TOPIC:

Who can point me in the direction of someone who can reverse the damage caused by a misguided attempt to make a QSA more valuable? The situation is the QSA is complete but someone has added a few extra clasps (ROL...) in the middle to presumably increase the value!! They have simply been crudely wired into the clasps. The QSA is all good and contains the correct clasps.

Suggestions please from those have had to bring a massaged QSA back to the actual clasp entitlements and correct the damage done? Also what is the market like for QSA clasps assuming they are real not copies?

Cheers
Stephen

Please note this QSA medal was purchased from a private vendor and not a reputable dealer.

Stephen,

Personally I would leave it as it is.

You say that the medal was purchased privately so perhaps this was the way the chap wore his medal all those years ago.

Perhaps he was "Walt" and was happy to blow his own trumpet so to speak. You also say that the other clasps are all confirmed via the rolls so all I would do when placing the medal into a display etc is to have a label explaining the unconfirmed clasps that are wired together. It is after all, how you found the medal and therefore there is always a story to be had.

Cheers
Adrian

Stephen,

That is something of a dilemma. I appreciate what Adrian suggests and would offer the alternative which is to have someone correct the clasps on the medal to what they should be. It may be the recipient added the clasps and wore the medal like that in which case there is an argument for retention. It is also a possibility that the change was the result of a later amendment in which case the medal ought to be returned to its original state.

As I say, a dilemma.

Kind regards
David

Agree an interesting dilemma with no right or wrong answer. The two additional clasps are ROL & TH.

Looks like this SA02, rivet, SA01, rivet, TVL, wire, ROL, wire, OFS, wire, TH, wire, CC then bar, QSA correctly named and attached.

Maybe worthy of further research (see how I go) before I take back to actual entitlement and have repaired back to true.

Thanks Gents

Stephen

Whoever added the clasps took the trouble to put them in the right order and not simply add them at the top. This can be interpreted in different ways. For example, perhaps the 'culprit' believed he was entitled to the ones added since the rest of his unit were awarded them, but he missed the actions due to illness. You may never discover the facts.

Elsewhere on this forum I have referred to a QSA in my possession on which a TH clasp has been added. It was awarded late after the recipient took the trouble press his case for entitlement. The addition is documented.

On another QSA there are two clasps awarded for service with the Natal Police and four missing ones awarded for service with Roberts Horse. I have added the latter loose on the ribbon, but this could just as well have been done with justification by the recipient.

On the other hand, I also have a QSA where the recipient has added clasps to which he was definitely not entitled.

Ultimately, you will have to do what you think best, but it would be as well to keep a record of your decision with the medal so the next owner(s) is (are) in full possession of the facts about its history.

Regards
Brett

Hello Stephen,
Yes an interesting dilema with some interesting theories and recomendations from Adrian,David and Brett.
I think it is a personal thing but I am a believer in "keeping as is" as it is all part of the medals history.
Good luck with your decision.

Paul