This one out for sale in a finnish internet auction.. What do you think?
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Antti -
I would buy it. How much? -
starting price about 30 euros..AnttiComment
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That's actually the Turkish "War Medal." Some of these guys get... sensitive.
There's definitely a CRACK in the upper right arm looking at it. Can't tell about the top, though that looks like it may also be damaged. The other three are too dark to guess. But the silvered finish is worn down all over too... this one is in less than great condition.
Don't get too carried away bidding in case it's been WELL dinged up.Comment
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Could some post a pic of a mint one, so i can compare the two? So, what do you think Rick, is it authentic?AnttiComment
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I completely agree with Ricks... although this cross doesn't show really profound enamel's damages I can see some cracks on some cross' points. In addition to that I see that part of the Silver gilt has gone...
You can buy nice pieces from German Dealers like Kalies, Bretzendorfer or even Detlev (if you're lucky...) for about USD 120.- / 150.- (today's market price).
Ciao,
ClaudioComment
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Would you consider it a bargain if i got this one for 30 euros?AnttiComment
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Found lying in a Bavarian road, April 1945
If it is in better condition when you get it than THIS one! 
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The "mint" ones are, of course, the real original Ottoman ones.
Everything else is just a jewler's replica from the wartime, interwar, or later years.
Ed HaynesComment
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Is that a fact, Ed? Any particular reason for it?AnttiComment
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This has been discussed at great length in other threads on this award, so I won't go into much detail here. This is, of course, an Ottoman award, not a German one, we all know that. The original Ottoman issue was pretty rough in appearance (paint rather than enamel, to cite but one example) and even during the war many officers (Ottoman, German allies, and I am told Austrian allies) procured sexier specimens from German (and maybe Turkish) firms who did them up in silver, with nice sparkly enamel, and even -- as we have discovered in another thread -- added gems. This continued and proliferated in the inter-war period, as most catalogues from most jewlers making "replacement" awards offered this award.
Strictly speaking, and using the OMSA's new glossary (which, by the way, is not always easy to fit into non-US awards), all but the original Ottoman issue of this award are copies. To quote from their website: '"Copy" means a substantially identical duplicate of an authorized medal not authorized by, or under contract to, the issuing entity, which is marked or identified as a copy to prevent confusion with the authorized medal, or otherwise clearly distinguishable from an original, restrike, or re-production. Copies may include contemporary wearing copies, private purchase medals, and collector copies.'
It might be worthwhile looking over these categories at
http://www.omsa.org/glossary.htm
Sorry, I meant to keep this brief.
Ed HaynesComment
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Interesting.. No problem, Ed, somethings are really hard to keep brief
AnttiComment
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By the way, in response to your earlier question-at 30 Euros I'd think this was a great bargain-despite the "fine+" condition.
If you don't want it, please let me know where I might obtain it.
Thanks,
JeMc
By the way, I have seen, bid on and lost photos of Bulgarian officers AND NCOs wearing this star.Comment
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Well, since it is an auction..
Some other people have noticed the bargain aswell.. It's not 30 euros anymore
AnttiComment
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The only thing that would call into question whether "copy" is the appropriate term for these is whether the Sublime Porte authorized the manufacture of this medal by any German, Austrian or Bulgarian jewelers or mints. If so, then those produced under said authority would not be copies. Even so, we would still have to know whether a particular maker, such as the mysterious BB&Co., was so authorized.
That would also call into question how long such authority extended. Unless the Turkish Republic granted new authority, I would say the 1920s- and 1930s-produced pieces would fit the OMSA definition.
That still doesn't answer the question of whether they were so authorized. Erüreten mentions that German and Austrian jewelers made them during the war, but I can't recall if he documented whether they made them under Ottoman authority.Comment
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