Who would buy this bar?

[medalnet]

Ebay has been bringing up a lot of bad stuff but also a lot of good stuff.

So, why would somebody try to buy this medal bar? As seen on ebay:

medal bar on ebay item # 6591686391

Edited December 31, 2005 by medalnet

[Stogieman]

Because they do not know any better.........

[medalnet]

Because they do not know any better.........

That is why it is so great that we have forums like this one.

Just take the MVO 4th class with swords that has been gilt after the fact. Original 3rd classes in silver gilt are made exactly the same way their golden brothers are. Just one detail about this are the seperatly attached flames!

[Bob Hunter]

Great eye, Andreas. How were you able to tell from the photo that the flames are separately attached?

[medalnet]

Great eye, Andreas. How were you able to tell from the photo that the flames are separately attached?

Well, lots of handeling the real pieces. 99% of all 3rd classes in silver gilt are gilt 4th classes anyway.

[Stogieman]

OK, there's other issues here as well........

No Long Service

No Jubilee Medal

(unmarked HHOwX? really?)

[Schießplatzmeister]

Hello everyone:

Yes, this is a scary bar to say the least. Someone is apparently fond of it however (unless there are schill bidders involved). The HHO's swords are not of the proper proportions either, they are possibly a bit longer than those on original pieces (in addition to not being marked). I have had an original HHO badge that was not maker marked, but it was still marked "938". Apparently, copies of HHO badges were made by Steinauer & Luck into the 50's, 60's. I think that all of them would look like garbage when viewed closely.

Like Rick stated, what isn't there gives one a clue that there is a problem. Where is the Honor Cross with swords? I can't think of one example off hand of a recipient who was on active duty in the late 30's that did not have an Honor Cross included in his group. Most veterans applied for their crosses and wore them proudly.

Hence, were have a recently manufactured group with a gilded MVO 4 w/sw, a HHO w/sw of modern manufacture (post WWII to be sure), and NO Honor Cross! The group just doesn't make sense! Notice how bright the gilding looks. Original gilded silver WWI German Orders look a bit dull usually. I believe that this group appeared on Ebay some years ago also as it looks a bit familiar.

Excellent observations by Medalnet regarding the gilding of 4th class MVO badges. Also note that there are "instant" 2nd and 1st class merit crosses of the MVO circulating (with and without swords). 3rd class merit crosses w/ swords are silver/gold plated, their centers are enamelled, and the swords are removed if a badge w/o swords is desired. I have seen a bunch of these come out of Germany in the past.

Schie?platzmeister

[Claudio]

...not to mention that the Rumanian Crown Order is the 2nd type give from the late thierties on. Very strange; all orders are supposed to have been awarded during WWI and this medal bar has that Rumanian order but no Ehrenkreuz f?r Frontk?mpfer.

Also interesting is the fact that this bar has been put together in easier "fakable" Bavarian style.

I wouldn't even touch it...

Ciao,

Claudio

[Stogieman]

yet.......... a number of our fellow forumites have bid on this bar.

[Stogieman]

mravery ( 285) US $1,200.00 Dec-27-05 15:40:04 PST

cnw1981 ( 230) US $1,200.00 Dec-28-05 10:42:23 PST