Jump to content
News Ticker
  • I am now accepting the following payment methods: Card Payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal
  • Latest News

    Since I'm Amongst 'Gentlemen'


    Recommended Posts

    Hi Brian, if "collector value" is of no issue or concern, then I do not understand why you would want to alter the piece at all. Wouldn't the best way to preserve your families heritage and the integrity thereof by keeping the group intact, well documented and together for the forseeable future? If collector interest isn't the concern at all, then I would suggest the best thing for you to do would be to find a museum in Germany that would accept your bequeath and honor your intent and concerns by preserving the group and its' history intact. I'm quite sure any number of the Prussian Military Museums would leap at that opportunity and honor your desires and concerns............ without altering the pieces themselves. Of course you could take a substantial tax break for the donation, but that would be a secondary benefit of knowing your heritage has been preserved.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Is there an alternative to engraving that would be just as "permanent"?

    What about having a small plaque engraved with his name and particulars? A thin but strong wire is run through the PLM suspension loop and then both of its ends are soldered or riveted to the small plaque. Would this work to preserve the history in fashion that does not alter the decoration itself?

    I must say that I'm torn on this question.

    On the one hand I hate to think of original Order being altered.

    At the same time, I wonder...if an American Civil War soldier received a medal from his regiment, unnamed, in 1862, and his grandaughter had it engraved with his particulars in the 1930's, would that really hurt the history of the piece or would it enhance it? I once saw a post Cival War badge that was created for those officers who had served on the staff of General George Meade. It was unnamed, although there was space on the reverse where it could have been named. And I wondered "Was this worn by a Civil War veteran, or did it appear years ago from the sale of unsold jeweler's stock? Did it have a personal history, or was it a representative object?". If it had been named by his daughter or grandaughter...well, all in all, though, I suppose that the best scenario from my point of view would have bee a paper label or note with the unnamed badge that gave its particulars.

    Edited by Bill Dienna
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Brian

    I've been thinking about your dilemma since you started this thread.

    When we see engraved pieces, there really is no telling if the engraving was made just after the piece was awarded (but still in war-time) or whether the recipient had it engraved after that war ended. Absolutely no way of telling if it was the 30's, 40's, 50's etc. Just look at that thread on the engraved 1914 EK1. If the font looks period, it seems it is acceptable even if the aging is not present.

    You are the direct descendant and custodian of these awards and therefore I do not see a problem with you having these pieces engraved. I would not, however, have them laser engraved or engraved in any other modern way. I would have it done, by hand, by a skilled engraver in the correct font that matches the period of the award. I would also keep the engraving as small and as discreet as possible.

    Good luck with your final decision for it surely is a tough decision to make.

    Rich

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Like I said... http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2181...indpost&p=18155

    ...but perhaps not as eloquently as Richard. tongue.gif

    Marshall

    Brian

    I've been thinking about your dilemma since you started this thread.

    When we see engraved pieces, there really is no telling if the engraving was made just after the piece was awarded (but still in war-time) or whether the recipient had it engraved after that war ended. Absolutely no way of telling if it was the 30's, 40's,  50's etc. Just look at that thread on the engraved 1914 EK1. If the font looks period, it seems it is acceptable even if the aging is not present.

    You are the direct descendant and custodian of these awards and therefore I do not see a problem with you having these pieces engraved. I would not, however, have them laser engraved or engraved in any other modern way. I would have it done, by hand, by a skilled engraver in the correct font that matches the period of the award. I would also keep the engraving as small and as discreet as possible.

    Good luck with your final decision for it surely is a tough decision to make.

    Rich

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Guest Brian von Etzel

    Thanks all and thanks Rich. That would have been exactly the way I would have it done is by hand, old font, very very discreet. I'm not too blind to assume these will NEVER end up in the hands of collectors. But if they do, they will carry his name somehow...

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Create an account or sign in to comment

    You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

    Create an account

    Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

    Register a new account

    Sign in

    Already have an account? Sign in here.

    Sign In Now
    ×
    ×
    • Create New...

    Important Information

    We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.