Hungary Order of Labor in Gold

[Guest Rick Research]

There is just something about this design that appeals to me. The number of manufacturing variants appeal to me as a One Subject mini-collection specialty.

[Verdun16]

Got this one a long time ago in Budapest,

Bryan

[Verdun16]

Another one I got at the same time,

Bryan

[Guest Rick Research]

Looks like a 3 rivets reverse cased one with real hot enamel (specks in the white from being baked) and a cold enamel (sort of bananaa cream pudding "white" color) of the second one-- 3 rivets back or 1 piece 1 rivet reverse?

Actually, if you've got those with you, scans of side by side comparing the versions would be very nice.

I'm still working my way through "one of each" on the classes and haven't got any of the same class but different versions yet.

[Guest Rick Research]

Observing the one from Charles in #25 (which has come to live at my house)...

I am wondering if this is a significant design detail--

the star in the center is RAISED UP ON ITS POINTS so the "starfish belly" is bulging outwards noticably when viewed from the side-- and you could actually stick a pin or something that size under the raised bulge. My very nice hot enamel Silver class and the 3 rivet cold enamel that I got from Gordon (really bad influences, tch tch) have FLAT stars.

That is, they are in "full body contact" with the rayed white background.

Could this tiny little "bulge" be the key to identifying a M1954 One Class gold from an early M1964 Three Classes gold?

[hunyadi]

Of course you would ask such a great question when I have everything packed up.....

[Guest Rick Research]

Well, you THOUGHT it was the single class M1954 and I'm just wondering since you and Gordon have seen and handled so MANY things there, this just might be the sort of detail that registers subconsciously with you guys and you don't make anything of it.

We still have seen so few items over here that every one is New And Exciting and we dont have the experience database built up of what is and isn't normal/routine.... yet.

[hunyadi]

Mostly you begin to use the 'spidey sense' when handling pieces and get a good interpretation of when it was made after handling so many things. Of course this is looking at the quality of the items and the construction methods, these consitstently degraded in what ammounts to a proces that can be generally broken down into decades.

Now - after your observation, I went and looked at all the threads and my inventory photos. I think it would be safe to say that - yes - certainly the earlier pieces do have the 'bulging star' while the cold enamel types commonly encountered are flush.