Uuugly!

[Tom Y]

This has got to be the ugliest ribbon bar I've ever seen The ribbons are machine stitched together then hand sewn on tre hand cut bar. The metal's a little too thick to be the proverbial tunafish can, but definitely not factory made. Then there's the back. The long pin is solidly attached to the metal somehow, and the safety pin too. Maybe both soldered on. Anyway, it appears to be a masochist's delight. The long pin does not, repeat, does not hook under the safety pin, thus leaving that long, pointy thing free to find its target somewhere on the left pectoral.

Before we judge too harshly, though, remember that this once belonged to a Bavarian vet who was brave enough to earn an EK and an MVK. He was still alive in '34 and financially, if not mentally distressed. Maybe due to something that happened to him in the War. Another nameless, faceless figure lost in the tide of history.

Edited May 24, 2006 by Tom Y

[Tom Y]

These came with it. Whether or not they belong with it I don't know. The MVK in its Deschler & Sohn "matchbox", the rbbon unused. The other 3 were pinned together as you see them.

[Tom Y]

The Wound Badge was originally black, worn down to the bare metal.

[Tom Y]

For the record, the EK is unmarked and at only 12.46 g. is one of the lightest in my collection. The core is magnetic and the frame is silver and quite thin.

[Guest Rick Research]

Certainly full marks for OOOOOOGLY! A lot of time and effort for that result, too!

[notned]

Hi Tom,

Nice wee group...i just love these hard earned groups

Have a couple myself...where the vet was 'tight' or just not that interested in getting them mounted..

Cheers

Paul

[Chris Boonzaier]

I think it has a class of its own ;-)

Not all these old soldiers were strutting around in tailor made SA uniforms, some were Rural hayseeds.

The village where I live was only tarred in the 1950s, when you see the photos of the volunteer fire service, or Veterans associations fron the 1920s you see the kinds of guys who would have the wife do something like the bar above.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi Tom,

Nice wee group...i just love these hard earned groups

Have a couple myself...where the vet was 'tight' or just not that interested in getting them mounted..

Cheers

Paul

"Tight" ????

When i was in the army I mounted my own medals...AND did my own ribbon bars.

My usual one was

2) the stiffening backing was cut from one of the plastic cassette cases that anyone who has been in Saudi arabia knows and loves (not the ones you get in the rest of the world.)

1) the dark Blue/Black cloth backing I got by butchering a dress uniform shoulder board.

The cloth was folded around the plastic, roughly sewn, hooks added to the back....

Then......

The ribbons were superglued on.

I had the best looking ribbon bar in my section, bar none.... :-)))))

[notned]

LOL CHris...

Where i come from...doing that is known as

doing a "Maori job" the local Maori's were adept at making creations known thusly...

Just a local slang...meaning slinging it all together using whatevers at hand... Married together...lol...