Hauptmann

Hi Paul,

Here's mine:

Hello Dan

That's a really nice one that you have Looks identical to mine, your's being in better condition though. These are the only two of these that I have ever seen - well, the 57 versions anyway. If you ever decide to part with yours let me know first.

And post your Luftschutz as well !!

Hi David,

Many thanks! And yes, I'll definitely let you know if I ever decide to sell, but doubt I will as it goes well with my other Olympic goodies including my 1936 torch holder:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=230&...older&st=60

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7292&hl=olympic

Sadly, I don't have a 1957 Luftschutz. But will continue to keep my eyes open.

Dan

Hi David,

You actually beat me out on this one and the Luftschutz. Oh well... there'll be more. Very nice pieces! Here's my Olympic 1st for comparison:

Great pieces and definitely ones you don't see very often.

Dan

Dan

Hi all,

Here's my contribution... only one I have so far.

Hi all,

Well, the auction ended and it went much higher than I'd expected. I'd written the seller a couple of days before the auction ended and told him the bar was likely a put together and that the Labor medal was a fake. I was very nice about it and explained the why's and wherefores in case he wanted to add the info to the auction. Surprise surprise, he didn't do so and I have not heard back from him. At least I tried. I feel bad for the buyer though.

It had 8 bids and went for... $109.48!!!!

Here's the link for anyone intro'd:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...DME:X:AAQ:US:11

Dan

Hi Dan,

to me the bar looks like put together. The suspension is made out of aluminium and looks brand new, although the newest

medal is from 1945.

As I am on holiday, I have no eccess to my pictures according to the labour medal with number. But compare the upper tip of the red star with orıginal photos. The peak must touch the rim of the medal and compare the position of the letters P and B in the word SATPYDOBYJ with the two ends of the star.

regards

Andreas

Hi Andreas,

Many thanks for your reply. Quite understand on the vacation situation as when I was off in Florida for a couple of months I was in basically the same boat. Much as I hated to, I had to leave my red and green bibles behind.

On this one the star does indeed seem to touch the rim of the medal from what I can see... just. But what you say about the letters... especially the B... the point of the star seems to be point at the back of the B in the pics in the red bible but it seems to be pointing almost to the front of the B on this one.

So considering all things... the Labor is definitely a copy. And as a put together it's really only worth whatever the other three medals would run separately and possibly a little more for the Labor as a copy.

Still hoping to hear more opinions on these as again, not ever having seen one of the real numbered examples I'd love to learn all I can about them. I'd actually not heard about the letters in relation to the star before. Many thanks on that.

Will stay in a holding pattern for now.

Thanks!!!!

Dan

Again any and all opinions would be deeply appreciated.

Many thanks!!!!

Dan

Hi all,

I'm currently watching this and yet I'm wondering if the Labor medal is not a fake. According to the red bible if the "No" is not made as a part of the medal (which I take to mean raised, like the inscription, and not as it says stamped or engraved) then it's a fake. It seems to meet the other criteria... top of the star on the obverse touching the rim, and the ring being soldered on separately. But if what the red bible says still holds true on this one and I'm correct in how I'm reading it then I assume it's a fake.

And by the way, the seller wrote back in answer to my questions (and to provide additional pics) and he thinks the "No" looks engraved. Now whether he misunderstood and thought I meant the actual serial numbers... I don't know for sure. But I don't think that's the case. And it's so difficult to tell in pics, even those used in the red bible exactly whether they are raised as I stated above or what. I do wish I'd had the opportunity to see and handle an original to be sure of all this, but failing that I'm putting out a plea for help!

Also opinions... does it look like an original bar (albeit if the Labor is faked perhaps that was simply put in place of the original Labor in order to make it seem more valuable... not that I'm accusing the current seller of same... but that it could have been done in the past at some point), and what do you feel the value should be "if" the Labor is a fake (or, if I'm wrong and it's real)? I'm assuming I'd have to look at it as a sum of it's parts and that the only sure way to know if it's actually an original group would be research. But again just thought I'd pop this out for opinions. I don't have a ton to spend so no telling if it'll even go beyond that or what. I'm hoping if the Labor is confirmed to be fake that he'll not that in the auction and that might help.

Here are some pics:

Hi Dan, do you know what state that crest signifys at all?

Hi Troy,

Sorry I didn't get back sooner on this but many thanks to Fire Medals to giving the answer... especially since I didn't know.

Some beautiful pieces you have. And welcome to the club by the way!

Dan

Hi all,

Here's another example I've had for ages:

Dan

I just realized... this has the gold spacers between the ribbons that have been mentioned before.

Very cool!

Dan

This from a people/regime that blew up many of their ancient (and newer) churches, melted down the bells and destroyed God only knows what in their early communist campaigns against religion and the nobility/aristrocracy.

And now they want to worry about things that they produced in their millions upon millions! I can totally understand awards or items that belonged to HSU's, famous individuals... things like that. But much of what they deem cultural... they're NUTS! It would be like our government suddenly worrying about where each and every Kennedy Half Dollar ever minted was and saying it's illegal to have them outside of the country! It would be insane!

