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    Democratic Republic of Georgia - Aviation Badge


    Chuck In Oregon

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    I'd like to share an aviation badge that I acquired a month or so ago. It is from the Democratic Republic of Georgia Air Force. The DRG existed from 1918 to 1921 and it must have had, I surmise, a very small air arm.

    The plane is an Ansaldo SVA-10, not one I had heard of before. Wiki says they had 10 Ansaldo aircraft in 1920.

    The two letters are a K and an A, for Kartuli Aviatsia or Georgian Aviation. The cross is a classic Georgian cross of drooping grape vines known variously as St. Nino's Cross, Georgian Cross or Grapevine Cross.

    This badge is not yet in my hands but it is in the hands of a close Georgian friend. There is an associated group which I have yet to see or pay for. I'm pretty curious.

    Enjoy

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    • 3 months later...

    I thought no one enjoyed this one. Thank you for your kind words. I'll be in Tbilisi for three weeks in April-May and I'll bring this and a few other collectibles home with me. Plus, I'll attend their Victory Day celebration. There won't be many more with living veterans. I'll share some pictures.

    Chuck

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    That's very nice to hear. You can be sure I'll post some new pictures in late May. I've still got a couple things from last year that I haven't shared yet. Don't know why.

    Meanwhile, my buddy has found a small partisan group, from a radio operator in the Ukrainian resistance. It has a Partisan Medal, Second Class, with document, a Chernenko variant (1984 re-issue) OPW-2 and a partisan veteran's badge. I have no idea how much to pay for this so if anyone has any thoughts, please share them with me.

    God bless all here!

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    • 3 months later...

    I'm back in Tbilisi for three weeks.  I have this badge in hand along with his DRG cockard and his silver portcigar, what I would call a cigarette case.  I've had a few of those over the years but this one is really interesting.  The aviator's name was Nikolai Gregoriev.

    i also scored some more items for my Kalamkharov group.  You don't know about that yet but there are are lot of badges and a treasure trove of documents and photos.  I mean, a LOT.  By itself it is an Imperial/Soviet medical badge collection.  This trip I have added six or so photos, five medical badges and two cockards.  I think I will eventually post this group as a separate collection.  Any thoughts on that idea?  It has been an interesting journey through the doctor's family history and his mistress's family history with relics and photos from each.

    Money being what it is, I can't afford a few other things that I've seen.  I couldn't resist an old silver with blue enamel St. Nicholas jetton, though.

    Pictures to follow in late May.

    One last thing.  I have decided to sell the bulk of my collections.  I'm lucky enough to have lived my full share and still be in reasonably good health.  It's time to pass it along.  Don't know quite where or how to start.  Maybe in our own sale room, something that I have not tried before.

    it's been a good visit with close friends so far.  I'll be here for May 9th, which has always been a treat.  Not many of those men and women left.  BUT ... I'm going to supper with one tonight.

    Good to be back here.  I've got so much you haven't seen.

    Chuck

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    • 1 month later...

     

    I finally retrieved this little group last month.  It belonged to Georgian Nikolai Gregorie and I bought it from his descendants in Tbilisi.  It consists of his DRG aviator badge, his Imperial Russian Air Fleet portcigar (cigarette case) and hat badge.  I present it for your enjoyment, starting with the three-piece group.

     

    All_three.thumb.jpg.abbc23ba19c1d1e6648f

    Lots of gold on his Air Fleet portcigar.  I imagine him as a man of honor doing a hard job well.  Some idiot, of course, thought it would be a good idea to polish it on some kind of buffer.

    Portcigar_front.thumb.jpg.b7618237c1028c

    Portcigar_open.thumb.jpg.93bcee0602b1585

    Even the latch is gold.  I'm told he was Georgian royalty.  Might be, this bauble wasn't cheap.

    Portcigar_latch.thumb.jpg.8ad9c99d7e7380

    His DRG officers' hat badge.  Not many of these around, either, I suspect, with the purges and all.

    Hat_Badge_obverse.thumb.jpg.5acdd8a380c4

    OK, here's the star of the group. You've waited long enough.  His DRG aviator badge.

    Badge_obverse_low.thumb.jpg.b4d5c9c5d5bd

    And the reverse.

    Badge_reverse.thumb.jpg.9e57fe881bb84f21

     

    Edited by Chuck In Oregon
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