Hauptmann

I have put up the VDNKh medals I have -- in a group -- as part of the Shapovalona group. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2735

Hi Ed,

Great group! You've got me drooling too! Thanks so much for posting them!

Dan

>display cases needs new glass put in and not quite sure where to get it done.

Home Depot and Lowes sell glass and will cut it to size (beware the flunkies who work there though).

Try the local mom&pop hardware store or framing store. They can do it, too.

Hi Eric,

Yeah, actually have dealt with them before down in Florida. Good glass but other than one guy they all seemed to be morons. And not just in the glass department. But we do have an excellent little home town hardware store here and they do glass... I've got a beautiful Case commemorative picture which is framed behind glass. One of two things that the glass broke in on our move. But lucky more didn't get broken... it's actually amazing as we had two big trucks and in one section of road we went through in Minnesota it was just bouncing up and down through nearly a third of the state! But they did a terrific job putting in new glass and you'd never know it happened.

Only thing on this aluminum case is that it has to be put in by someone familiar with those types of cases. They have to know how to get them apart and also have to be able to put the gasket seal in properly. But I think I may take it up and see what they can do, if anything. If not I may have to take it to one of the bigger cities.

But the other wood ones should be fairly simple and I'm sure they can handle it. Just have to wait a tad bit longer in order to build my war chest back up and then I'll take them over and let them have a crack at it.

Thanks,

Dan

Dan,

Variation 1 has the ring soldered seperatly.

Variation 2 has the ring stamped as part of the medal

Doc

Hi Doc,

Wow! And you can tell that from my lousy pics? You're GOOD!

Mucho thanks!

Dan

Dan,

Thanks!! I have his Soviet and Belgium book. I didn't know about the French book. I'll have to find it. I'll scan the full color ribbon chart and send it to you. It is kind of a rough looking chart. Also, Thanks in advance for keeping an eye open for the achievement medals.

Doc

Hi Doc,

Hey, no problem at all. Glad to help out if I can. I think it's a great area to move into. Just hope my budget starts to agree with me soon! Just too many shiney things out there that keep calling my name!

Thanks,

Dan

Eric,

GREAT display!!! After i finish my campaign medal project I'll have to start on my labor group.

Dan,

Good collection of labor medals!!

Doc

Hi Doc,

Definitely worth going for. I'm still working on my campaigns as well. It's never ending isn't it? Of course, that's good... keeps us all off the streets!

Thanks,

Dan

Hi Eric,

No biggie on the Vet medal... it's an easy mistake that I've even seen dealers make. That and the Labor Vet medal just look so much alike, even down to their ribbons... it's almost like they were trying to screw us up! Methinks another commie plot has been discovered!

Thought so on the umalatova... they're really nice awards, especially in their use of enamels. I only have a few but hope to add more along with the Russian Federation awards. But money and time wise I often wish they'd stop putting stuff out for a few years just to allow me and everyone else to catch up! Seems they ended the USSR and then just went right into cranking out new awards working overtime all the while. Too little money, too little time, far too many shiney things!

I'll have to check that place out... those are really nice looking cases. On rikers they serve the purpose but they're not overly attractive like wood and the flocking inside can often drive me nuts! Seems to stick to stuff whenever I try to put a piece in or take one out and throws off everything else in the case. But they're inexpensive and far better than just chucking stuff into a box... heaven only knows how I've had to do that. I keep getting more goodies quicker than I can get cases for them. I have several big wood and metal display cases, but they're either too big for the space I have right now or they need new glass. One of my three nice locking aluminum display cases needs new glass put in and not quite sure where to get it done. Got broken right before we moved.

Dan

Sorry, those eBay quality "blurs" are just too out of focus even for me to read.

Hi Rick,

I know... I'm sooooo sorry. Seems the camera does really well on some pieces and awful on others... I don't know why. Can be under the same conditions yet two pieces will end up totally different no matter what I do.

Definitely going to take your advice scanner wise (be looking for the residuals check in the mail! ) just as soon as we can afford to get one. But in the meantime I figure posting this way is better than not posting at all.

Not sure if I'll have time today but I'll try to get better shots of these in natural sunlight. Just so much going on today... may have to do it tomorrow assuming the sun is out again. But I'll definitely keep trying.

Thanks!

Dan

Yeah, the second very flat cloth taped one is also fake-- and I did the same thing with mine (mid 1990s) to use it for display. The awards make no sense on that one.

The tabby backed one does make sense for an EXTREMELY well decorated non-career WW2 veteran alive circa 1985.

