Russia, Soviet Union. A Red Banner Medal Bar for a Distinguished Second World War Combatant

A medal bar for a distinguished combatant of the Second World War featuring six decorations, including:

1. An Order of the Red Banner, Type IV, constructed of a silver with gilt and enamels, on loop for suspension with its period original ribbon, the obverse consisting of gilded circular wreath, joined together at the bottom by a red enameled banner bearing silvered Russian Cyrcillic letters “СССР”, surrounding a central white enameled medallion overlaid by a bayonet, hammer, and plow, in turn bearing a red enameled star defaced by a silvered hammer and sickle on a field of white enamels, with a banner flag fitted through the star featuring a red enameled field overlaid by a silvered inscription of “ПРОЛЕТАРИИ ВСЕХ СТРАН, СОЕДИНЯЙТЕСЬ!” (“WORKERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!”), the reverse stamped with a mark of “МОНЕТНЫЙ ДВОР” for the Soviet Mint, engraved with an issue number of “431041”, measuring 36.53 mm (w) x 45.06 mm (h), demonstrating some loss of gilt finish to the base metal, in extremely fine condition.

2. A Medal for Battle Merit, Variation II, constructed of silver, on loop for suspension with its period original ribbon, the obverse bearing a central raised inscription of “ЗА БОЕВЫЕ ЗАСЛУГА” (“FOR BATTLE MERIT”), situated above a crossed rifle and sword, and topped by red enameled initials “СССР” (“USSR”), unnumbered and unmarked, measuring 32.26 mm in diameter, demonstrating some edge bruising, in better than very fine condition.

3. A second Medal for Battle Merit, Variation II, constructed of silver, on loop for suspension with its period original ribbon, the obverse bearing a central raised inscription of “ЗА БОЕВЫЕ ЗАСЛУГА” (“FOR BATTLE MERIT”), situated above a crossed rifle and sword, and topped by red enameled initials “СССР” (“USSR”), the reverse engraved with an award number of “2542518”, measuring 32.16 mm in diameter, demonstrating some edge nicks and bruising, in additional to the loss of the obverse letter enameling, in better than very fine condition.

4. A third Medal for Battle Merit, Variation II, constructed of silver, on loop for suspension with its period original ribbon, the obverse bearing a central raised inscription of “ЗА БОЕВЫЕ ЗАСЛУГА” (“FOR BATTLE MERIT”), situated above a crossed rifle and sword, and topped by red enameled initials “СССР” (“USSR”), unnumbered and unmarked, measuring 32.19 mm in diameter, demonstrating some edge bruising, in better than very fine condition.

5. A Medal for the Defence of Stalingrad, constructed of bronze, on loop for suspension with its period original ribbon, the obverse bearing an array of Red Army soldiers with rifles and bayonets at the ready, with a Soviet flag and Red Army vehicles and aircraft dotted across the background, topped by an inscription of “ЗА ОБОРОНУ СТАЛИНГРАДА” (“FOR THE DEFENCE OF STALINGRAD”), the reverse bearing a raised inscription of “ЗА НАШУ СОВЕТСКУЮ РОДИНУ” (“FOR OUR SOVIET MOTHERLAND”), unmarked, measuring 32.08 mm in diameter, in near extremely fine condition.

6. A Medal for Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War, constructed of gilded bronze, on loop for suspension with its period original ribbon, the obverse bearing a central raised bust of Josef Stalin, circumscribed by inscriptions of “НАШЕ ДЕЛО ПРАВОЕ” (“OUR CAUSE IS RIGHTEOUS”) and “МЫ ПОБЕДИЛИ” (“WE ARE VICTORIOUS”), the reverse bearing a five-pointed star at the bottom edge, circumscribed by a raised inscription of “ЗА ПОБЕДУ НАД ГЕРМАНИЕЙ” (“FOR VICTORY OVER GERMANY”), surrounding a central raised inscription of “В ВЕЛИКОЙ ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННОЙ ВОЙНЕ 1941—1945 ГГ.” (“IN THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR of 1941-1945”), unmarked, measuring 32.12 mm in diameter, in near extremely fine condition.

All suspended from a 175 mm-long aluminum bar composed of six overlaid pentagonal single-mount bars, featuring two screw posts retaining original nuts for uniform attachment, unmarked, in extremely fine condition.