Ed_Haynes

Well reminded:

1- OMSA is the place to be - hope to see all there next year. Getting the intuitive "gut" feel from groping nice things . . . oh . . .

2- This forum is great, as there is much expertise here and much eye candy too.

Maybe a dumb question ... but Jeff Who?

Jeff Floyd

And the two varieties of the medal of labor:

1- Medal of Labor, 1948-65 variety, "RPR" / Medalia Muncii, 1948-65 variety, "RPR"

2- Medal of Labor, 1965-89 variety, "RSR" / Medalia Muncii, 1965-89 variety, "RSR"

Yes, they are lovely. The two varieties:

1- Order of Labor, 3rd class, 1948-65 variety, "RPR" / Ordinul Muncii, 3rd class, 1948-65 variety, "RPR"

2- Order of Labor, 3rd class, 1965-89 variety, "RSR" / Odinul Muncii, 3rd class, 1965-89 variety, "RSR"

3rd class only, so far . . .

Identifications and information transfer by PM? After having asked publically for an ID? We surely have become very secretive all of a sudden.

I absolutely agree, but i might add, also the common orders like Red Banner, Order of the Patriotic War and early Red Stars can be a lot of fun too. I like the awards to the Joe or should i say Ivan Average, so i am happy with all the research-results, i get, as these display the normal life in this terrible war.

I must admit, the reason, why i don?t have a Nevsky yet, is just, because i buy much too much common stuff and get it researched. But i don?t care, even if i will never own one.

Correct, Gerd. By "high end" I don't mean one of the high generals-only orders or even a Lenin (though those ARE sexy) . . . I mean a good Glory 2-3 pair or a screw-post Red Banner or (yes) a Nevsky -- something that isn't likely long service and will repay research.

I cannot imagine having something serial numbered and unresearched!

Frankly, I prefer groups over types, as you come closer to a person's life that way. But you see THAT in my collection.

Simple advice: BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS and other printed sources. First, second, and always. Get them first, read them, consume them, arm yourself with knowledge. Then (and only then) move on to the orders and medals.

And, I'd argue, go when you can (that is, have the cash) for the best thing(s) you can afford (from reliable dealers ONLY). Face it, the low-end stuff will always be available (we are talking availability, not price), but the better things you may not see again or at least for a long time. Things that were fairly common only a few years back are never seen now, but the Victory over Germany Medal will always (?) be available. I'd argue that it is better to buy one top-quality researchable item than a drawer full of WWII campaign medals.

Ohhhhh ... nice! We await the full story!

A really nice thread, Gerd. Well done.

The only thing I might add is the "Soviet medal books" thread over on the OMSA site: http://www.omsa.org/forums/showthread.php?t=613

Gerd-

Igor has several, of various types. And, even at "Igor-prices", they aren't so bad.

And they sure are pretty!

Ed

Yeah, nice medals. While my mommie group

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7234

recipient didn't make it all teh way to hero, she seems to have had an exciting career.

Still have outstanding hopes and requests for research on her.

Same here, but if that is enamel damage on the red banner you may want to pass. Readily available from the reliable dealers!

I think, if we are to make any sense out of this, we need to categorize-out the awards to:

1- cosmonauts, whether domestic or foreign friends

2- political high-flyers, whether domestic or foreign friends

These two are "special cases" and talking too much about them (however interesting it may be) won't get us, I think, too far toward understanding what the HSU was and how it worked.

Likewise, as has been suggested already, just thinking of the HSU in terms only of its role in the GPW may distort our view? It had a life and role before 1941 and after 1945.

And, while I'm walking on thin research ice here, I think the post-Soviet hero is a quite different beast that the Soviet award, filling a very different niche. (Pretty picture below, from Central Museum of Armed Forces, to excite our souls.)

Just some random thoughts . . . .

Group 4:

1-2-3-4

(We must assume the groups are "kosher", but at this museum -- except for Zhukov's -- I'm fairly confident.)

Group 4:

1-blank-blank-3 (screwback?!)

(!!!!!!!!!!!)

Group 3:

1-blank-3

Group 2:

1-2-3

Wow, Christian. A lot to ponder here.

Let me throw into the soup some images from the Central Musuem of the Armed Forces in Moscow, taken last summer. Someplace, I have incomplete (sorry ) notes, but right now the names don't matter, the groups do.

Group 1:

1-2-3

(Many of these have been posted elsewhere, sorry, but relevant here, I think.)

Yes, while it is it is great fun!

Have put some of my Omani guests up over at http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2785 and have more I should/could add over there.

No, Gerd, those are just fine. They looks like ones I have too. Bought them in Berlin for 15 Euro Cents from a real Russian, so they must be good.

No need to A simple cardboard box that once held a DKiG covers it....

An entirely worthy recycling project!

Come now, comrades, you can get an ORB "7" or "8" or "9" at almost any Manion's auction and I bet there are some on eBay right now!

Beyond supposition and theory, it would be interesting to get Kozhedub's file and see what it says. If nothing else, his recommendations would make interesting reading!

And where are his medals now?

Well, at least two other people thought so to push the price as high as it went. I had a trade show, so no time to bid myself. I look at this bar and the medals were all sewn in a very long time ago. Construction, materials, ribbon age and folding styles are consistent with pre-1870 bars I have owned, handled and sold.

I have only handled one pre-1870 MEZ and the cross looked quite the same as the one on this bar. Look carefully at the photos... I am unaware of anyone casting a copy of the MEZ in silver. The detail to the lines and lettering on the cross sure look right in this photo. Then there's the patina issue. Notice the black everywhere but the highpoints of the cross..... I think there's a high probability that it was real.... then it becomes a gamble because the only way to know for sure would be to have it in-hand.

Thanks, mate. I love learning things . . .