Rkka.it Forum

This one was today in my mailbox. Looks okay to me. Any commenst are welcome.

best regards and thanks
Andreas

Andreas,

I am not sure it is what it pretends to be. I definitely have a funny feeling about this order.

Marc

Okay Marc,

what are you concerned about?

best regards
Andreas

For me it's good and very beautiful.

Strange looking gold wash but imho because it's polished. No problem with enamel, rivets and serial, in my opinion the order is original.

I put the order under the black light. Enamel is a glass one.
I also like the serial number engraving.

The gold looks realy strange. Maybe it was polished.

best regards and many thanks for the comments.
Andreas

Andreas,

Have a close look at the pieces posted by Filo (many thank for that )

I believe that this might be an upgraded 3rd class:
. almost complete absence of blackening
. artificial-looking gilding
. the surface of the reverse is sanded-finished

Genuine 2nd class orders in this SN range had smooth finish reverses, whereas your clearly show satiny-sanded finish, which is more typical of 3rd classes in that SN range .
IMO, both blackening and gilding were chemically removed to prepare the order for enameling, which is consistent with your finding that the enamel is actual hot enamel. Surprisingly enough, blackening is probably the most complicated to restore, so the order was left as is after enameling. Gold gilt was then applied, but not of the type nor with the process used by the mint, hence its artificial-looking appearance.

Of course, this is nothing more than my personal opinion and I welcome any argumented counterpoints.

Marc

Hi Marc,

your arguments are good.
- the surface of the reverse is sanded-finished

All the pictures of genuine pieces 2nd class in this serial number range I have, have a smooth reserve.

I looked at a picture of a 3rd class 16.000. This one has also a smooth reserve.

Andreas

Andreas,

From what I have seen, OLG 2 have smooth reverses in that SN range; when it comes to OLG 3, the vast majority has sanded reverses.

My guess is that, in a similar way to the Order of Service to the Motherland or the Order of Glory, the 2nd and 3rd classes were struck using class-specific dies which may, sometimes, have been used not as they were intended (e.g. some early OG2 were struck with the OG1 die).

Marc