Bulgaria FAKE BULGARIAN ORDERS ON THE MARKET

[Petar Keserdzhiev]

Hi Graf,

I am glad that there are serious places where such topics are discussed. Unfortunately, counterfeits have always been associated with collecting - just a good collector needs to know what and where to buy. Often greed overcomes the reason when you buy something at a very reasonable price.
I am very pleased that you have such a great knowledge of Bulgarian orders.
I will show here the counterfeits I know to protect other collectors from fraud.
I am sorry that a bad name has been created for the market and collectors in Bulgaria. fraudsters are a very small part, but as we say in Bulgaria - a spoonful of tar can ruin a whole bucket of brown.
The hit now are the fake cortes from the kingdom of Bulgaria - several people have specialized and make excellent fakes, but I will release this in another topic.

greetings from Bulgaria

[Graf]

Hi Petar,

Thank you for your opinion.

 

Also you do not have to feel sorry for the "bad name" created by the fakers.

 That is the human nature and greediness that makes those people to do such things. Comparing to what has happened with Orders and decorations from other countries  that is a very small problem

I can reassure you that even people with  a "good" names and reputation  such as  well known Experts, Dealers, Sellers  and Auction Houses have closed their eyes and for the sake of nice profit cheated the collectors community..and still doing it  I have been keeping an eye on the Market and i can notice what is going on. However that is a very small issue comparing to much bigger frauds  in our society

It will be very nice from you if you have pictures and information of the "hew wave" of fakes of Bulgarian Orders

Regards

 

Graf

[new world]

On 29/06/2020 at 09:41, Graf said:

... There are Stars with the maker mark and also ones without this mark. The nuts on the back could be different Nevertheless all have very high quality finish You can see the nicely rounded edges of the stars arms 

There are legitimate stars without maker name on center backplate. You have to look at the entire package to determine if they are real or not.

[Graf]

Hi New World,

Thank you for the  adding to my point

 

Here is a low grade fake  Not only the high classes are safe from the fakers At least ,who ever buys it will not depart with handsome sum of cash

 

[new world]

12 hours ago, Graf said:

Hi New World,

Thank you for the  adding to my point

 

Here is a low grade fake  Not only the high classes are safe from the fakers At least ,who ever buys it will not depart with handsome sum of cash

I see they fake low classes now...I hope they sell them as low priced souvenirs

[1812 Overture]

On 01/07/2020 at 20:15, Graf said:

Hi Petar,

Thank you for your opinion.

 

Also you do not have to feel sorry for the "bad name" created by the fakers.

 That is the human nature and greediness that makes those people to do such things. Comparing to what has happened with Orders and decorations from other countries  that is a very small problem

I can reassure you that even people with  a "good" names and reputation  such as  well known Experts, Dealers, Sellers  and Auction Houses have closed their eyes and for the sake of nice profit cheated the collectors community..and still doing it  I have been keeping an eye on the Market and i can notice what is going on. However that is a very small issue comparing to much bigger frauds  in our society

It will be very nice from you if you have pictures and information of the "hew wave" of fakes of Bulgarian Orders

Regards

 

Graf

Hi Graf,

I am a Chinese collector. I am optimistic about a set of Alexander orders recently, but I don’t know how to privately message you. Could you please send me a message, I would like to ask you to help me see if it is true or false. .

[PREM]

Hi!

What do you think, a heavily used Bravery Order or a fake?

[new world]

5 hours ago, PREM said:

Hi!

What do you think, a heavily used Bravery Order or a fake?

 

Looks fine to me. This is a common type, they are not copied.

 

[PREM]

Thanks New World !!

[Graf]

Hi

I came across this Civil Merit Commander with a strange crown. i do not classify it as fake Simply the crown was replaced due to unknown reasons at one stage   Still,,, strange item

 

Any idea about the crown origin....  Order???

[922F]

Above crown format usually associated with insignia related to various Christian Eastern Orthodox/Melkite Orders [c.f. Patriarchal Order of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem] and  "international" Order groups [c.f. Imperial Order of St. Eugene of Trebizond] these latter usually claiming a relationship with or descent from the Byzantine Empire.    Sometimes this type of insignia uses a typical Bulgarian Czarist design suspension crown.

[new world]

I second 922F's opinion, this crown looks like Eastern Orthodox type, it was probably taken from some church award.

 

The cross is early Schwerdtner type, pre-1908 type.

 

I'd say the original crown was lost or damaged and was replaced with church one.

Edited May 12, 2021 by new world

[Graf]

This cross is for sale on eBay for the crazy price of $1700  The "new seller" provided better pictures One can see the"after market work around the crown arms

 

Graf

[new world]

On 10/06/2021 at 05:13, Graf said:

This cross is for sale on eBay for the crazy price of $1700  The "new seller" provided better pictures One can see the"after market work around the crown arms

 

Graf

Good luck to him. My guess is it will be sitting there forever at this price.

