Christian Zulus

Dear Jim, the patina seems for me not a problem. The rv. is perfect and the av. seems to have been polished frequently by the owner. A Nakhimov 2cl is made completly from silver and silver is getting such a very dark patina - if you don't polish the order from time to time. Look at the medals "XX-years-RKKA": You will find the same effects at the av. . Veterans DO polish their awards . The s/n. looks o.k. and for the height of the mintmark (it is a late variation!), that order is too rare to find out any rules, I think. I am not an expert - my two cents . Best regards Christian

Dear Simon, of course, I don't want to take the next turn . I thought, that this fact had come out clearly via my postings . GMIC is a club for gentlemen .... It is unfair towards the other GMIC-members to have that mentioned book about ALL Jewish-recipients of the HSU and to take part at the quiz concerning a Jewish GPW hero. There are enough well educated members at GMIC to answer your question . Another "strange" coincidence: Days before you posted your excellent question, I wanted to rise the question at GMIC, if the coincidence, that both brothers received their HSU at the same might be possible, or if it might be a mistake from the publishers of the mentioned guide . The last weeks I had been investigating a little bit in the careers of Jews during the GPW and the life of the Jewish Nation in the CCCP till march 1953, due to the fact, that there are still rumours among "national" & "conservative" circles (and also in publications ), that comrade Generalissimus Stalin might have been an antisemite, as the Austrian Adolf Schickelgruber (vulgo: Hitler - or "Gitler" in Russian ) had been . BTW: The publishing of the comprehensive list of the Jewish HSU-recipients - I did - is a strict violation of Austrian copyright laws. I hope, that the "Jewish Museum" would not sue me . I think, it is important to have that list at GMIC . Best regards Christian

Jewish HSU-recipients - part 2:

JEWISH HSU-RECIPIENTS Gentlemen, at this and the following posting, I show the comprehensive list of all Jewish HSU-recipients. Further informations about the book and the publisher you will find at my posting in the "Quiz-Section": http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtop...st&p=138506 - maybe a motivition to take part at our quiz . Best regards Christian Jewish HSU-recipients - part 1:

Guide to Jewish HSU-recipients Gentlemen, that is the mentioned booklet, published 2002 by http://www.jmw.at/ . Each HSU has two pages: Biography & photograph. Here is the link to the complete list of all recipients: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14187 I have to admit, that from the phaleristic viewpoint, the booklet has some shortcomings. So, some famous recipients of the HSL (with military connections) were smuggeled into it. Best regards Christian

Gentlemen, the av. and quality of enamel of my "Submariner" in question is rather ident to the one at that website for "Excellent Badges": http://www.znakisssr.h15.ru/pod.htm - also the fixing of the screwpost. BUT what is missing, is the clear and deep relief at the rv. . So it might be either a fake, or a rather "cheap" produced version of the 1950s ? Best regards Christian

Dear Andreas, many thanks for that great link . The second version of the "Sniper" at that website has also these upright lines. I couldn't find your posted scans at Igor's site - so he already sold the badge. Did Igor offer that badge as a "copy"? I have to admit, that the quality of enamel - both at your posted scan and at recent copy of "Excellent Mine Layer", Igor offers now at his site http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=9221 - is lower, than at my "Sniper". But the "Mine Layer"-copy has also - as my "Sniper" - a "Leningrad"-screwplate and the highly detailed rv. So, the case - fake or not - is still not 100 % solved. Best regards Christian

Interesting coincidence Gentlemen, that famous general in question had been at the "Stalingrad - operation" somehow the boss of Col.-Lt. Maksim Skuba, commander of the 6th Guards Tank Brigade, who later on promoted to the rather ident position - and to a Mj.-Gen. - as the commander of the tank and mechanized forces of the 4th Army, which had been located during the end of the GPW in Iran (!). I introduced the ID-booklet - with photograph as a Mj.-Gen. showing all his decorations - of comrade Skube at this thread: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11895 Best regards Christian

Second photograph - might be the brother of the General ? Dear Simon, the second photograph in colour might be the one year older brother of the general in question. He didn't promote to a higher rank, than a colonel . I have no information, when - or if - the brother already passed away. If he is still alive, than he has to be 98 years old. Best regards Christian

NEW QUESTION BTW: According to the comprehensive encyclopedia of Jewish recipients of the HSU (2002 published in a limited edition by the "Jewish Museum in Vienna" - completly sold out ), the famous general in question and his one year older brother got their HSUs at the same day . The general in question died 1998 in Kiev and so it had been legally unproblematic for the heirs to bring his orders & medals to the US-market. I didn't have the money to by that group .

Dear "usairforce", at least it is not a "Capral"-product: http://capral.webzone.ru/rf/nahim1/nahim1.htm for USD 200,- . For my taste the cover of the orders booklet looks a bit to luxurious for a 1945-issue . Such "deep blue" ink I have seen in other booklets and the entries make sense - somehow. I am also not an expert in полководческих. Best regards Christian

Dear Dave, the mentioned "Sword of Stalingrad" is only a copy: http://www.russianswords.com/Stalin-english.htm The authentic one has not be stolen from the museum . Best regards Christian BTW: The authentic "Sword of Stalingrad" would be at the market in a similar price region as a "Order of Victory", the genuine "Victory-Flag" or the corps of the mumified Lenin - if these "collectibles" will ever come at the market . Years ago, in the 1990s, some Russian officials were thinking about selling the dead Lenin .

