Ed_Haynes

We do need to remember that they are a major world-class auction house, not just a numismatic or phaleristic speciality shop, rather like Spink in this regard. Most of their business is in real art. I'd guess this message is being sent having more to do with icons than with medals.

No, it means that soon the police of the world will be coming to return to the Russian Federation all of the items you own... you see, since they can all be tracked and confirmed (OK, many, not all).... the entire nation claims that all their family heirlooms were stolen by "criminal elements"....... you are not in receipt of stolen property!! Bye Bye collection!

Or, more likely, that the effective market value of our collections has now fallen to $0,000.00. That it will be impossible (or very difficult) to sell. (Tell Igor and Alexei?)

Please send your valueless junk to me.

Better yet, work through his congressman or senator. Even though the elections are over for now, this is just the sort of constitient service they specialise in and often spin into a photo-op. Thanks to my senator, I was able to get my great-grandfather's Civil War campaign medal issued years ago. It came from the Army with a big red "CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST PLEASE EXPEDITE" stamp on the paperwork!

I agree, I just though it was worth mentionning, or at least not discard the info offhand.

Absolutely correct! We have to put every such scrap of information on the table!

Some day, I probably ought to chase down a copy of his book, I guess.

Disturbing, sobering, and not at all surprising.

Isn't the posesssion of stolen property pretty generally seen as a crime?

And, for some of us, twenty times more interesting than one with those silly swords!

Thanks, albania, for posting all this!

More information is always welcome!!

Tongzhi Tang Si,

Many thanks for these!

Ed

And unfortunately, I've found IGS 1895s "upgraded" the same way.

And IGS 54s too. May post some (but in another thread).

According to Herfurth, from the 1960's onwards orders were made in UB but also in Budapest, Hungaria.

Interesting. Quite interesting, Jan. I do not have Herfurt.

You wonder where he got his information, as much now seems wrong in the light of current knowledge.

Rumor has it that he is branching out. Too much money to spend, I guess. I have been told he is getting into other high-end gallantry groups and singles but, much as is the case with his VC accumulating strategy, this is driven by value, scarcity, and "sexiness" and not by any degree of phaleristic knowledge. I think your RN MM group -- so much rarer than a modest VC! -- may be safe from Lord Ashcan.

I would, of course, assume that any order marked "МОНЕТНЫЙ ДВОР" was made in the USSR. Further, I'd guess that all ascrewbacks were Soviet made. Pinbacks? I'd wager they're Mongol-made, but until someone actually looks at the sources and relevant purchase orders these are just guesses.

Nice information. Thanks. Some illiterates (like me) may find the broader Chicago web page of use too: http://languages.uchicago.edu/NativeHand/CyrillicQuickly/ for learning/honing Cyrillic skills.

While I see it as a shared victory (a properly socialist attitude), with my role being vague, I shall accept the leader's (Christophe's) dictate. Await what I hope won't be a too-easy question.

Nice, thank you!

Better image:

Ed,

What is the medal with the blue bow suspension on the right side of his uniform?

Doc

This one on the left? Working on it!

First impression was DDR Clara Zetkin Medal, but noooo . . . .

And the other one??

Oh nice! Thanks, and congratulations on a fine research return!

Well done, Lukasz! I thought that if anyone could do the ribbons easily, it would be you.

Thanks for these, Eric! I appreciate them.

I was holding off on the Armed Forces Service Medals, trying to make sense of them, as there are two (or three?) different types of each.

I have more, but the interest is so limited I may not bother.

How about an Order of Combat Valor or a Deputy of the Lower Assembly's badge?

Doc

Not presently clear to what degree the deputy, herders', etc. numbered badges will be researchable.

OCVs should be researchable, but whether they have much of a story to tell (being so late) remains to be seen. Still, a name and date would be nice for anything.

Interesting question, Bob. (And I'm very glad to see someone else posting in this sub-forum! )

Not sure what we'll be seeing. It may well be no more that a number-by-number key to number/date/name. It may be as much as we are used to getting for Soviet awards (recommendations, service records, and all). I'd wager on the former. But at least that is something. And it will likely cover all State awards that are numbered (down through motherhood orders and combat and labor medals).

While I'd not have much hope for recommendations anytime soon, if these were to be available, I'd expect good tales (ignoring early stuff) to be told by:

Red Banner of Military Valor (Type 1.1 / A 23.1) <1000

Honorary Medal of Combat (Type 1.1 / A 37.1) <1000 (or <500)

At the very least, we may be able to see changing patterns of awards over time and address such questions of interest as "At which numbers did regular awards end and while ranges are likely mere bank escapees?" or "Which serial number ranges of what are most likely to be long service awards?". Also, our low-numbered awards were likey to have been given so "someones" and we may be able to find out who.

Yes, Dix, Noonan, Webb.

http://www.dnw.co.uk/dnw/medals/medalshome.htm

Browse there upcoming auction and drool.

The auction houses I know of who have tied up with EbayLive have consistently said it was an administrative nightmare to deal with. The system threw off their entire flow and in-house procedures and didn't bring in much more in the way of sales. The great value is the additional customer names and addresses.

But, in a competitive field, you do what you have to get the market.

Interesting. Thanks, Jeff. It must be that Spink has been -- deservedly -- losing ground to DNW?

Still don't know if I answered the question being asked, though.