Ribbon bars - unusual ribbon sizes - Reference Thread

[LuckyLuudje]

Although the las is clear about the ribbon sizes, there are somethimes bars that differentiate.
I will show you a few bars that have the 15mm ribbons in stead of the regulated 25mm ribbons and an Austrian made bar wich has the 40mm ribbons while they are only allowed on a handfull high awards like for example the KC's.

Tho show the difference I made a picture with a bar in the middle that contains the regular 25mm ribbons.

[LuckyLuudje]

front and back

[LuckyLuudje]

Both used a hard plastic strip

[LuckyLuudje]

details

[LuckyLuudje]

notice the almost similar size of the APB while they are so big in full size

[LuckyLuudje]

The IAB looks to have been finished after the swass was cut off.

[LuckyLuudje]

other bar

[LuckyLuudje]

And the last pictures.
And a detailed picture of the rare unqualified airgunner.

It would be nice if more bars with different ribbons are posted here also.

[Nigel N]

Once again Luud, you have come up with some really interesting pieces, this time ribbonbars!!
The majority of ribbonbars you find have the standard size of ribbon and pretty much the same style of ribbon device, but the two examples you show are both very different from what we usually see!!
The first one, with the smaller size ribbon looks really good, because of the amount of wear it has, real character!! It also has a nice combination of awards, many badges, couple of cuff titles etc.
The one i like best is the Austrian style, with 40 mm ribbons, not only the size, but the colour too!! And then there are the devices on the ribbons, some very different designs among them, the EK is unlike the normal design, and must be from another maker than the ones we usually find, and the IAB!!!!!
I only have a few ribbonbars, and all are in the normal style, so i cant add any "different" ones to the thread unfortunately, hope someone else can?
Thanks for showing Luud, great to see these variants, its what makes the hobby so interesting i think!!!!
-Nigelhappy0065.gif

[Mike Yokum]

Dang Luud! Is there anything you don't have the best of the best in?

One very nice bar and two FABULOUS bars there!!!

Where to start? I was aware of the standard and 40mm bars, but this little guy is really a unique one and with an unusual group of awards including the first Unqualified Airgunner I've seen on a bar! This man fought on the ground enough to get an LGAB and yet was an Observer and an UQAG! He travelled a bit to from Kreta (Greece) to Afrika and Russia! Trouble with warm clothes and clothes for tropical temps too! They were iron men! The size of this bar is totally unique to my experience as well. I love it and as Nigel pointed out, the wear is as authentic as it gets.

The Austrian bar is a Souval product, I assume? The IAB makes me think that. All the spangen being of a type not typically seen on the bars we're used to, also makes me think that. Please correct me if I'm wrong on that. Love that BKA! That guy was a tough nut too!

About the only thing the bars have in common are the plastic bars as part of the construction, though they are totally different to each other.

Some awesome stuff Luud! I really love Fridays here! It's always an adventure!

[Nigel N]

I think you could well be right about Souval being the possible maker of the ribbonbar Mike!! Though i think that theres a chance that some other Austrian makers also might have made a few 57/postwar pieces, theres little known about Austrian stuff apart from Souval!
Its very interesting to see this Austrian ribbonbar, as medalbars in the Austrian style turn up quite regularly, but ribbonbars seem pretty scarce??
-Nigel

[luftkrieg]

Ah Luud, great minds do think alike! This was a thread idea I had but just haven't had the time to put it into reality.

I have an interesting example I am waiting on to arrive, will post them here when I get it. 25mm seems to be the standard but like Third Reich ribbon bars there were a variety of styles, ribbon widths, mounting techniques. The Germans were a creative bunch when it came to ribbon bars, believe me.

Best regards
Pierce

P.S. What AMAZING ribbon bars you have posted here....some rare devices too.

[Mike Yokum]

I thought I might add my bars to this most interesting thread.

Both are FJ, of course!

One is unique, to me anyway. It also has much more narrow ribbons and is also convex in shape. This one has a metal frame while the other has the typical hard plastic inner bar as seen in Luud's.

Notice, a 5 spange bar is shorter than a 4 spange!

Both bars have nice and honest wear.

Please let me hear your thoughts on the smaller of the two. Anyone seen another like it? It came in a nice little grouping with matching stickpin and Para badge. There were also several vet association pins included, but are not pictured. See it HERE. I had thought about selling this bar, but I think that would've been a mistake and I'm glad I didn't!

[Mike Yokum]

Details...

[luftkrieg]

I thought I might add my bars to this most interesting thread.

Both are FJ, of course!

Please let me hear your thoughts on the smaller of the two. Anyone seen another like it?

Hi Mike,

Hmmmmmmmm.....that larger bar looks oddly familiar....

The smaller bar is a-ok by me. It could be made from left over WW2 stock or maybe the guy wanted it made in the "old style".

Best regards
Pierce