Description
Documented Group of Soviet Awards
Awarded to Major (later Lt. Col.) Aleksandr Trofimovich Bugaev (Александр Трофимович Бугаев)
An impressive and rare mixture of labor and military awards with their documents. All in near mint condition and none of them awarded for long service
This group of Soviet awards consists of the following items:
Order of the Red Banner #190217
Made of silver and enamels. Measures 45.47 mm in height, 37.61 mm in width and weighs 27.6 grams without its suspension. The mint mark Monetni Dvor and the serial number are located at the bottom of its reverse.
This order is in excellent condition with flawless enamels. Even the higher laying parts show no wear and both sides show an appealing dark patina. There have been no repairs and its connection ring has been cut.
Order of the Patriotic War 1st class #96545
Made of solid gold, silver and enamels. Measures 45.92 mm in height, 43.78 mm in width and weighs 34.2 grams without its screwplate. The mint mark Monetni Dvor in two lines is located at the top of its reverse and the serial number at the bottom.
Stunning piece in near mint condition, next to impossible to upgrade. Its enamels are pristine without any dings or scratches and the details on the raised parts like the hammer and sickle are extremely well preserved. Its reverse shows just one dent/scratch, possibly the result of a mistake by the engraver at the mint. Its screw has not been shortened and the order comes with its time period and well fitted screwplate.
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd class #419079
Made of silver, gold and enamels. Measures 48.02 mm in height, 46.03 mm in width and weighs 26.9 grams without its screwplate. The mint mark Monetni Dvor and the serial number are located at the bottom of its reverse.
In equally nice condition as the 1st class above with appealing toning to the silver, crisp details and without repairs or shortened screw. Comes with its time period and well fitted screwplate.
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd class #1519418 (1985 jubilee edition)
Made of silver and enamels. Measures 47.11 mm in height, 44.78 mm in width and weighs 27.7 grams without its screwplate. The mint mark Monetni Dvor and the serial number are located at the bottom of its reverse.
In near mint condition with full rhodium plating and flawless enamels
Order of the Red Star #251950 (early variation with a round base ‘heel‘ of the screw)
Made of silver and enamels. Measures 48.44 mm in width, 46.11 mm in height and weighs 28.6 grams without its screwplate.
This Red Star is also in superb condition with beautiful wine red enamels and sharp tips of the rays. Almost all details on the center medallion are still visible and crisp and there have been no repairs. Scarce to find an early Red Star in such condition.
Medal for Combat Merit #29741 (scarce and early variation with a hand engraved serial number)
Made of silver and enamels. Measures 32.16 mm in width, 36.14 mm in height including its connection ring and weighs 22.5 grams without its suspension. Its eyelet measures 4.71 mm in diameter. This piece was originally awarded on a rectangular suspension which was replaced by a pentagon shaped one in accordance to new 1943 regulations on wearing Soviet awards.
The medal is in pristine, near mint condition without any dings or scratches and a beautiful toning to the silver. Its details are crisp and the red enamel filling the lettering is all present. Its (likely) original brass connection ring has not been cut and there have been no repairs.
Order of the Red Banner of Labor #389436
Made of silver and enamels. Measures 37.02 mm in width, 47.79 mm in height and weighs 37.1 grams without its suspension.
This order is in superb condition with full gold plating although much is covered by a layer of dark patina. Its red, white and blue enamels are beautiful and flawless without scratches, chipping or repairs. Its connection ring has been cut
Order of the Badge of Honor #428514
Made of silver and enamels. Measures 33.29 mm in width, 49.91 mm in height and weighs 32.5 grams without its suspension.
The order is in an excellent, well above average condition. Its details are still crisp and the order shows virtually no traces of wear. The separately soldered lettering ‘CCCP’ is authentic to the award and the enamels are beautiful without repairs or chipping. The order comes with its time period double layer suspension and cut connection ring.
Order of the Badge of Honor #721511
Made of silver and enamels. Measures 32.44 mm in width, 50.37 in height and weighs 32.7 grams without its suspension.
In identical condition as the previous one but with uncut connection ring.
Medal for the Deference of Moscow
Made of brass. Measures 32.11 mm in diameter and weighs 16.1 grams without its suspension.
This medal is the exception in this grouping when it comes to its condition. Some details are worn off and both sides show several dings and scratches. However, its connection ring has not been cut and much original luster is still present.
Order and Medal Booklets
All awards above come with their award booklets which are in equally pristine condition as the awards themselves
Other documents
In addition to the aforementioned items, this lot also comprises an extraordinary collection of 12 congratulatory letters from Stalin. Never before have we encountered such impeccable condition, let alone such a considerable quantity of these letters in a single lot. Furthermore, an original postcard featuring Major Bugaev is included, depicting his name and the year 1946 on the reverse side and two election propaganda posters portraying Bugaev when running as candidate for regional elections.
