Imperial Russia A Couple of New Regimental Badges at Manion's

[Ramblinfarms]

http://www.manions.com/bid/bid.aspx?itemid...mp;pic=20060626

Check out this link Gentlemen.

What do you think of these?

[Ramblinfarms]

Another:

http://www.manions.com/bid/bid.aspx?itemid...mp;pic=20060703

[Ramblinfarms]

And another:

http://www.manions.com/bid/bid.aspx?itemid...mp;pic=20060703

[Ramblinfarms]

Last one:

http://www.manions.com/bid/bid.aspx?itemid...mp;pic=20060703

I dunno, but the quality seems to be lacking to me.

Chris

Edited June 25, 2006 by Ramblinfarms

[GeorgeCL]

I dont like any of them..

The two enamel pieces are not authentic.

Poor quality..

These two have been showing up in numbers on ebay lately.

George

I have noticed lots of Kortman marked pieces hitting the market.

[Ramblinfarms]

Thanks George. I may be getting a little better at this as I came to the same conclusion. The enamel work is poor, and the detailing seems to be lacking. The one thing I have noticed is that the real badges have a beautiful, jewelry-like top quality that jumps out at the viewer.

These don't have it.

And I have noticed that a lot of these fakes are being marked "3. Kortman", too.

I would love to see an extended thread of the "real deal" someday!

Chris

Edited June 25, 2006 by Ramblinfarms

[Chuck In Oregon]

Last one:

http://www.manions.com/bid/bid.aspx?itemid...mp;pic=20060703

I dunno, but the quality seems to be lacking to me.

Chris

* * * * *

I wonder if they're quite certain that this one is a regimental badge. I have this green enamel example which I have always thought to be a variant of either the Moscow Commercial School or the St. Pete Polytechnic Institute graduation badge. I'm willing to learn, but if it really is a regimental badge, shouldn't they be able to tell us which regiment? Don't they pay their experts to tell buyers what they're buying? Maybe not, or maybe I'm just wrong. God knows, wouldn't be the first time.

This one, for the record, weighs 6.21 grams without the screwback and it is about 2.8 cm tall. It has an usually long mounting screw. It bears three marks, each on the reverse portion of one of the ribbon ends. One is the master's mark which may be AT or ИТ or ЯТ. It's not quite clear to me but I lean toward ЯТ. One appears to be a proof mark but I can't make it out as it was stamped too close to the edge. The third mark is entirely illegible, inside a small circle. The screwback is unmarked.

Chuck

[Ramblinfarms]

I don't think they have an in-house expert on Imperial Russian. I have several friends who work there, and none of them know anything about the subject. The regimental badge I purchased from them I believe is original, but they misidentified it. (See other thread.)

Same thing with an "Imperial Russian Long Service Award", which actually turned out to be a Romanian Civil Service Award with a Bulgarian collar device superglued to it. It went back to Manion's, needless to say.

What has been your experience with "Collect Russia"? They seem to specialize in Soviet, but do have some Imperial.

Chris

[Chuck In Oregon]

I don't think they have an in-house expert on Imperial Russian. I have several friends who work there, and none of them know anything about the subject. The regimental badge I purchased from them I believe is original, but they misidentified it. (See other thread.)

Same thing with an "Imperial Russian Long Service Award", which actually turned out to be a Romanian Civil Service Award with a Bulgarian collar device superglued to it. It went back to Manion's, needless to say.

What has been your experience with "Collect Russia"? They seem to specialize in Soviet, but do have some Imperial.

Chris

PM sent.

Chuck