that at first I thought that it was just a poor die manufacture. however I know that J lesser is one of the better makers

regards

Alex

here's a long shot to give some scale, taken by me in 2001

regrds

Alex

As an example a few of the items I still retain, all pot metal or lead, and bend when it gets warm

Always a shame to see this sort of thing happen. As Alex says, there are some real sharks out there online. Sometimes it may be better to pay a bit more to buy from a real dealer.

Before you inter these, could you post scans of the offending items, for our education?

Completely agree with Ed. It would help all others to see the offendng items,

Unfortunately this is not particularly new, I well remember in the 1970's having certain dealers catalogues which listed practically every TR and imperial decoration in existence! and I bought by the bucket load, because they were inexpensive, in the end I ended up with a huge pile of cheap garbage made of either lead or pot metal which bent if you blew on it. I think that if you were to poll the forum,. many of us have been there at some stage.

regards

Alex

Hi bifter, sorry to hear about all this, but unfortunately, in this world, you get what you pay for. internet transactions can be a minefield, It only takes someone to post a picture of the real thing, and say you are buying a copy of it and hey presto, you end up with a pile of cr*p, it doesn't say what quality of copy you are buying.

my commiserations

regards

Alex

stamps

A newish one to my collection, a BVMO 4th class by Jacob Lesser with hallmarks. What puzzles me is that the reverse lower arm has wider edges than the others, I have also seen this on other equivalent pieces by other makers, any ideas?

regards

Alex

Hi Max, thanks for the description,sent you a pm

regards

Alex

Hi gents, thanks for the comments, I'll pass them back, I don't think that there are any other photo's but I'll ask

regards

Alex

Hi Alex,

The College is an international military educational institution and the working language is English. You can see the flags of Estonia, Latvia and Lihuania on the cross and also on the ribbon.

Here is a link to the BDC

http://www.bdcol.ee/index.php?id=about_bdcol

Regards,

pluribus

Hi pluribus, thanks for the info

regarads

Alex

A colleague on another forum has asked me if I know what the attached is, I don't, the only thing known is that it was used on board a ship, do any other experts know?

regards

Alex

Hi pluribus, interesting medal, Why would they put the inscription on the reverse in English?

regards

Alex

Hi Christian, thanks for the links , I'll certainly have a look when I'm at home on my own computer

regards

Alex