Chuck In Oregon

* * * * * Now THAT was funny. Thanks for the laugh. Chuck

Well, darn. I didn't think that loop would throw my scanner off. Seems that it did, though. I apologize for the blurries. His grandfather had been, as best as I could understand it, the chief of Tskhinvali Hospital (or Ambulance, I heard both words). Tskhinvali is the capital of South Ossetia, a hotly disputed "breakaway region" of modern Georgia. There was a very ugly Russian-supported war there shortly after the collapse. Georgia lost. Another topic, though. This gold jeton is dated Jan. 1, 1893. It is in Russian on one side and Georgian on the other. It weighs 7.7 grams. It is a jeton of appreciation "From the Dukes and Citizens of Tskhinvali Region", or so it was read to me. So yes, I did buy everything, but really only to get this jeton, which I love. It fits nicely into my collection of Imperial medical awards. Enjoy. Chuck

This last trip I was negotiating (through Boria) with the family of a pretty famous Soviet Georgian writer. They had a nice documented set that included a Friendship of Nations and an October Revolution. Very nice things, to be sure, but a little light on the gee-whiz factor. We got to the point where I said "Sorry, but I just won't pay that much." They are very tuned in to Moscow prices and somewhat to internet prices. They think they should get what I can buy things for in the states, which just isn't going to happen for most things. They passed along to me "We can't go any lower on the price, but what if we throw in a couple of his grandfather's things?" Well, let's see what you've got. Turns out that they had two items. The first is a medal from the Russian-Japanese War. Extremely nice condition, almost no wear, good patina with some staining. Not something that would take your breath away, but not bad either. Here it is:

* * * * * Thank you, Jan and Ed. I'm glad you enjoy seeing them. I'm getting enough of them that I'm going to have to sell those that are not in a theme of particular interest to me, just to support my own collecting habits. One of these days. Not today. I'll be posting a few more in the near future. Stay tuned. Chuck

OK, I saved the best for last. Here is an NKVD aviation rhomb presented to him in 1937. All three of these badges are new to me, although I have seen variations on the themes. Enjoy. Chuck

You knew there were GPU chess champions right? Really, you did? Well, I guess there must have been. Here's his badge, 1927 Georgian GPU chess champion.

Here is the first of the three badges I acquired. I believe it to be his jubilee badge for five years of Soviet Georgia but it could be something else.

His son was Yuri Strom, who seems to have dropped an M from his last name. He is said to be the round-faced guy in the center, facing left, hands clasped. Nothing on the back of the photo. This is said to be his NKVD aviation unit.

And here are a couple of his Soviet documents and his blood donor badge: -- Edit -- I messed up the images. Try, try again.

I mentioned at Post #7 here that I had come across a photo of a young tsarist officer (or cadet) whose name, Karl Stromm, is very close to mine, Charles Stromme. I forgot to follow up with a post that included the photo. It's just one of many things that I overlook doing when I commit to them from overseas. Then this last trip the family came up with a few other things for me. They're are pretty interesting, at least to me, and I'll share them here. First, here is the 1907 photo of Karl Stromm:

* * * * * I hate to turn down a compliment, but I have pretty much given up on getting scans right. You can do it, I can't. These are photos, except for the document which I scanned on my HP C7250 AIO. Well, they're digital images. Thanks, though. I intend to buy a stand-alone scanner before the end of the year, hopefully one that can do over-sized scans. I have read you on Epsons in the past and I know you favor them. Got a suggestion on which model? Chuck

And the reverse. Enjoy.

Here's a similar badge for comparison. Unattributed, and perhaps uncatalogued.

Here's Order #4.

And here's the reverse. Hmmm, I may have to start making these images a bit smaller. 650 looks a little too big once I upload it.

Here's something I brought home this trip. I think it belongs in this forum but I'm not positive. Seems like it should but feel free to move it if not. Lazaret = military field hospital, according to my Oxford Concise Russian. This is a 1923 doctor's badge from the KKA (Caucasus Red Army) 3rd Division Field Hospital in Kutaisi, Georgia. At least, that's where Order #4 was signed. 3 Д Л would be 3-го Див Лаз, as you can see from the document below. KKA items have always been extremely hard for me to find. I don't think I have ever passed on one and I still only have 4-5, something like that, maybe a couple more. I hope this is something you haven't seen before and I hope you enjoy it. Chuck In Oregon ... Where I Belong

I think you'll find that's an after-market plating. Something someone did because shiny appealed to them. There's no downside to owning the gun. Factory ammo may be a little hard to find but how much do you plan to shoot it anyway? If a lot, then get some brass and load your own. .455 isn't impossible to find. It's not a valuable collectible, so shoot and enjoy it as much as you want and think of your uncle when you do, and thank him for his service and for the gun. FWIW, if it gets under your collecting skin there are a LOT of excellent Colt reference books out there. Chuck

Hello Again From Tbilisi As promised, I have some translations for those of you who are interested in such trivial minutiae. Well, wait. I guess that would be all of us. Post #1 (left): Tbilisi Film Studio, Military Clothes Depot #3, item #879 #1(right): Not clear enough to make out anything but the 1929. #3: Similar to #1, Depot #4, inventory item 1035. #4: Also similar to #1 except pre-1935 as it says Tiflis instead of Tbilisi. Chuck In Oregon Currently, Chuck In Tbilisi

I'll be in Tbilisi Friday - Monday. If I can remember (always a challenge), I'll get some translations for you. Home next Tuesday ... for good. Chuck In Oregon Currently, Chuck in Yerevan

I don't enjoy controversies and I seldom participate in them. I have pondered whether to offer my two cents here and I finally decided that it might be helpful. I have had a number of transactions with Tang Si -- reichsrommel over the past few years. Each one has been perfectly satisfactory, no problems ever. He has been as good as his word and I have never had cause to question his integrity. I will gladly do business with him again. I probably should have said something before this, but that's the way I see it. YMMV, of course, but that has been my experience. It just seemed to me that you should hear the other side. The usual disclaimers, of course. Chuck In Oregon Currently, Chuck in Yerevan

On further review, that might be the same badge as the front-center fellow in post #4. Chuck

Not quite the same. Just similar themes, I guess. Worth a shot. Your threads are very interesting. Chuck

Would this have been the kind of badge he wore? I believe it to be a WW I armored car driver or unit badge. Chuck

Thank you, Sergey and Doc. I'm still trying to inventory the things I brought back in July. I'll share any deserving ones later on. My darlin' wife has always wanted to take a cruise. The idea never interested me until she found a river cruise from St. Pete to Moscow. We leave here in a few days for the cruise, with a few extra days at both ends. I admit that I'm looking forward to it more than I would have thought. I was to have flown from Moscow to Yerevan at the end, to work for a couple of months. The project I was working on is upside down now, mostly due to major government changes, and may not recover. The upshot is that I'm coming back home with my wife and I may never return to Yerevan. Maybe I will finally retire for good this time. Chuck

Here's another one. Chuck