Hi Rick,

Many thanks! Had no idea that second one was bad but good to know. Also good to know I'm not the only one to do that with the US ribbon mounts. Seems an easy way to pop them on and off and yet can be removed with no harm to the bar. I guess great minds think alike!

That's also great to know on the good one. I definitely need to start getting more but know for sure I'm going to check any potential purchases ahead of time on here to avoid any more bad ones. Of course the "marshal's" I just wanted because it was cheap, looked neat and had so many and not due to any possible history it had if it did turn out to be real. I'll PM you with the dealer info on that one.

Thanks,

Dan

Dan,

I really like that you have both variations of the Leningrad. I am missing the Leningrads from my collection. Very nice!!

Doc

Hi Doc,

Okay, here's my lack of McDaniel showing but here I thought I just had "two" Leningrads... didn't know there were two variations much less that I had them! What is the difference between the two?

See, learn something new about stuff every day. Since joining the club I've learned more about my collection than I have in twenty some odd years!

Thanks!

Dan

Dan,

I like those. I just had to pull Daniel Byrne's book off of the shelf. Great find!!!

Doc

Hi Doc,

Many thanks! I too fell in love with them the minute I saw one. In fact, I didn't recognize it at first. Knew I'd seen something like it somewhere. My problem is that my copy of Byrne's book is a xerox copy someone gave me years ago when I started out in collecting Soviet awards. Only two bad things about that... one the ribbon chart is in black and white which doesn't do a whole lot of good. The other is that it was not a great copy job and some things are slightly cut off or not clearly shown. I definitely need to get a copy and hope to soon. Did you know there is also one in this series for French awards and another for Belgian awards? When I first got this I didn't even know it was an honest to goodness book... just something someone did and put out there for the benefit of fellow collectors.

Anyhow I dug through all my refs and then grabbed Byrne's and there it was in the back... hard to make out but there nontheless. I managed to get the gold for $11.50 (including shipping) and the silver for $8 (including shipping) so I don't think I did too bad on them. I'm keeping my eye out for more as they're just terrific little medals. Would love to get some of their big brothers as well. And it's another great design to boot.

Next time I see a flurry of them I'll give you a nudge and perhaps you can grab some too!

Thanks,

Dan

Very nice example. I will post mine this afternoon. I think that my example is a different variation.

Regards

Paul

Hi Paul,

Many thanks! I'm looking forward to seeing yours and seeing the differences between them.

Thanks,

Dan

Yes, nice awards, and frequently and systematically under-rated. We have, I think, free-standing threads on all (most?) of these labor awards.

And so on . . . there is a lot of information on this forum!

Hi Ed,

Many thanks! Glad others agree on these... as even the medals seem to have very pleasing designs and as Eric has shown can make a great little display when put together with all their brother awards.

And yes, this club is an absolute treasure trove of information if one takes the time to look through and read everything that is available. There has been little I've searched for that hasn't at least been mentioned if not gone into in detail. I've learned so much and have much still to learn. This after studying this stuff since I was about five years old (I'm 43 now) and having collecting for around twenty-five years. There's always something new to learn or to discover about this terrific hobby. One can never get bored with it.

Thanks to great folks like you and the rest of the membership a militaria collector never needs to feel alone or isolated. We need only pop on here and we have a vast array of knowledge and resources at our fingertips, along with some good old fashioned comradeship... guess that's an appropriate word to use here in a Soviet forum. Just great people all pursuing the things they love and sharing with the rest of us. Just can't say enough good things about this place.

Dan

Those are very nice!

I have a new appreciation of the labor medals ever since I mounted them together.

Hi Eric,

Nice display! And fine looking awards as well. I'm sure you know but the one second row from the bottom on the right is actually a Veteran Servicemans medal. And which one is the bottom on? That's one of the Umalatova awards, right? One of the anniversary medals I believe?

That's a nice looking case too (covet, covet, heavy on the covet! ). Where do you get those? I'm always looking for better ways to display my stuff. I've got a bunch of rikers but never enough. I've actually never just ordered riker mounts... I've tended to get them with medals, badges, etc. and they just came together. And after a few years the glass ends up seperating from the cardboard when the glue gives out. They get torn up... just a mess. Although I hear they've come out with them in plastic now instead of cardboard which may help. I like how they're easy to stack together, you can do great displays in them, they're easy to access and yet they generally don't take up a ton of space.

Again great display! Keep up the good work!

