Elmar Lang

Hello,

I always think that to correctly judge a piece, the best thing should be to see it directly. A picture can help but it isn't enough.

From what I can see, that Feldkappe looks like a modern copy, with fake inner stamps.

Best wishes,

Enzo (Elmar Lang)

Hello Brian,

thank you for your kind words regarding my dad's war merits, although I went off the topic related to your original post.

Yes, I'm proud of my father and, since he died on October 26th, 2008, I'm feeling quite sad also. Ok, he was nearly 91 years old, but remained present and clearly thinking until his last moments: this helped us a lot, to accept what was happening.

Now, talking again about the "Al Valore" medals and to commemorate my dad's military past, I've tried here to translate into English the "Motivazione" of his Silver Medal for Military Valour; this text is always written on the medal's award document and is read in front of the troops while the medal is pinned to the recipient's uniform:

Lieutenant (Artillery) Ennio Calabresi:

"Commanding officer of a heavy anti-tank battery with the task to defend an important sector attacked by superior enemy armoured forces supported with strong artillery fire, he inflicted heavy loss to the enemy, forcing it to retreat a first time. Attacked again, and put under the direct fire of numerous enemy batteries that subsequently destroyed three of his guns and killed the majority of his gunners, being repeatedly wounded also himself, he intrepidly resisted, giving to the surviving soldiers his own faith and enthusiasm. When the chief-gunner of his last piece fell killed, he took his place, continuing the fire until the last surviving enemy tanks retreated behind their lines. An officer who distinguished himself on other occasions already, was again an example of the highest courage, to the limits of self-sacrifice. Bir el-Aslagh (Northern Africa), May 30^th, 1942" (note: the area of Bir el-Aslagh, not far from Bir Hakeim, had the british nickname of "Knightsbridge").

After the war (and more than 4 years as a P.O.W. in India), he continued his career in the Army and retired in 1976 with the rank of Lieutenant General (Generale di Divisione).

Each year, on May 30th, he remembered his soldiers and his enemies (of the British 22nd armoured brigade, if I correctly remember) fell on the field that day, by publishing an obituary announcement on a national newspaper.

As said, for the same action, he also received the Iron Cross 1st Class, given to him personally from Gen. Rommel.

Back to collecting, In Italy there are many, many collectors of these "Al Valore" medals. They're attractive and their design is fine. More, each piece is nearly unique, because of its naming. The best, is when a medal is found with the award document, that reports, besides the recipient's data, the "Motivazione" that is the detailed description of the act of gallantry.

Personally, I regret that even an Italian citizen, possessing one of such medals would find a "wall" set up from the authorities, making any archival research almost impossible, unless finding an employee at the archive of the Ministry of Defense, acting "beyond the call of duty"...

Sincerely,

Enzo Calabresi (Elmar Lang)

Hello Gordon,

I'll be glad to inspect my Iron Crowns and I'll try to take good pictures too.

Anyways, I remember that the only "F.R" maks are those in the rectangle and the horizontal lozenge. I am sure that such marks are present on Rothe-made pieces only, and the usual gold marks. The same for pieces in silver.

As said, on those made by other jewellers, like Mayer etc. there are, besides the usual gold and silver marks, the corresponding mark, with the initials, like "V.M", etc.

Why haven't I ever been able to see a piece with the "F.R" mark and a jeweller's name different from Rothe?

This thread is interesting because discussing about marks, can help on any other Austrian order or decoration made of gold or silver.

Best wishes,

Enzo

Hello,

actually, there is no reference where to finde the lists of recipients of Italy's Medal for Valour. There's a book, published in the '30s with the list of all those who received the Gold Medal for Valour, from its institution (1833) until 1918.

More difficult, is to find a list of the French recipients of the "Guerre d'Italie 1859" type: French authorities, simply obtained from Italy a number of unnamed medals that were awarded to French soldiers; then, the medals have been named in France.

