Ramblinfarms

Now is that how to tell precious from base metal? I am fortunate being located near KC, home of the Liberty Memorial, and Chip Minx. The Liberty Memorial, as many of you know, is designated as the USA's "official" WWI Monument and Museum. After years of neglect, there has been a massive multi-million dollar infusion in capital to restore, expand and improve the Memorial. They have the largest WWI collection in the Nation, much of which has sat in storage until now.

Merci, Christophe. These are the things that I need to learn.

Obviously from a family of noble birth, taste and breeding. I hear they made special E Bay Wearer Copies of the PLMs and HHO with Crown and Swords for the Decendants of the original award recipients. In order of presidence, they are placed right behind the Dale Ernhardt "Intimidator" Memorial Die Struck Medal.

Beautiful Bars, Gentlemen! Christophe, is your SEHO a Second or First Class? I note the swords are the so-called French Style. The White Falcon has the other style of swords commonly seen. Does anyone know when/where the French style swords were used on the SEHO?

I cannot tell you how much this site has helped my collecting knowledge, but threads such as the PLM thread and the one about the Ebay Medal Bar scream to me that I really know "NOTHING!" I realize that the path to Imperial Enlightenment is gained over many years and much experience, and there are no shortcuts. (My kids are in Karate, and it seems quite similar.) However, I thought it would be great to start a thread in which you old hands contribute to a central list as it were, of "must have" books and E-Sites that will teach us "in depth" the history, protocol and other facts we need to learn about Imperial Orders and Medals. There are plenty of sites and books that I deem "fast food" with lots of lovely pictures, but very short blurbs about the item displayed. Teachers of Imperial, please guide us on our quest for knowledge!

Nah, I'm just joking. I don't even have a bad fake PLM. Frankly, they scare me to death as RKs do now. so many contoversies and fakes swirl around. Dropping 5 to 10 grand on a potential "jewler copy" is enough to make me just be happy with Privatera's Book. BTW, are there any guidelines as to the miniatures? There is one on E Stand right now for about 6 bills, and Manions has a stickpin PLM in the auction. What is accepted and not accepted as far as the minis go?

It looks like a good-un to me. Is it from Thomas Huss? If so, I would feel secure about it. Thomas sells nice original stuff. He had a salty Prussian Pilot's Badge a year or so ago with pin damage and repair. It was not mint, but had that "been there" character to it. I bought a nice HG Division Soldbuch from him last year. When I opened the package, there were 50 plus personal photos out of an album of a Heer Signals soldier, taken in France and Russia. Lots of great shots of them standing in front of Foch's Statue, in Verdun, then their places in the East. Sadly, lots of Graves with the EK Head Markers we have all seen. You see, I had remarked to Thomas that my 10 year old was a budding collector, and was interested in TR. Thomas threw the photos in for Sam as a surprise. You have to like a Dealer like Thomas.

I can sell ya the original godet PLM awarded to George Peppard in the Movie. Or maybe I should just sell it on EBay.

Some truly amazing, rare and beautiful pieces. Looks like pretty much everybody had a great year collection wise. (Thanks to Stogie for a certain aviation related item for me, too!)

Reverse Saxe-Ernestine House Order Knight's Cross Second Class with Swords

Father Christmas is on the way from Germany with this little present. Better late than never, I say.

What a fantastic selection of the art of sword making. With Wilkinson going out of the sword business, who is left? I have a 1796 Pattern Brit. Hussar (LD) Saber with a Damascus Blade I just love but the Damascus pattern has darkened and hard to see. Anything you can do to bring out the pattern again that won't damage the blade? The scabbard is leather with iron fittings.

Absolutely beautiful!!! How do you keep the blades so well preserved?

I'll be extra nice to santa!!! It kills me not to be able to fully participate in these most interesting threads.

Here is another description of an interesting pair of slip ons. Major's boards with white underlay, Number 64 in gold numbers. But when you look at the boards carefully, the "V's are half black and half red. Wurttenburg? The pair was sold to me as Prussian. The "64"s have been on there forever, and there are also some extra holes where another device was attached prior to the numbers being put on there. Overall nice and salty "been there" boards, with a lot of patina and verdigris to the numbers. What do you think?

Thank you Rick. Yes indeed, the cording is a dull silver. It doesn't look like it was ever bright silver in finish. The carmine underlay is very bright except where it has faded along the edges. Maybe Santa is brnging me a scanner or a dig Camera. Thanks again for your assistance.

I have a 1796 Light Cav Saber with a Damascus Blade. The scabbard has silvered iron mounts throat and drag over a black leather scabbard. Weren't the Prussian light Cav sabers very similar to the Brits, with a simple stirrup hilt in iron. How do you tell the difference?

I have a single Col's Board (Two large gold pips, twisted silver dull cording with thin black "V"s)with a kind of hot pink underlay similar to Rick's post #7. The Pink is a little darker than Rick's TR Board, but still that kind of hot pink. The board is massive and heavy, with thin black "V"s in the cording. The board is a slip on, but also has one of those black elastic loops at the end of the Board where the button would go through, sewn in between the underlay and the cording. Sorry I can't post a pic., but can anyone take a crack at what I have? Prussian General Staff or TR F.D?

What a great EK, and worthy of some real research. thank you for sharing it with all of us, and expanding our knowledge on these early pieces. I can't wait for the next installment!