The issue of originality has always been a problem for collectors not only of medals and decorations, but coins, art, furniture, automobiles, autographs, and bean-bag toys. Almost anything that is worth anything to collectors has been faked, and in medals and decorations even the most common items have been reproduced. It's important to distinguish between copies, reproductions and forgeries. Simply put, a copy is a duplicate piece made for the original recipient in the original era of manufacture; a reproduction is a copy that was made as a souvenir or replica for display, without any intention of deceiving the collector; a fake is a reproduction that is either made with the intention of deceiving a buyer, or one that is not accurate to the original but is sold as original to unwary novice collectors.
By my own definition, there are four classes of fakes. Class 4 fakes are crudely made pieces that would hardly fool even the most novice collector. Class 3 fakes look entirely authentic at first glance, but upon examination of details, a reasonably knowledgeable collector would recognize the signs of a fake. Class 2 fakes are extremely deceptive, and would require examination by an accomplished expert, possibly under powerful magnification, to reveal the deception. Don't worry about Class 1 fakes; these are the ones that nobody will ever detect - accepted universally as absolutely authentic originals. Many of the world's greatest museums probably have Class 1 fakes in their collections.
In the past, few Turkish items generated enough demand to justify mass produced copies, but in recent years copies and forgeries of varying levels of quality have begun to appear. This will inevitably create some confusion as collectors try to determine whether a copy was manufactured during a time period that is contemporary with the original awards, or produced recently for a quick profit. Some copies pose little threat: Cheap one-piece cast copies of the Turkish Army Pilot Badge are currently available for about $10, but they are easy to recognize by the pitted surface on the reverse and the cheap quality of the pin.
Copies of Ottoman orders and medals were often made in Europe and in Turkey for private purchase by recipients. Many collectors hold European pieces in higher regard than original issue Turkish badges, because of the perception (sometimes true) that European examples were superior in workmanship. By clicking on the thumbnail below, you will see a good example of a Mejidie order that is probably French or German made. Note the diagonal crosshatch pattern under the red enamel, and the wide fluted ribbon ring.
Medals issued to foreign personnel were also widely re-struck. British made re-strikes of the Turkish Crimea medal are known, even though the medal is common enough in its original form. Other Crimean-era medals such as the General Service Medal and the Kars medal, have apparently been copied as well (see the Montenegro medal below).
During Turkey's alliance with Germany in WW1, the practice of selling re-strikes and copies of Turkish awards was common for German court jewelers. Oddly enough, the Imtiyaz medal seems not to have ever been copied during the war or the period after the war, but German and Austrian copies of the Liyakat and Sanayi medals are often found. These Austrian and German strikes are easily recognized by their thick planchets, with suspension loops soldered to the top edge of the planchet, rather than passing through the planchet or using a claw style attachment.
Photo courtesy Megan Robertson
1915 War Medals are almost more common with German
maker's marks than in their original form.
Ottoman pilot badges, by definition, are all private purchase items, as it
does not appear that the Turkish Army ever issued them. Many unmarked
examples have been represented as Turkish made, which is possible, but they
were not made by the Ottoman National Mint, and were probably not actually
awarded to the recipients. The Army Pilot Badge with a maker's
mark for Paul Meybauer in Berlin (a shield with a crown on top) is
inordinately common, suggesting they may have been produced in far greater
numbers than were actually sold or worn by eligible recipients.
Enlisted issue 1915 War Medals had a very thin lacquer paint, which was easily chipped or scratched. The original finish was a smooth bright red color, which did not appear to have any translucency or depth like enamels - it was completely opaque. Many original pieces can be found with restored paint - in other words, they have been repainted. Unusually shiny paint with visible brush strokes or a translucent color that allows the sheen of the base metal to come through are signs of the piece having been repainted. Very few issue 1915 War Medals retain 100% of the original lacquer, but they can be found with 90% or more.
Custom suspension attachments for Ottoman campaign medals are commonplace. Many British recipients of the Crimea medal had British-style suspension bars attached. Other medals have elaborate silver filigree suspension bars, which are clearly of Turkish manufacture, but are not original. Ornate suspension bars in the style of the Imtiyaz medal are frequently seen on Liyakat medals, but they are not correct and should be considered privately added embellishments.
Below is a Montenegro medal that not only has a British-style suspension bar added, but is in fact also a copy. It is cast in a single piece, with the suspension bar an integral part of the casting. This is probably a period copy, as the medal shows signs of wear.
There are common defects in the condition of certain Ottoman items that the collector should be wary of. Pay careful attention to the center medallions of Turkish orders. Often the centers of Mejidie and Shefkat orders have come loose and been reattached by jewelers. The result is that many of them have the tughra in the center facing the wrong direction. It's possible that they may have been made this way, but take the time to look closely, as the repair may have been made poorly. This may have also occurred with Osmanie orders, but I have not personally encountered any with such problems. The picture below shows the misaligned center of a Shefkat badge, which has been reattached. The three parallel lines seen at the seven o'clock position on the tughra are supposed to be pointing straight up. A view through a magnifier reveals repair work of amateurish quality.
Mejidie and Osmanie orders with crossed sabers should be examined carefully to see if the sabers are original to the piece or have been added. Very small numbers of these were awarded with sabers, and many German recipients of the orders without sabers during WW1 misinterpreted the meaning of the sabers. Typically, German orders awarded with swords indicate a military award, but in the case of these Ottoman awards, the swords indicated an augmented rank of each class of the award. Original sabers are die-struck pieces, with smooth details and no casting seams on the edges of the hilt or blades. The blades are recessed into the sides of the center medallion through clean rectangular slots. Usually, when sabers have been added, these slots have been cut into the sides of the medallion with a jewelers saw, and the cuts are somewhat rough. The illustration below is a little difficult to see, but shows the rough gaping holes made for the addition of swords to this Mejidie Order.
Most Ottoman medals from the 19th century appear on the market without ribbons. Replacement ribbons are not available, so they are sometimes paired up with any available piece of ribbon. Do not pay extra for a piece because it has a ribbon, unless you are certain that it is the correct and original ribbon.
A general word of caution should be mentioned that applies to all purchases of medals, orders and decorations: use your eyes, your intellect, and your gut instinct. Be cautious, but don't let it interfere with your enjoyment of collecting.