Jaybo

I'm happy to see that someone else appreciates de Vigny's rather somber memoir.

This problem has been around for a long time, alas.

Leave it to JapanX to come through with the correct info for this thread. Now if he can only find me an inexpensive, silver,good quality, copy/fake of an 1807 Saint George Cross!

Thanks for the Alsatian restaurant suggestion. It sounds like great way to spend a day.

Thank you very much.

Hello, I have only been to Paris once (2003) and did see the Musee de l'Armee but not the Palais de Legion d'honneur (which I still must do). I was wondering what other military related sites are' must sees'. Also, can anyone point out what militaria dealers in Paris are also to be visited? I'm especially interested in medals and 18th-19th century militaria. Are the 2 large flea markets worth searching for such militaria? Merci! Jay

Is black significant because of Prussia perhaps?

That is a very nice collection. I still need to get an authentic 1813 EK 2 but they are indeed hard to find. I too love this thread.

The above photo is apparently a known authentic 1813. Any other opinions out there?

Thank you Ulsterman. It is a shame that the history of these types of pieces is so shadowy.

That was very interesting. It reminded me of Captain Minard's famous graph on the Russian Campaign of 1812. Thanks for posting.

The leaves, the crown and the bottom stem are details I have been told in the past to be aware of in identifying authentic 1813 EKs from the fakes. But how so exactly? These seem to be somewhat 'trade secrets' on this site. Maybe properly in order to keep the fakers ignorant. I get that. The one detail that I have gleaned (correctly so???) is that the real 1813s have more of a straight bottom stem. Thanks for your input Vince.

Thanks for weighing in. Can you be more specific so I can understand the pitfalls of the 1813?

Let's try this again with some resized SLR photos: another one: another... last one: