DKiG to OBERST Ludwig Merker. (silber goblet)

[nzef1940]

👍

[Gary B]

Patina, as Militaria collectors are so fond of is another word for Oxidation, which, as correctly noted, over time WILL destroy a silver item. Of course it will take a rather long time. Antique silver collectors ALWAYS clean their silver. Coin collectors do not clean silver coins but if the patina/tarnish /oxidation is bad enough will pay to have the coin professionally conserved.

Oxidation is the bonding of Oxygen molecules with silver so when you clean it you remove a micron level of silver. For a coin, if done too often, you remove the shine/ sheen.

Militaria collectors, for whatever reason, eschew cleaning silver. As many who do clean say, no respectable recipient of a piece would let his piece tarnish and continue to display it hence why they clean it. As a soldier I always polished my jump wings.

In the end it is a personal choice. An ugly patina is just that ugly and, over time, will destroy a piece. A nice patina can actually increase the value of certain items. Coin collectors pay a premium for colorful patinas.

Gary B

[Dietrich Maerz]

I am pretty sure that all recipients of a Honor Goblet would have cleaned that goblet on a regular basis after the war. No recipient would have left a black patina with fingerprints on his award - it would have been disrespectfull.
I think it is a personal preference and no harm done either way.

[Operation Cobra]

Patina, as Militaria collectors are so fond of is another word for Oxidation, which, as correctly noted, over time WILL destroy a silver item. Of course it will take a rather long time. Antique silver collectors ALWAYS clean their silver. Coin collectors do not clean silver coins but if the patina/tarnish /oxidation is bad enough will pay to have the coin professionally conserved.

Oxidation is the bonding of Oxygen molecules with silver so when you clean it you remove a micron level of silver. For a coin, if done too often, you remove the shine/ sheen.

Militaria collectors, for whatever reason, eschew cleaning silver. As many who do clean say, no respectable recipient of a piece would let his piece tarnish and continue to display it hence why they clean it. As a soldier I always polished my jump wings.

In the end it is a personal choice. An ugly patina is just that ugly and, over time, will destroy a piece. A nice patina can actually increase the value of certain items. Coin collectors pay a premium for colorful patinas.

Gary B

Haha our jump wings are made of cloth much more practical lol

[Operation Cobra]

I am pretty sure that all recipients of a Honor Goblet would have cleaned that goblet on a regular basis after the war. No recipient would have left a black patina with fingerprints on his award - it would have been disrespectfull.
I think it is a personal preference and no harm done either way.

Hear hear, well said that man. Personal preference

[blind pew]

Hear hear, well said that man. Personal preference

Well............................... I think it is pretty cool, polished or not. Has anyone ever seen a similar pokal such as this for a DKiG recipient?

Obviously not an "award" like ehrenpokals and ehrenbechers, but pretty cool, nonetheless.

One wonders why he had a goblet made when he got the DKiG, but not the RK? It is interesting as well, given that he was in WW1, that he chose a style similar to a ww1 ehrenbecher, rather than a ww2 ehrenpokal.

[Gary B]

I believe it was stated earlier in the thread that he won the RK before the DKiG.

Gary B

[blind pew]

I believe it was stated earlier in the thread that he won the RK before the DKiG.

Gary B

Yes, I read that. But why make a goblet for the DKiG and not the RK? Perhaps presented to him by his troops? I have had a few goblets (two crystal) that were presented by uboat crews to their captain. However, one would think that the RK would be a "bigger deal" to a soldier than the DKiG; getting the DKiG AFTER the RK would be presumed to be a relatively minor event.

[AndyC]

I think it could be a good idea to post the new pictures of the goblet here in this thread for future reference





Andy

[AndyC]

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[AndyC]

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[AndyC]

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[AndyC]

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[WRanG]

A nice cup, if it should have been polished is as stated earlier a personal preference.
One thing that puzzled me abit is the starburst on the dkig. it is quite irregular

[MASTERBLASTER]

A nice cup, if it should have been polished is as stated earlier a personal preference.
One thing that puzzled me abit is the starburst on the dkig. it is quite irregular

. . . because it’s been Handmade mate.

I’m actually glad there’s slight errors in the DKIG engraving because that what makes this piece so individual.

Michael