Granted... it's their country and they can do what they want. But they're not making any friends in doing it. You'd think they'd feel great about the idea that there are so many people around the world who are fascinated with and want to collect and study their history, especially that of the GPW. For so long they could care less, other than items from their highest leaders, etc. And here we've been trying to honor the memory of their long forgotten heroes... whether it was a lowly private who was awarded a Glory 3rd or a Marshal with a chest full of ODM's... it didn't matter to us. We spend our money (tons of it) to obtain and then research and learn all we can about people that their history has basically all but forgotten. And instead of a hearty thanks we get kicked in the rear!

Lord knows... we don't do it for their government. We do it for the memory of those who fought and often gave their all. We do it for our love of history.

Due to all their crimes against history they don't even know what much of their true history is anymore.

Sorry... just had to vent a bit.

Dan

Here is an interesting one that I picked up recently - these badges are very common, its finding the uncommon ones. I have no idea what this one is for as it is devoid of year or place / factory. But the interesting part is that the badge is numbered. which is uncommon.

Hi Charles,

Another great find! I do love those numbered sets! And I really like the pin clasps on both pieces. Very nice how the one on the mini stickpin is flattened and curved out like that. A great set!!!! Congrats my friend! Here's to you finding many more before you head home!

Dan

Hi all,

Just spotted this and figured it might be of some interest:

http://www.supertouchblog.com/2007/08/09/b...-of-the-turtle/

Dan

Hi all,

Just spotted this and thought it might be of interest:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/6953664.stm

Dan

Hi all,

If this is not the right place for this please feel free to move it. Hoping this might be of interest:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1557470/posts

A few more to be sold... so if you have a bit of extra cash laying around and want the ultimate toy... I can pretty much guarantee you'll be the only one on your block to have one!

Dan

Hi Hauptman I'm no expert but L/58 was Souval's wartime number I believe, so it may unfortunately be one of his post war efforts, maybe more knowledgeable persons can confirm or otherwise, I actually wouldn't mind one for myself a a space filler

regards

Alex

Hi Alex,

I do believe it is actually... Jack Angolia got it for me at a very good price many, many moons ago. It's been one of my prized pieces ever since. And it brings back very fond memories of several extremely pleasant visits to his home and museum. It's definitely a nice one to have. I believe there is one place that carries them but I can't for the life of me remember who it was, where or for how much... athough I believe it was a few hundred dollars. I found it on a google search at one point or another. If I find it again I'll be happy to pass the info along.

I've seen the Third classes (the breast badge) for about $50 or thereabouts on Ebay on occassion. They come in red cases which are not anything like original German TR cases. The gold on them is way too shiney and if you compare it with my First class you'll definitely see how bad it looks by comparison.

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11533

Sad thing is I was given the opportunity to buy a cased original by Jack way back when for $5,000. At the time I could have easily afforded it. But I just couldn't see having that much money tied up in a badge which would sit on a shelf in the den so I passed it up. In fact that's when he offered to find me a nice copy, hence the First class I have. But at times I wish I'd gotten the original as well... as Lord only knows what it would be worth now.

Dan

Hi, if genuine, and it looks like it my untrained eye, it is a VERY rare Party Award, given out less than 10 times (From Memory) always personally by Adolf.?"Edit"?It?was?cynically?called?the?"Dead?Hero?Order"?as?it?was?nearly?always?handed?out?postumously,

two notable people who received it after death were Fritz Todt and Reinhard Heydrich. I believe that Artur Axmann received one at the very end of the war, he survived. Rudolf Souval, a war-time manufacturer of awards, was making copies of these in the 1950's, these are also now fetching rather large amounts of money, and they are fake!!

regards

Alex

I'm not positive but mine might be one of those Souval's:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11532

No idea what they run now... but I remember when I saw my first one it was at a show in Ft. Lauderdale twenty some odd years ago and it was up for $800.

Dan

Hoping to research it along with the rest... perhaps it'll end up being the jewel in the crown. One never knows.

Dan

Hi all,

Here's my newest which just arrived. A bit worse for the wear but I love it all the same, and the price was definitely right. I just couldn't pass it up.

Sorry about the makers mark being slightly out of focus but it was the best I could do on my scanner.

But, at a tightly rolled 49 cm x 34.5 cm (19-1/4" x 13-3/16") they are a "beee-atch" to scan"

Lovely things, though!

Hey, I think you did an excellent job. Had that one not shifted just slightly... and even then considering. To do some of my things I've really had to get into some strange positions, holdings things, with other things keeping the lid of the scanner slightly elevated and then having to reach across to type in the proper dimensions for the final scan. And then having to do it several times. But then the end result is generally always worth it.

But these are so much nicer than the small types that I've seen issued by many of the Warsaw Pact countries. More decorative like many of the TR docs I've seen. I especially love the large representations of the awards.

So just how hard it is to find Yugoslavian awards with docs and does that move the price way up? I've yet to see any on Ebay which is my primary source unless something pops up in the club.

Dan

Hallo Larry & Dan,

many thanks for your comments with regards my pieces,

do you guys ever use them for the purpose they were intended??

Kevin in Deva.

Hi Kevin,

Sure... if you own an old car you drive it... if you own an old pocket watch you use it (or should)... if you own beer steins...

Dan