Restoration or sacrilige?

[dond]

Here is a medal bar to a very brave soldier. Note the Gold Service Medal has been swapped out at some point for a prussian award. Definately not correct.

[dond]

You can see by the bad sewing job that the prussian award was used as a space filler. Rick told me that the chance of finding a Gold Service Medal was astonomical.

Well, imagine my surprise when I saw that Joerg Kalies had several Reuss awards on his update a couple of weeks ago. I had missed the update by three days as I was travelling. Amongst them was a silber vergoldet service medal. It had the period done look and not the "fresh" done look so I went for it. I didn't here back from him for a couple of days as it was the weekend. Luckily, I heard from him on a monday that it was mine. Then it was stuck in the postal system for three weeks but finally arrived. Here is the bar now. So, am I a bad man?

[dond]

And before Rick asks, the reverse.

[Paul R]

Is the medal bar ID'able?

It is a beautiful combination.

[Paul C]

I do not believe so. Reuss awards rolls have not been found yet.

[Guest Rick Research]

:jumping: Ya done good!!!

The drape of the ribbon that had fossilized shows that nothing else could have gone there BUT a Gold Medal-- it fits perfectly with the other one.

Some Horrid Person obviously wrenched off the "best bit" for their stupid little "collection" of loose items...

but against all odds, you've been able to make it good again!

At this point, we have no clue on award numbers. Reuss HAS got SOME sort of either rolls or registers of receipts on original awards... still there, but an expensive mess to copy and then transcribe, so while the Archives people there are friendly and perfectly willing to do the work of xeroxing, they've let it be known that maybe somebody should stop in "live" and check out what's there first rather than being disappointed.

So SOME DAY... some day....

Good for you! :cheers:

[Brian Wolfe]

I don't collect in your area of interest but I must say you have done a great job and I support your choice 100%.

Well done!

Regards

Brian

[Komtur]

I agree with Rick and Brian - fine restoration and NO sacrilege

Best regards, Komtur.

[dond]

Thanks guys. It was pure luck and I'm glad I did it.

[Ed_Haynes]

Just my two annas worth:

While I am a bit of a purist and (in this context ONLY) a conservative, I think you have done a good thing, deserving of much praise.

[ccj]

Thanks guys. It was pure luck and I'm glad I did it.

Super,

I'm happy for your success.

[Paul C]

I'm a little lost. Did you sew in the medal? If you did you do it yourself or have it done by someone else?

[dond]

Paul, the ribbon is so tight that the ribbon ring is just slid up in there and jockeied down under the bottom fold.