Soviet The comprehensive five-sided suspension topic

[Ferdinand]

Hello all,

Enough talking about medals! Let's start a topic about suspensions. As my collection is growing I noticed that there are several types and variations of five-sided suspensions. The Red Bible covers them only very basically. I though it would be interesting to compile all types and variations in this topic. Feel free to add information and pictures.

Auke

Type 1: Brass suspension. For example seen on this Medal for the Liberation of Warsaw:

Type 1: Brass suspension, with front plate. For example seen on this Medal for the Defense of Leningrad (not official pin though):

Type 2: Steel suspension. For example seen on this Medal for the Defense of Moscow:

Type 2: Steel suspension, with front plate. For example seen on this Medal for the Capture of Budapest. On the right is a Medal for Bravery with a variation 2 pin.

Type 3: Aluminium suspension. There are countless variations within this type. For example, a 30 years of Victory, 40 years of Armed Forces, 50 years of Armed forces and 100th Anniversary of Lenin's Birth (unofficial type), all with small differences. The last piece is a Medal for Distinguished Labor with a variation 3 pin.

Edited March 3, 2007 by Ferdinand

[Ferdinand]

Hmmm, I can only post ten pictures in one post. Here's another variation of the Type 1 Brass suspension on a Medal for the Capture of K?nigsberg:

Edited March 3, 2007 by Ferdinand

[Riley1965]

This is a very interesting topic. I guess we tend to forget about the suspensions. Thanks for the pics!!!

Doc

[RichieC]

This is a very interesting topic. I guess we tend to forget about the suspensions. Thanks for the pics!!!

Doc

If at all possible, it would be very interesting to learn from what years or eras the different types of suspensions originated from.

[Ferdinand]

If at all possible, it would be very interesting to learn from what years or eras the different types of suspensions originated from.

That's indeed interesting. It seems that both the brass and steel suspensions were used before and during WWII, and the aluminium suspensions were used since the second half of the 40's.

[Ed_Haynes]

A really interesting question and the start of a very valuable thread. Let me look more closely . . . .

The hidden problem, of course, is that these things did tend to get legitimately reribboned and remounted (and I am not talking about what dealers and collectors may have done to them) without the same compulsive attention to types and varieties and sub-sub-variants that we possess. These were, once upon a time, living things, worn in any old way by the people who won them.

[Bryan]

Here are 2 others.

From what is made the suspension from the Caucasus medal. Steel?

And here is another variation with my Warsaw medal.

[Bryan]

Multiple steel suspension.

[Bryan]

Multiple aluminium suspension

[order_of_victory]

Wonderful topic, I never thought about the different types of suspention

Just a shame I have noting to add at this time

Order of Victory

[Ferdinand]

That Warsaw Medal is a really interesting one Soviet! Thanks for posting!

[redcross]

I don't have many 5 sided ribbons

but none of mine have metal suspensions

are these things is use before ww2?

[Eric Gaumann]

Great topic Ferdinand!

I'm a BIG fan of older suspensions. I like my old medals with old ribbons and old suspensions. Does that make me "old"?

Here's a few of mine that I had down from the wall....

[Gerd Becker]

Very intesting topic, Auke. Here is an interesting brass two-piece variation on a Liberation of Belgrade Medal from my collection. Will check, if i have anything more of interest.

Gerd

[Guest Rick Research]

Budapest Medal on left with non-Russian (possibly) maker mark:

closer (old scans):

[Christophe]

Rick,

Another maker mark (I'm here making reference to the one from a plastic ribbon multiple suspension you posted a few weeks ago...).

Do you have any idea where they are coming from ?

Cheers.

Ch.

Edited March 5, 2007 by Christophe

[Guest Rick Research]

No idea. That is the ONLY mark on a single 5 sided mount out of all the XXX? medals that I have gotten over the last 13 years. I only have 3 painted multiple suspension bars, so the one mark on the one you mention... I don't know how common those might be with so few as a sample.

[Christophe]

Thanks Rick. Interesting. I have never seen such marks until now...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Ferdinand]

I don't have many 5 sided ribbons

but none of mine have metal suspensions

are these things is use before ww2?

Before and during WWII there were only brass and steel five-sided suspensions. The aluminium suspensions appeared somewhere in second half of the 40's.

Edited March 6, 2007 by Ferdinand

[Eric Gaumann]

Take a peek at Andrew's EXCELLENT site and this particular page: http://mondvor.narod.ru/Kolodki/FiveCornersKol.htm

He's got us all beat.

PS. Have you noticed the images there loading a lot faster of late? yay!!

Edited March 8, 2007 by Eric Gaumann

[Ed_Haynes]

To add to this very interesting thread (which has sort of slipped out of view), I recently had the opportunity to acquire a treasure trove of ribbons and suspensions. Hidden in this lot were some real gems, including this skeleton of the sort of group which we can only dream about:

[Ed_Haynes]

The reverse. One-piece steel.

[Christophe]

To add to this very interesting thread (which has sort of slipped out of view), I recently had the opportunity to acquire a treasure trove of ribbons and suspensions. Hidden in this lot were some real gems, including this skeleton of the sort of group which we can only dream about:

Ed,

I agree a nice find. Unfirtunately, I was away when this "group" has been put for sale by our friend DD...

Well done!!!

Cheers.

Ch.

[Ed_Haynes]

One more that came up.

[Ed_Haynes]

And the reverse.