Edited June 11, 2021 by new world

[Graf]

Hi New World.

 

The "new seller" paid 340 EURO on eBay Italy and now he wants to make nice profit for a cross with a wrong crown and with badly soldered arms.. He  also wisely removed the recently made replacement neck ribbon, which was another give away sign for "after market' work Any way Buyer Be Aware.

 

[Graf]

Hi guys. It looks the pandemic slowed down the fakers as well.

 

That is one Positive news in those uncertain times

 

I suppose the demand is very low and the focus on many is somewhere else

 

 

Keep Safe Keep Sane

[Graf]

Fake Star of Hero of People's Republic of Bulgaria

The seller is honest to states it is Replica, however he/she/it did not specify more

You can see the poor quality of the Star which is cast especially the reverse

Poor quality of the text 

 

The official Replica or "wearer: copy is made of heavily gilded basic metal, however the quality is nearly as good as the original Star

 

Here is an original Star to compare with the fake

 

[v.Perlet]

Hello Graf, thanks for the pic.

 

My God, that Bulgarian hero-star medal looks so cheapskate.

 

Regards

v.Perlet

Edited January 20, 2022 by v.Perlet

[922F]

 Hot off the press!!!

A new St. Alexander star variety!     Note  "GENUINE" Russian "mint" marks.  Embossed star body & pin looks very similar to fake Georgian Tamara stars...  Recall one such Tamara with AH/DH stamp only.

 

Edited January 21, 2022 by 922F
spelchek

[Igor Ostapenko]

3 hours ago, 922F said:

 Hot off the press!!!

A new St. Alexander star variety!     Note  "GENUINE" Russian "mint" marks.  Embossed star body & pin looks very similar to fake Georgian Tamara stars...  Recall one such Tamara with AH/DH stamp only.

 

?

But with original medalion from Rothe ! 

[v.Perlet]

Hello Igor Ostapenko,

 

If I am not mistaken, you and some others on the forum are discussing this order under the topic

 

I’m sure - it’s King Milan’s bulgarian order of St. Alexander 1st. class ! 
( not order second class of King Alexander ) 

 

Seems there are some newly found, resurrected "nobles", in Serbia, Montenegro and Albania who created - are creating their own order(s).

 

is the same resurrection of nobility in Bulgaria occurring?

As such, hey!! it's an original order !!?

 

Regards

v.Perlet

Edited January 21, 2022 by v.Perlet

[Graf]

Hi, vPerlet,

 

The Original Star is made of 14 Carat Gold and only 58 Stars were ever awarded It was the highest Communist Order.

As information 5 of those 58 Stars were awarded to the Soviet Leader Leonid Breznev

The design might look cheap bu as the German Iron Cross has a "presence"

 

I am one of the others who discuss the Royal Order of St Alexander and we are serious collectors with experience and dedication

 

As far as I know there is not such trend in Bulgaria

 

Only the current King Simeon had awarded his own Model of some of the  Bulgarian Orders, while he was in exile in Spain. The order were produced in Spain and had their own specific features

After the "collapse" of the Communism  in Bulgaria in 1990, some of the Royal Orders were re -Introduced with different design

This Star listed by 992F is fake since the body  is recently produced. Marks on the Star are shocking. As Igor suggested the fakers I might had used an Original Central medallion till proved otherwise.

The only way is to inspect the central medallion and test it..

 

Regards

[v.Perlet]

Hello Graf,

 

Sorry I think I lost you,

 

On my first post I was referring to the copy of the Bulgarian Hero worker star - terming it; cheapskate looking

You are saying that Leonid Brezhnev received 5 Bulgarian worker hero medals?

 

My second post was in regards to Igor Ostapenko posting the same order as 992F - this St. Alexander Star.

Joking back at him in view of his comment regarding this resurrected Serbian nobility and asking if the same resurrection is happening in Bulgaria.

 

Thus jokingly forwarding; then it would be an original.

 

Regards

v.Perlet

[Graf]

No harm done

Try to stick to the Topic

If you have knowledge in the field , please feel free to ciontribute

 

Cheers!

[new world]

On 20/01/2022 at 07:48, Graf said:

Fake Star of Hero of People's Republic of Bulgaria

The seller is honest to states it is Replica, however he/she/it did not specify more

You can see the poor quality of the Star which is cast especially the reverse

Poor quality of the text 

 

The official Replica or "wearer: copy is made of heavily gilded basic metal, however the quality is nearly as good as the original Star

 

Here is an original Star to compare with the fake

 

 

 

 

 

It will be hard to fool most collectors with these low quality copies.

I think these were supposed to be copies of daily wearer versions, made to the same standards,  but from non-precious metal. They had R stamped on reverse. 

Edited January 24, 2022 by new world