Translation of the citations:
Order of the Red Banner
During the preparation for the offensive battles, he conducted great work to teach the Cadre of all classes of Political Workers. In all Army and Corps seminars, he gave lectures and reports. Before the personnel of the 76th Guards Rifle Ch. Division and the 160th Rifle Division he gave a lecture titled, “Finishing Off the Fascist Animal in his Own Lair and Hoisting over Berlin the Banner of Victory,” by which he provided great help to the Political Organs of these divisions in raising among the personnel high offensive spirit and hatred towards the German Occupiers. During the offensive, he worked in the 136th Rifle Division and gave great help to the P.O.D.I.V. and greatly improved the Party-Political work in a military situation. He received a mission from the Political Soviet and Army Political Section to provide help for the 76th Guards Rifle Ch. Division to tighten up military discipline, order, and organization. While on the military lines of this formation, he organized and conducted agitation work to eliminate negative phenomenon that hindered the completion of military missions.
Comrade Bugaev deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class
Comrade Bugaev is one of the best Agitators of the Army’s Political Section. His lectures and reports to the units and formations are listened to with great attention and approval.
During the period of the defensive and offensive battles, Comrade Bugaev gave hundreds of lectures and reports to the formation’s personnel. By his Bolshevik’s words, he helped the commanders and political organizations to strengthening the political-moral conditions and military discipline among officers, sergeants, and private personnel.
In the period of preparation for the offensive, Comrade Bugaev was with the 160th Rifle Division.
He conducted a large amount of agitation-propaganda work in the 1293rd Rifle Regiment, where he remained for the first two days of the offensive. He was a great help in providing Party-Political work in battle and in removing hidden defects, which helped the Regiment to successfully carry out its military mission.
Comrade Bugaev deserves to be awarded the Order of the Great Patriotic War 1st Class.
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class
In the political section of the Army, he worked as a censor from March 1943 and with the Army he traveled along all of the military path from the battles of the Orlov-Kursk arc to Rostok. During that time in the army, he conducted a large amount of agitation work among the personnel who were directed to successfully carry out all military missions of the commanders. He directly participated in the Party Political support of the biggest military operations in which the Army took part: in defense and offensive battles on the Orlov-Kursk direction, in the summer offensive of 1944 and the winter and spring offensives of 1945. While in the units, he worked most of the time on the fighting lines and personally participated in informing and explaining the addresses of the Military Soviet of the Front and Army, Orders of Comrade Stalin, reports of the Soviet Information Bureau, and gave about 500 lectures and reports while talking to the masses of Red Army soldiers. In all seminars that took place in the political section of the Army and Corps, he presented theoretical reports and lectures, which were a big help in preparing the Cadre of Party Political workers of all classes.
During preparations for the operation to capture the cities of Danzig and Gdeina, he conducted agitation work with the reinforcements of the 38th and 165th Rifle Divisions.
During the forcing of the Oder River and the following offensive actions, he seriously helped the Party-Political work of the Political Section of the 114th Rifle Corps and 369th Rifle Division.
Major Comrade Bugaev deserves to be awarded the Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class.
Order of the Red Star
He is a credit to the Party of Lenin-Stalin and the Socialist Motherland. As an agitator of the Political Section of the Army, he conducted great work to cultivate in the personnel steadfastness and stubbornness in defense, offensive strength and a hatred towards the German Occupiers. He prepares his lectures conscientiously and accurately. He has the Bolshevik agitator’s gift of passionate speech.
During the days of the July-August battles, the Political Section of the Army sent him into formations that were located on important sectors of the front. All of his meetings were conducted conscientiously and accurately. He is personally brave. In a military situation, he finds his bearings quickly and correctly. He has great experience in Party-Political work.
While in the units and formations, he conducted work that was of great help to the command and political apparatus in the organization of Party-Political work.
Medal for Combat Merit
Comrade Bugaev, A.T., during the period of the Patriotic War against the German Occupiers, proved himself to be a courageous and selfless worker.
From October 1941, being a member of an Operative Group of the MVO in Moscow, he constantly worked in units which defended the closest lines to Moscow.
By skillfully organization of verbal and printed propaganda, such as the publication of leaflets, addresses and independent articles, he helped the soldiers learn new tricks to fight the German Fascists. He did a lot to strengthen the defenses of Moscow and in raising the moral spirit of the soldiers and chiefs.
Because of the mission from the Military Soviet and Political Management of the MVO, he, with the operation group, went directly to the front line positions in the region ofKrasnaya Polyana to organize the Party-Propaganda in the units of the 20th Army, in preparation for the striking of a crippling blow on the enemy, at which time he proved himself to be a courageous and brave political worker.
For selfless work in strengthening the defense of Moscow, he deserves to be awarded the medal “For Military Merit.”
The full translation of the research can be read here
There are several scans of files on Major Bugaev included in this lot. These will be shipped together with the awards. The translations of his autobiography can be read here
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