Fake Keel Laying Commemorative Plates/Поддельные закладные доски

Fake keel laying plate of famous 1st rank cruiser "Varyag" that was laid down in 1898 at the American shipyard William Cramp & Sons in Philadelphia.

Silver.​

Size 124.1 x 95.7 mm.
Weight 172.4 g.

Hilarious fake marks of Bailey Banks & Biddle Co. Philadelphia (company that manufactured original plates).

Note that letter "L" is missing in "Philadelphia". Philadephia ... Yep, this is what happens when instead of learning a foreign language our faker (as a young man) was doing time in prison.

 

Fake cruiser "Rurik" keel laying plate.

Silver, engraving.
Size 128 x 89 mm.

Fake marks.

Original marks https://asiamedals.info/threads/imp...plate-zakladnaja-doska-krejsera-rjurik.27587/

Fake case.

 

Fake keel laying plate of the imperial yacht Polar Star /Полярная Звезда/. Original plate https://asiamedals.info/threads/imp...kladnaja-doska-jaxty-poljarnaja-zvezda.29143/.

Silver.
Size 130×90 mm.

Marked with a fake St. Petersburg assay office silver hallmarks and and fake maker's mark of P.Ovchinnikov.

The Polar Star was the imperial yacht of Alexander III and Nicholas II, and later a submarine base in the Soviet Navy. In 1884, by order of Admiral I.A. Shestakov, the head of the Naval Ministry, the design of a cruising yacht with appropriate artillery armament began, which in peacetime would be capable of "fully meeting all the service requirements of a modern imperial yacht." The Polar Star was laid down at the Baltic Shipyard on May 20, 1888, in the presence of the imperial couple and senior officials of the Naval Ministry, and launched on May 19, 1890. After mooring and sea trials in March 1891, it was accepted into the Baltic Fleet and assigned to the Guards Crew. In 1891–1914, the yacht served the imperial family during their visits to the capitals of European states, and took part in Baltic Fleet reviews and ceremonial meetings of foreign heads of state. During World War I, the yacht was stationed in Petrograd, and in early June 1917, it was transferred to Helsinki, where the Central Committee of the Baltic Fleet was located on it. The yacht’s commander, Captain 1st Rank M.M. Lyalin, became the first elected commander of the Baltic Fleet. In September–October 1917, the yacht hosted the 2nd Congress of Representatives of the Baltic Fleet. In 1918, it took part in the Ice Cruise of the Baltic Fleet. From 1920, it was mothballed. In the early 1930s, it was converted into a floating submarine base. During the Winter War, it served as a floating base for the 2nd Submarine Brigade. It was stationed in the Tallinn Minnaya Harbor, providing submarines with combat missions. In early July 1941, together with the submarines, it moved to Ust-Luga, and then to Leningrad. From 1942, it was a floating base of the 3rd submarine division. In 1944, it was stationed in Turku and provided combat activities for the submarine brigade. In 1954, it was converted into a floating barracks, and in 1961, into a target ship for testing anti-ship missiles. In October-November 1961, while testing anti-ship missiles, it sank in the Gulf of Riga at the Baltic Fleet test site (Kihnu and Ruhnu islands area).​

 

Fake keel laying plate of the gunboat "Koreets/Кореец/Korean".

Silver.
Size 102 x 69 mm.

Marked with a fake Sweden silver hallmarks and maker's mark.

Fake case.

The gunboat "Koreets" was laid down in December 1885 at the Bergsund Mekaniska shipyard in Stockholm. Launched on August 7, 1886. Entered service in 1887. Before the start of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, together with the armored deck cruiser of the 1st rank "Varyag" (commander - captain of the 1st rank V. F. Rudnev), she was in the Korean port of Chemulpo (now Incheon) with the purpose of protecting Russian interests. On February 8, 1904, "Koreets" was sent to Port Arthur with an urgent dispatch to the viceroy, but the Japanese squadron of Rear Admiral S. Uriu, blockading Chemulpo, blocked her way. According to some sources, after the commander of the Koreets, Captain 2nd Rank G. P. Belyaev, turned back, the Japanese destroyers fired three torpedoes at the gunboat, two of which missed, and the third sank a few meters from the side. The Koreets gave the signal "repel mine attack" and immediately, since the boat was entering a neutral roadstead, "stand down". But after this signal, the gunner of the stern 37-mm gun accidentally fired 2 grenades at the enemy. On February 9, 1904, the Varyag and Koreets left Chemulpo and at 11:45 entered into battle with the Japanese squadron, which lasted about an hour. The battle took place at a great distance, so most of the Koreets' shells did not reach the enemy. The Japanese shells mostly overshot, causing no damage to the boat. During the battle, the ship fired 52 shells at the enemy; the only damage was the ram compartment pierced by a fragment of a Japanese shell. There were no casualties. To prevent the ship from being captured by the Japanese, after the battle (at 15:55) the Koreets was blown up in the Chemulpo roadstead. The following volunteered to blow up the boat: Lieutenant Levitsky, Warrant Officer Butlerov, Junior Engineer-Mechanic Frank, Boatswain's Mate Yakov Sofronov, Mine Quartermaster Parfen Yemelyanov, Artillery Quartermaster Nikolai Voginov, Clerk Pavel Glazunov and Seaman 1st Class Ivan Dyachkov. The crew was taken aboard the French cruiser Pascal and delivered to Saigon. The crew soon returned to Russia. In St. Petersburg, all the officers were awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree, and the crew members were awarded the insignia of this order. In honor of the sailors' feat, a special medal was instituted "For the Battle of the Varyag and the Koreets at Chemulpo", which was awarded to all participants in the battle. In 1905, the gunboat Koreets was raised by the Japanese and scrapped.​