National Prize for Arts & Science breast star

[Alex W.]

Hello everyone,

here are pictures of a rare wearers copy of the National Prize for Art and Science made by the Souval company. It's made of 935 silver and the stones are Saphires.

According to Mr. Umlauf of Souval, the company had the official permisson to produce these pieces during the third reich era for museums etc.
I'm aware that Souval also offered post war copies of the National Prize for Art and Science. Even though being offered by Souval for sale in the post war time era, not many of these breast stars seem to exist.

How can the post war pieces be distinguished from period display/wearer's copies ?

Best regards,
Alex

[Alex W.]

Reverse

[Alex W.]

Reverse close up

[Alex W.]

Details

[Alex W.]

Detail - reverse

[Alex W.]

Close up

[Alex W.]

No one familiar with these pieces ?

[ethreecee]

fake

that one looks like dog food next to this one ....
http://www.military-awards.eu/germany-ww2/10-political-civilian-awards/02-art_and_science.htm

[Bob Hritz]

Alex,

I do not know if there is a way to tell one made during the period or post-war. Herr Unlauff had the authorization to make the wear piece during the Third Reich Era. He had his authorizations in his office safe. I do not know what happened to them after his death and when the tooling and materials were sold off "to an Eastern concern" according to the new owners.

Bob Hritz

[Tony T-S]

Alex I wonder if the one you showed is a postwar version with the less than perfect main rivets finished in a satisfactory fashion like that. It certainly doesn't match up with the presentation one linked to, but is still most presentable from the front.

[Alex W.]

that one looks like dog food next to this one ....
http://www.military-awards.eu/germany-ww2/10-political-civilian-awards/02-art_and_science.htm

I suggest that before you come in here and start making incompetent comments about things you obviously don't know anything about, you should get yourself educated by having a look at Doehle's Orders & Medals book (1945 reissue)
By doing so you'll learn that this breast star design resembles the 2nd design.
If that won't do it, here is even more info on it... dress copy

[Alex W.]

Alex I wonder if the one you showed is a postwar version with the less than perfect main rivets finished in a satisfactory fashion like that. It certainly doesn't match up with the presentation one linked to, but is still most presentable from the front.

Care to elaborate what you mean by "less than perfect main rivets" ?

[Alex W.]

Alex,

I do not know if there is a way to tell one made during the period or post-war. Herr Unlauff had the authorization to make the wear piece during the Third Reich Era. He had his authorizations in his office safe. I do not know what happened to them after his death and when the tooling and materials were sold off "to an Eastern concern" according to the new owners.

Bob Hritz

Hello Bob,

thanks for the info. Too bad, Herr Umlauf's info seems to be lost forever. I Wonder what happened to all of this authorizations.
Bob, can you check with your breast star if the construction is the same / maybe other notable differences ?

Thanks a lot,
Alex

[Tony T-S]

Yes, the main hollow rivets remind me very much of the examples found on the reverse of post war Souval DKs. Having had another look at the linked example I have to admit that a closer inspection suggests that they're not much better than the Souval rivets. So the example you show may well be a wartime Souval example. It would be great to be able to answer your question about pre or post war either way.

[Alex W.]

Does no one have more information on these breast stars ? They can't be that rare...

Best regards,
Alex