Thanks for sharing,

Dan

Hi all,

Okay, I finally broke down and got one... been driving me crazy, that empty space in the set. I always felt like this was a rather shabby way for the Soviet government to honor the vets of WWII . But over time, the more I looked at it, the more I began to appreciate it's design. There's alot of symbolism there. I just have to keep reminding myself to get over it's rather tinny appearance. In fact, I never got into TR tinnies either... just looked too cheap to me.

But this one cost me all of $3.05 including shipping so what the hey. And, if I like it in person then perhaps I'll try and pick up some more examples. They really do look rather nice... just wish they were in thick, heavy metal as that would have added an awful lot to them I think.

Can't wait to see it in person.

Dan

Hi all,

I believe these are known as Achievement medals. Originally in 1939 they were awarded as part of the All Union Agricultural Exhibition. I managed to pick up a couple super cheap a few weeks ago. These are the pics from the original owners. I'll have to do another set when the sun is out again and I can do them in natural light as that seems to get me the best results with my digital camera.

Not that you can tell from these pics but one of these is silver and the other gold in color. These are the smaller versions... my understand is that in 1939 they came in large and small versions as follows:

1st Class - Larger Gold Medal - 1,000

2nd Class - Smaller Gold Medal - 2,000

3rd Class - Larger Silver Medal - 3,000

4th Class - Smaller Silver Medal - 15,000

This is quoted from Byrnes Soviet awards reference.

The war years interrupted such exhibitions and when they finally picked back up in 1958 they were renamed the All Union Exhibition of National Economy Achievements as it was then intended to showcase not only agriculture but industry as well.

Medals of the first issue were in three classes... Gold, Silver and Bronze and were 32mm in diameter. They hung from a rectangular plate and green ribbon. The inscription reads All Union Agricultural Exhibition.

Medals of the second issue, of which I think mine are a part, were 23mm in diameter and hung from a magenta or rose purple ribbon. Both issues come with either a screw or pin back attachment. The inscription reads For Achievements In National Economy Of The USSR.

These two are small but I think they're very attractive medals and I hope to find more in time including those from the first issue with the green ribbons.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Hi all,

Here's my one and only medal in the restoration, reclamation and development category of Soviet awards. I hope to add more in time.

Definitely another piece that has that "been there, done that" look to it.

Dan

Thanks guys,

I have checked out the link to the book and will get my hands on one. I have an Agfa scanner (Epson printer, though) and I scan my images at about 250% the original size at 300 dpi, then alter size and jpeg quality in Photoshop. I too am in the process of making scans of my collection and saving them on hard CD for safekeeping. It is a great way to have a photo record (even if some are fakes!). I hope to get some more Russian stuff soon, what I have posted is most of it, besides a couple items (including an East German Officer's Cap in mint shape!). I will have to get out the digi-camera for that one.

Thanks again Hauptmann and others for the precise, excellent help

Pat

PS feel free to leave more comments on the medals

Hi Pat,

Again, you're most welcome. Glad I/we can help out. Once you get that book it will open up a whole new world... for both of us as I'm hoping to get mine soon too. As I say I've been at this since the wall fell and studying it as much as I could long before that. And I still feel like a kid who has way too much to learn. My references don't get into many of the variations, types, etc. which McDaniel's book does. It's alot to learn but it's vital for anyone collecting Soviet awards.

Here's hoping we both get our copies very soon!

And I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for any new additions you may post in future.

Dan

And last but not least the Veteran of Labor medal:

Again please ignore the price sticker. I guess I have to pull those off one of these days.

Again, a nice set of medals which I think, for the most part, are rather underrated.

Thanks,

Dan

Next up is the Labor Distinction Medal:

Please ignore the price sticker... this is another one I got in one of those big trade deals years ago... I've nowhere near that in this piece and I just never took the sticker off.

Hi all,

Here's a few of my labor medals. First off, the medal for Outstanding Achievements In Labor:

I "believe" this one is for Kazakhstan:

Again if anyone has any additional information on these I could sure use an update. My poor befuddled brain is not remembering all these things as well as I'd like. But not unlike Indiana Jone's dad... "I wrote it down so I wouldn't have to remember." Now if only I could get my notebook back from those pesky nazis! INDY... oh INDY????

Thanks for looking,

Dan

And the reverse view:

This is the one I'm not sure about... but I think it may have been a second award for Chechnya:

Here's the reverse view:

And also a better shot I found on the web:

And this is the link where I found that last pic as well as a good article on the award, etc:

http://www.amina.com/article/medal_ru.html

This first one is the Chechyn medal:

And again, I apologize for the quality of the pics... best I can do with my poor overworked digital camera. But hoping someone may be able to make out the inscription and make a translation of same, one this as well as the two to come: