Chuck In Oregon

Essentially, this was a souvenir cup for the public distribution of wine in honor of the coronation of Nicholas II. The prospect of free wine drew a huge crowd and, almost too predictably, there was a panicked rush during which many people -- I have read up to 3,000, maybe "only" 1,400 -- were crushed to death. I bought this particular example in Tbilisi. It was likely in normal family use, good cups being hard to find, until a tiny pinhole developed in the bottom. The gold leaf underneath the rim is mostly gone but the enamel is still maybe 95-98%. I would like to see your other examples of this cup. I found a decent explanation of the history of this cup, sometimes called the ?Cup of Sorrows?, "Blood Cup" or the ?Khodynka Cup?, at http://www.kensingtonhouseantiques.com/ite...60727store.html

Chris In Alfred's absence, I offer this article from Vol. 2 of the HSU set. Chuck

I've not seen that variant in the wild. Here's one I have. An earlier version, I believe. This one is number 4575. Chuck

Gentlemen I apologize for my tardiness. The simple fact is that I forgot to get the translation last week. I've got it now, so here's my puzzler: Who is this woman and why should anyone care? Hints: 1. This is a pre-1943 photo. Actually, a print. 2. This print is ex-Museum of the Revolution. 3. She is not a famous Russian rock star. 4. It may well be that this woman is too obscure for this contest. I've already got another one. "Yeah, right" do I hear you say? No, really. Would you like me to run it concurrently with this one? It's a lot more colorful. Well, I suppose it could hardly be less colorful than this print. Good luck all. Chuck

Plumbers? They have plumbers in the archives?

I love those photos! I'm going to Georgia April 30 - May 20. One of the things I have already paid for is a small (@ 60) collection of early photos of Soviets in uniform. I'll share anything interesting. Hopefully, there will be lots but I admit that I bought it sight-unseen. Hey, you gotta trust your friends. As I may have mentioned before, a noted Georgian collector and personal acquaintance died last fall. His widow wants me to have his badge collection. Not for free, of course, and she's not sure that she's ready to let go of it yet. Still, there's a chance that I may bring it home with me this trip. I'll also be bringing back a few nice groups and some badges. I've already paid for them and they are just waiting to come to America. Of course I'll share the good ones. Thanks for sharing those great photos. Chuck

* * * * * I have the photo picked out already. It's an ex-Museum of the Revolution propaganda photo with a note of ID on the back and the museum exhibit number. I need a better translation of the note than I can offer as Cyrillic cursive is difficult-to-impossible for me. When I get it, which should be next Friday, I'll post my question. Chuck

Thanks again, Vadim. This is getting really interesting. Let me know if this image is enough for you to tell us all about our friend. This is the kind of guy -- perhaps was one of the guys -- who murdered all those demonstrators in Tbilisi in 1923. I also have a (probably) locally-commissioned, attributed badge dated 1922 (if memory serves) for a Georgian "Chekist Activist". I doubt that you got one of those for perfect attendance. And now history is repeating itself in Belarus, Khazakstan and Azerbaijan, to name just a few. Chuck

* * * * * Thank you for the kind words. As with most things, I have taken away far more than I've given here. I have really enjoyed seeing George's amazing things and now we have a couple of recent contributors who also have some great Imperial collectibles. That's what's making this forum fun for and, I trust, useful to others. As for Imperial medal bars, I seem to recall (note here my notoriously bad memory) from another thread that they were a late-era innovation. I have one Imperial jacket (that's probably not the technically correct word, but I'm not a uniform guy) with a medal bar. However, it's not a "bar" at all but five cloth ribbons sewn together edge-to-edge above the left breast pocket. It is very expertly done, the seamstress or tailor must have been quite skilled. Finally a break in the weather here. It's time to work in the garden. Chuck

I can't play in the shako plate game. I've never been offered one and I've only seen a couple in collections. You have some terrific plates in your collections. It's a great theme to collect in that you can associate unit histories with the plates. OTOH, I have openers in the hat badge game. I suppose it might be presumptuous for me to suggest that we start a hat badges thread. It would make it a lot easier for new guys and researchers to find them. Until then, here's what I can put my hands on right now. In fact, it may be that these are the only ones I have, but I thought there might be one or two more. Chuck

* * * * * Thank you, Vadim. I see that I made another of my dumb translation mistakes. Thanks for teaching me a new word. Now that you mention it, I vaguely recall being told that "personal" is also included in that root word group, but I couldn't dredge it up when I needed it. Also, I found out that the word for "representative" can also mean "agent of". So I guess that would make Adolph an "Agent of Cheka Transportation Department Counter-Intelligence". Is that about how you translate it? Again, thank you. Chuck

* * * * * Hi Alan I have found that around 500 pixels wide on GMIC is about the max if you don't want to stretch the screen out. 600 is about the max I use for height. Sorry, did I lose anyone with that tech talk, like "stretch the screen out"? This stuff is so Greek to me. Chuck

If those don't get your heart beating fast, then this isn't the hobby for you. I love the one presented to the guy in what I think of as a Georgian uniform. Alas, I have sold the last of my Lenins. I hope that this year I'll find a couple more. Chuck

* * * * * Thank you, slavafirstclass. I think that most of us will never find a better Glory-2 than this one. OK, yeah, except for the ribbons. They're replacements, but they're what came with the group. I buy 'em and I pass 'em along. I don't clean them up (except for the rare use of a dry toothbrush to knock off some dirt) and I don't replace ribbons and so forth and I don't separate groups. This is my hobby and those things are what spoil it. Chuck

* * * * * Here is (if I'm lucky) a close-up of the center of the Glory-2. You're right, it is in lovely condition. The question is, I suppose, is it too good to be true? The patina is typical, in my limited experience, of silver that has been cleaned, then re-oxidizes, suffering occasional handling along the way. Silverware gets the same look. The silver itself is in exceptional condition. The center portion is consistent with the condition of the rest of the metal, patina notwithstanding. Sometimes you can look "through" plating and detect surface defects that give the re-plating away, not unlike, say, a re-blued gun. Or you can detect where the re-plating has filled in some details. I see none of either on this example. I leave it to you to judge for yourselves. Chuck

As I was putting this group away, I discovered that I hadn't shared an aspect of it that interests me. Here is the cover of his 1925 service record as it appears when it is folded and ready to be filed in a drawer somewhere. At the top is a large place for his work and facial characteristics, as best as I can translate it. It's blank. Below is a space for his Chekist Specialty, which is "Representative (of) KRO DTChK". This guy was in the NKVD Transport Department for a long time. Does anyone know what the KRO stands for? OK, now I'm done with this one. No, really. Chuck

And here's the star of this thread, Strizhko's Cheka Transport Department badge. You can see it referred to by number at the top of page two of his 1925 service record in post #3, with the date of 25/III/25. This is one well-documented badge. FWIW, I believe this badge may be uncatalogued and unknown in the west. Enjoy. Chuck

And document number four of this modest group. I believe this is an award document for over-realizing his quota of ... I may not want to know. This was right after the worst years of The Terror and it is dated in ink at the bottom, 14/IV/40. Note that this is an NKVD document signed by the Transport Procurator himself, "in the name of L. P. Beria".

And document number 3, from 1933.

And here are pages three and four. Yes, I know that page three is blank. I have included it because there are some very peculiar collectors here -- I am loathe to mention any names -- who like to see every page of a previously unknown, or at least unviewed, type of document.

And here are pages one and two of his 4-page service record, through 1925 at least.

Here is the earliest of his records that I own, dated 1923.

That's Adolph Strizhko there, on the right in the first picture, and all alone in the second, wearing his nice new white uniform. There are dates on the backs of the photos, 12/XI/25 and 22/X/1937, respectively. I can't identify the badge he's wearing in the first picture, but it doesn't look much like the one I'll show you in just a minute.

* * * * * I'm a little embarassed to admit it, but I've never researched anything, ever. I don't even know how to do it or how much it costs. At best, I try to get as much of a story as possible when I can buy something directly from a family, then pass along what they tell me. It's not perfect. Heck, it may not even be good, but it's what I've been doing. You're right, though. I'll think about making this my first one. I'm glad that my modest groups are giving you some enjoyment. That's the way it's supposed to be. Poor Zags ... and Dukies. I don't even know who to root for now. I can't bring myself to get behind UCLA or Washington. Maybe I'll just stop watching the tournament. Uh, no. Chuck

That last group was so well received that I'm inspired to post one more. I think this Glory-2 group, damaged Red Star and all, has a lot of character. Now for some basketball. Go Zags! Chuck