Mint 4 place medal bar

[Yubari]

What do you think about this medal bar guys, please? Condition seems far more than perfect. Should I take it as a bad sign? Cause everything I see should match a German perfectionism. Maybe too much..

<a href="https://ibb.co/cQf6iV"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/ig2acq/SANY0001d-A2-Ny6t-GNji-ZZ.jpg" alt="SANY0001d-A2-Ny6t-GNji-ZZ" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/e6kvcq"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/gdLTxq/SANY0002pz-E41-QA31t-Wd-P.jpg" alt="SANY0002pz-E41-QA31t-Wd-P" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/dbEXOV"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/ikt3VA/SANY00037-VBFp-BYp-XSVl8.jpg" alt="SANY00037-VBFp-BYp-XSVl8" border="0"></a>

[bytown]

Nice minty medal bar.

The question is when was it put together?

The back plate looks like brass?

Wayne

[Sevrin]

Nice minty medal bar.

The question is when was it put together?

The back plate looks like brass?

Wayne

Agree. Mint is an understatement on this one; the white on those ribbons is blinding me through the screen.

Does indeed look like brass back-plate.

James

Saving to server:

[Chet Sowersby]

Wow, the newness is off putting. I can't say that I've ever seen brass supposedly over seventy years old look that new.

Chet

[Tom Yanacek]

Hi guys,

I agree that this bar looks "too new" and that can certainly make one leery. It looks as if it was made yesterday. However, I do like the construction and all of the parts appear to be original. I am not ready to dismiss this as a modern put-together, though. Some original bars have survived in pristine condition over the years, especially if they were never worn and stored away properly. It is possible that the recipient had this assembled in 1940 and then never wore it since medal bars were only supposed to be worn in peacetime. I do not see the subtle aging that I like to see on medal bars, but sometimes the photos do not pick this up. Photos can sometimes make the whites appear "too white". So I guess I would want to have this bar in-hand before deciding for sure.

It does appear from the photos that the backing plate is brass. A brass backplate is seldom seen on original medal bars of the Third Reich Period. But is that backing plate really brass? In some cases steel/iron backplates were given a gilt-colored finish so I would want to check it with a magnet. If the plate attracts a magnet then it is not brass.

Best regards,
Tom

[Sevrin]

Photos can sometimes make the whites appear "too white". So I guess I would want to have this bar in-hand before deciding for sure.

Best regards,
Tom

It still surprises me sometimes when I see medal/ribbon bars from that period that hold that brilliant white sheen. Even though I know better & we've seen countless examples, I still wonder about authenticity when I see some so well-preserved. I suppose it's good to be skeptical, but I still have a bit (well, a lot) of OCD when it comes to how well some of these have held up.

In another thread it was explained that the Germans were experimenting quite early with dyes and all manner of agents to brighten cloth; so I guess that's good enough and should calm my skepticism. For now.

James the paranoid.

[Chet Sowersby]

In our shared hobby paranoia is a required tenet.

Chet

[Sevrin]

In our shared hobby paranoia is a required tenet.

Chet

I should do quite well then!