4 place medal bar, WW1 & WW2 awards. EK-Luftschutz-Hessen-12 Long Service

[Howard Kelley]

Just picked this up a few weeks ago, planning to post on the Estand.

Want to let you guys vet the item before I place for sale.

Looks great to me, but I've been burned before.

The Luftschutz medal is the heavy example none aluminum type.

Thanks for your input.

Cheers,
Howard

[Howard Kelley]

more pics

[Tom Yanacek]

Hi Howard,

Sorry, but IMO the medal bar is not a legitimate assembly of the Third Reich Period. There are way too many things wrong with it. In the first place, and most damning, is the fact that the ribbons for the Luftschutz Medal, Hessen Bravery Medal, and Wehrmacht Long Service Medal are modern weave replacements. The medals all look to be original, but the ribbons are definitely not. The Luftschutz ribbon should never have white wefts (horizontal threads) visible along the edges. In addition to the Hessen Bravery Medal ribbon being a modern weave, the all red ribbon is not correct for that medal. The correct ribbon should be light blue with a red stripe near each edge.

The order of precedence is way off too. The correct order should be 1914 EK2, Hessen Bravery Medal, Wehrmacht Long Service Medal and, lastly, the Luftschutz Medal.

Another issue is the absence of the Hindenburg Cross with swords: a WW1 veteran with valor decorations from two Imperial States but no Hindenburg Cross?

And where is the Wehrmacht 4-Year Long Service Medal? Since this guy has a 12-Year Long Service Medal, he should also be wearing the 4-Year LS Medal immediately after the 12-Year LS Medal. Another red flag is that there is no gold eagle device attached to the ribbon of the Wehrmacht 12-Year LS Medal.

The overall look of the bar and its construction is also very indicative of a modern, put-together medal bar.

Best regards,
Tom

[J C Gray]

One look 'Austrian' fake.
These are getting as easy to spot as the 'Ohio' ribbon bars...the "agiing/dirt" on those ribbons is some of the most contrived that I have seen.

[Ian Hulley]

I took one look at that Luftschutz ribbon and went The colour is a mile off the original ribbon.

Ian.

[reichenberg]

Yes, those ribbons are a dead give away. As the awards are genuine you could still put it on estand but it would have to go onto the Bazaar Table.

[Howard Kelley]

Thanks so much for the help!

You guys are the best!