Ohio Ribbon Bar Details

[Ian Hulley]

Ok, so I picked these two bars up in a large group of ribbon bars from 2 local shows in the past month or so. Having studied these in hand and researched them on the Search function on here I've identified them to be 'Ohio' fakes thanks to Rick Researcher.

Here are the symptoms, the bars, and the details …

The backing plates are thin brass, very thin and flexible stamped brass 'catch' which is weak and bendy with long, sharpened pins which are right at the very top of the bar. There are many miniature devices to draw the collector's eye but also a strange or inappropriate combination of ribbons.

We'll let the pictures speak for themselves ..

[Ian Hulley]

And the devices ..

[Ian Hulley]

These were returned to the part-time dealer who specialises in daggers and was completely unaware these were fakes. He offered a refund immediately or to exchange them so here are the bars I traded them for ..

I hope these photos are helpful to anyone else coming across similar bars.

Cheers, Ian.

* and yes the 3rd from bottom one the swords were both put on upside down and I photographed it that way too

[Tony T-S]

Some nice ones there. The second ribbon on the top bar looks to be the kvk medal with the thin central stripe, is that correct?

[Ian Hulley]

Some nice ones there. The second ribbon on the top bar looks to be the kvk medal with the thin central stripe, is that correct?

Hi Tony, yes, the Kriegs Verdienst Medaille. Awarded to factory workers, civilians ... maybe in this case a long serving secretary/junior official at a Bavarian police station ?

What's important are the details of the Ohio fakes really, they passed inspection from photos of the fronts but not once you know what to look for on the back.

Ian

[sniper11]

Quite useful info re the Ohio fakes Ian.Pleased you managed to trade them for some very nice bars-love the Polizie ones.

Troy

[Ian Hulley]

Quite useful info re the Ohio fakes Ian.Pleased you managed to trade them for some very nice bars-love the Polizie ones.

Troy

Cheers Troy, yes, fortunately I get on well with the dealer so there was never any worry about that side of the transaction. I've pretty much spent my annual budget in the first 2 months of the year so I'll have to sit on my hands for a while and stick to cataloguing them .... unless of course I have a sale of some duplicate medals and bars to raise funds.

Ian

[Tony T-S]

Maybe a cheap duplicate Luftschutz 1st class or stuff like that

[Sevrin]

Rick Lundstrom

For those who may not be aware; the late Rick Lundstrom wrote this in-depth primer on ribbon bars. Covers everything from era, construction, fakes, etc.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/rela...s/overview.htm

Best,

James

[VtwinVince]

More useful information on these fairly convincing fakes, right up there with the 'Austrian faker'.

[pauke]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it in another thread but for years at the OVMS shows at the Drawbridge Inn (70-80-90's) there was a dealer who would put together ribbon bars as ordered right there at the show behind his display cases. It was assumed that most everyone was aware that he provided longer bars for whatever purposes a buyer might have and there was no intent to deceive anyone. Never bought anything myself but he had a good assortment of ribbons and devices. Decades later people need to be well aware that these longer bars exist, and, as has been mentioned, there can be odd combinations or perhaps out of order bars. As I cannot remember the dealer's name I can't add anything else to the subject other than he was older and to my knowledge a good fellow not trying to fool anyone.

[Tim Curley]

The maker of the so-called "Ohio" ribbon bars was Paul Peters, a founding member of the OVMS and a very young paratrooper in WWII. He is not with us anymore.
He did sell his ribbon bars for what they were, using original ribbons and devices in the beginning but later having to resort to reproduction or post war ribbons and devices.

[pauke]

Thanks for recalling Paul's name. It's been so long ago I couldn't readily think of it. Weren't we youngish back then?

[Sonderkommando]

.

You did well Ian, I see some nice police bars in the mix