WW1-2 Medal Bar

[Stepdale]

Hello,
Getting this reviewed for a buddy of mine who's had it for many years and has no provenance to go with it. To me, the bar looks completely original but with the Ohio fakes and so many others these days I wanted to let you guys take a look. As to the case, I believe this is one of the many original silverware boxes (it even says so on the box) that have been modified in the past 20-30 years or so to hold various medals and badges, but just wanted to get that verified for my friend. Unfortunately I only had a few minutes to look it over and snap some quick photos under a desk lamp, but hopefully these will suffice for you to give an opinion.
Thank you,
Dale

[Stepdale]

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[Stepdale]

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[Stepdale]

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[Stepdale]

d

[Stepdale]

last photos

[Tom Yanacek]

Hi Dale,

Beautiful looking medal in excellent condition. It's just the way I like to see them with subtle aging. Very nice! Thanks for posting it.

Best regards,
Tom

[mailman]

This is a beautiful bar I would gladly own.

[tompress]

Looks all right

[Stepdale]

Thanks, guys, he'll be glad to know it's good. I wish he'd sell it to me, but understandably he wants to keep it.

Am I right to assume that the case is just a postwar converted silverware case? I suppose one could say it might have been done by the veteran himself to store his bar, but I always operate under the assumption that these were done by spurious operators post war in order to increase the sale value. Also, is it safe to store the bar in these cases, or can the deterioration of the cases themselves over time harm the medal bars?
Dale

[byterock]

Also, is it safe to store the bar in these cases, or can the deterioration of the cases themselves over time harm the medal bars?
Dale

Good question. It is quite true 'Off Gassing' or alike can have very deteriating effect on the item that is is stored in.

This does not happen in items made of natrual products (silk, cotton, cow based glue) but dose happen with artificial products (rayon, epoxy, plastic). That being said older it not better. Many many pre-war and war time production itmes used epoxy glues, and foam sponges etc. as they where available at the time and are are natorious for thier very nasty off-gassing for these early products.

So your best bet is

1) not store the itmes together
2) store the medal bar in a Archival-grade cotton paper folder
3) wear cotton gloves when handleing ( human finger gunk does terriable stuff)
4) store out of direct sunlight or even better any light

[Stepdale]

Thank you for the good advice. I'll advise my friend that if he does nothing else, at least take the bar out of the silverware case.
Dale

[Sevrin]

Hi Dale,

Beautiful looking medal in excellent condition...

+1

Nice to see the Olympic medal in that condition!