WHICH GRADE OF Ostvolkmedaille 2er Klasse mit Schwertern

[thecyclist64]

I think you are wrong. As Adrian stevenson said, he thinks he can see traces of gold between the rays of the star. What I didn't mention in my original post was that it had a lot more traces of gold gilding powder between the rays of the star. Because I was unfamiliar with this medal, I thought it was some kind of dirt and so I brushed it off with a tooth brush to clean it up bit (like a fool)

[thecyclist64]

Hello,
IMO anything that is ring stamped with anything other than 100 (Wachtler and Lang) is one of the modern reproductions.

I don't think that the medal that started this thread is even zinc. It looks like some cheap base metal. It is displaying a multitude of casting faults.

All the best
Doug

To add to what I said yesterday about me disagreing with Saladin, let me pose a few questions for you all to consider.

Firstly, did Alois Rettenmaier (16) actually produce this type of medal? If the answer is "no", then it is obviously a fake. If the answer is "yes", then it stands a chance of being genuine.

Secondly, are there any known fakes of a number 16 OstvoelkerMedaille out there? If so, can we please see some pictures uploaded for comparrison purposes. If the answer is "no", then it must once again be considred to be genuine.

It would appear that more than one manufacturer of this medal existed, as per the following link showing number 4 Lot Number 5176 - Ref. 5bec478d55a2d

Here is another link from this website showing a number 16 to be assessed by one member as original, Ostvolk Dekoration für Tapferkeit an der Ostfront

To class a medal as a fake based on the fact that an individual, in his opinion, doesn't believe anything that doesn't bear the 100 stamp to be a fake is a rather flawed concept without providing any evidence to back up this claim. When it comes to the Eisernes kreuz, we know of Morgi fakes, Floch fakes, ninth bead fakes, etc. etc. but in the case of the Ostvoelker medal, we see no such evidence.

When appraising an item, we always start with the premise that it is genuine, until bit by bit, evidence of characteristics proving it to be a fake when compared to known examples of fakes emerge.

My conclusion therefore, is that just because an individual doesn't like anything without the 100 stamp on it, together with pictures of unrelated fake ring stamps with the number 16 (none of which show an example of this medal) on them does not pass the evidential threshold test for declaring this piece to be a fake. Without any evidence to the contrary, this piece must be genuine.


As always, I welcome debate and discussion on this topic.

[Saladin]

Hello,
you misinterpret what I wrote.
The only original stamp that I have seen is 100 Wachtler and Lang. Most others I have in my collection and that I have seen and that are considered original do not have a ring stamp

Here is a site for you to look at:Ostvolk Bronze Medal mm16 Ok? - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums

You will also see that when Harry said he liked the two reproductions that were shown in the thread yo quote you will also see the comments I made on the same thread.

I have posted a few Ostvolk medals of my own.

As the medals were authorised pre July '42 they should all be made of zinc.

Of the 3 known types your example is one of the most copied with dubious stamps on the ring of 15 and 16.

I am happy for you to consider your medal genuine but it is not one I would want.

Her is another interesting thread:
Ostvolker (Eastern people) Awards - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums

Good hunting
Doug