Dear Ed, as phalerists we should not run away, but try to do some research . But I think, that might be only possible for experts in Russia with access to the great museums. What might make me a little bit sure about my "Excellent Submariner Badge" is the fact, that the quality of the enamel is really very, very good and that verdigris is a sign for age. A badge, that might have been forged in 1993 would not have had verdigris in 1995, I think, but I am not a metallurgical expert . Best regards Christian

Dear Dave, wise words . I bought the two badges in january 1994 and I think these badges came in 1992/93 via Kiev & Hungary to Vienna. Also the faked RB screwback and the faked Nachimov-Medal I bought at that time at the same dealer, as I mentioned in another posting at this thread. So, the faked Soviet awards came very, very early at the Western markets. I think, well made fakes appeared almost at the same time, as the first flood of Soviet awards came to Budapest, Vienna and Berlin. Besides the two badges in question, I stayed away from collecting GPW-"Excellent Badges". Now these decorations are so expensive, that you have to invest a small fortune to get a rather complete collection . On the other side, it is a pity for us collectors, that these interesting items are such an unsave "investment". Hasn't been a reference book - in Russian language - published about these badges ? Best regards Christian

SILVER HEAD LENIN, s/n. 1401:

Dear Andreas, many thanks for your expertise . Yes, the tip of the screwpost of the "Submariner-Badge" IS sharp and unused. The one of the "Sniper-Badge" is more round. I purchased the two badges in 1994 at a dealer in Vienna, who sold me in that year two fakes: - RB screwback - a nice looking, but casted fake . - Nachimov-Medal - strucked high-end fake, but too thick and the portrait of Admiral Nachimov was too flat (nose-section!) . For both faked awards I paid in 1994 USD 190,- for each . I never got the money back and the dealer went bancrupt. For the two "Excellent-Badges" I paid in 1994 USD 40,- for each. Due to the fact, that I was never 100 % sure about the items of that special dealer, I did the MISTAKE OF MY LIFE as a collector of Soviet Awards : In 1995 a bought at that dealer a "Silver-Head-Lenin" s/n. 1401 with orders booklet (the Lenin was the only order listed in the booklet) for USD 1000,-. The market value today would be at least 12 times more . In 1995 I knew nothing about the existence of the early and rare Silver-Head-variation, the colour of the gold was far too yellow in comparison to my other suspended Lenin and the photograph of the recipient was torne out (I hate this, because I dislike imperfect orders booklets). I had been completly unsure about the authenticy of the odd looking Lenin. So I went back to the dealer and traded the "Silver-Head-Lenin" for two unissued and fresh from the stock of a Military District Motherlands - 3cl s/n. 128584 & 2cl s/n. 2213 - with an genuine orders booklet, but faked entries. O.K., I have now at least another Motherland 2cl, which is 100 % genuine and authentic, despite the fact, that he was unissued. At least the invested USD 1000,- promoted to USD 1500,- (recent value of the 2 Motherlands) . The sad fact was, that I found years later out, that the suspicious Lenin was the Silver-Head-Varition and as far, as I can say now also 100 % authentic and genuine . I attached two photographs showing the "Silver-Head-Lenin": - attached to a fantasy-jacket of a kolchos-chief in the late 1940s with other approbriate decorations - a closer look to the "Silver-Head-Lenin". Sorry, I have no better photographs and in 1995 the digital camera was not invented . Best regards Christian

Dear Stogieman, many thanks for your advice . I studied the "Excellent Badges" at Igor's site and there are SO many different versions, that it is hard to see a clear line. He also presents badges with screwplates, that have NO marks at all. Also is the rv. at some badges almost as flat structured, as of my "Submariner-Badge". "Excellent Badges" seem to be a world of their one Best regards Christian

Excellent Submariner Badge, rv.:

Excellent Submariner Badge, av. (det.):

Excellent Submariner Badge, av. (det.):

Gentlemen, dear experts, I have this Submariner Badge in my modest collection. Please can you helpt me with the exact identification - version & period - and if that badge might be authentic. I assume, that the piece is from the 1950s . Red enamel is very fine, screwplate is unmarked, the relief at the rv. is not sharp and not deep and the piece is rather light in weight. There is some verdigris at the av. and rv. Many thanks in advance Christian Excellent Submariner Badge, av.:

Excellent Sniper Badge, rv.:

Excellent Sniper Badge, av. (det.):

Excellent Sniper Badge, av. (det.):

Gentlemen, dear experts, I have this Sniper Badge in my modest collection. Please can you helpt me with the exact identification - version & period - and if that badge might be authentic. Red enamel is very fine, screwplate is from Leningrad Mint, the relief at the rv. is sharp and deep and the piece is massive and heavy. Many thanks in advance Christian Excellent Sniper Badge, av.: