Soviet WW2 Defense Of The Caucasus Medals: Really Close Up

[Rick Research]

I'll start with just one because my scanner has used up its daily quota of cooperation. Got lots of these, including a 1960s type with integral stamped ring. This is one of the most seeming "variants" medals, optical illusions mainly based on wear to the details.

At 400%, Defense of the Caucasus Medal #1:

[Rick Research]

It was hard to decide what points to zoom in on for this overly fussy and atypical WW2 medal-- the curlicued borders, with flowers and grape clusters, or the central design. We can always get into the fine points of both areas.

The closer one looks at this poorly executed design, the cruder and uglier it gets. It is a very cartoonish job, without proper perspective, or even any particular pictorial reference, since the oil fields were far behind the frontline.

The oil rigs in the background may have been STRUCK semi blurred-- I've never encountered one of this very common medal without the crisscross lines on those showing long surface "blur" wear, the lines are so spidwer-web thin, anyway.

Same with the weird little "bren gun carrier" type vehicle in center foreground. In some of these, the three tiny soldiers show upright rifle lines at their shoulders-- this one does not. In fact, so childishly "crayon" drawn is this design, I still cannot make up my mind what the "lump" in foreground right is SUPPOSED to be: a "rocky ledge?" A "ruined building?" Another "vehicle?"

Defense of the Caucasus Medal #1 center detail at 750%

[Robert P.]

This is a very strange medal, while the others are so precicely detailed, especially the Moscow Defense Medal. I don't have a clue either as to the 'lump' in the foreground. It would appear to have windows. There has to be some significance to it. Maybe it represents something in the region at the time, a fortification, bunker??
Anyway, the sculptor had a little too much wodka.

Robert

[Robert P.]

Here is one more example to add to the group, although it is in fairly worn condition.

Robert