All names (and details of the action) are recorded in the "Bollettino Ufficiale del Regno d'Italia", where all laws and decrees were published. As we can imagine, looking for names and lists is a titanic work, especially because the date engraved on the medal, usually isn't that of the award decree. For example, my (late) father did an act of bravery, as an anti-tank battery commander, on May 30th 1942, being proposed for the Silver "Al Valore Militare" medal. The actual award happened in 1952 only and it was published on the "Gazzetta Ufficiale" (republican heir of kingdom's "Bollettino") in that year, although his medal is engraved "Bir el-Aslagh (A.S.) 30 Maggio 1942". I understand that between the act of bravery and the award, there was the retreat from Northern Africa and a lost war, etc. ... but he received the German Iron Cross 1st Class on May 31st, 1942.

Excuse me for this nearly off-topic detail.

All records (hopefully) of the "Al Valore" medals are preserved at our Ministry of Defense's archive but, due to financial problems, most papers aren't digitalized and they need a long research. Add to this that due to our latest "privacy law", informations about Bravery Medals can be requested from direct descendants only...

Best wishes,

Enzo

Hello,

the mystery about the EKO 1st Class in auction is solved: it will be sold in New York in January, and it's a very fine set indeed.

There's still a "question mark" on top of my head: until now, I can't understand what would the "F.R" code mean ("Fabelhafte.Realit?t"?...); honestly, I don't know.

In my collection, I have many Iron Crowns and, after Christmas I'll go and take them home to thoroughly check again their marks. I am sure that my EKO collar (in gold) has all the links marked with the "F.R" (in the rectangle); the "Gemsenkopf" and the centre link (where the badge is suspended), besides the mentioned marks, is signed per extenso with the name of Rothe in finely engraved capitals.

I've never seen pieces made -for instance- by Mayer's S?hne, with the "F.R" mark, but they are struck with the "V.M" one, same as those made by Rozet & Fischmeister (yes, that firm produced wonderful pieces!) are struck with the "R&F" mark, besides the gold or silver content marks. All of them, don't bear any "F.R" mark.

The copies of Rothe, made after WW1, are well identifiable from many details; and they can very difficultly deceive a collector. Though, I've seen later copies of Rothe, "updated" with fake 1866-1922 marks. Such pieces found their place in collections, in the same years when the market was flooded with fake orders of the old German states.

Best wishes,

Enzo

P.S.: looking at the scan of that marks' page, I've noticed that it shows silver marks (not gold ones): please see the "crescent" on Diana's head; the greyhound's head is for silver too. on the page's left there are some gold marks ("750") etc. In my opinion, that catalogue needs some corrections.

Hello,

it is sure that one of the two "parties" involved in this topic, is right.

Just asking, I would like to know what should the "FR" mean (if it's a taxation mark), since similar markings are with the "JR" (Josef Resch); "VM" (Vinzenz Mayer's S?hne) etc., usually accompanied with the silver mark (the "Diana's head", "Greyhound", "Chamois' head", etc.) and the "A" (if Vienna).

Best wishes,

Enzo

Hello,

I would like to add that the FR mark is the signature of Rothe, Vienna.

Gold is stamped, for example, with the "Gemsenkopf" or chamois' head if the piece was made of .750 gold.

Perhaps, I should read some reference book again, but I don't know what would the "FR" letters mean, if it should represent the "tax-paid" mark.

Thank you for any help and best wishes,

Enzo

P.S.: I think I've missed this interesting Iron Crown for sale!...

I've focused my interests on a numbered Skanderbeg 3rd Class, and I've missed this one! I need a new pair of glasses...

Enzo

You're welcome. I'm glad if I can be of help.

Enzo

Hello,

swords have been instituted in 1916, to indicate merit in the presence of the enemy, as an addition to the old "Kriegsdekoration": this device appears to be sewn on ribbons, or fixed by means of metal wires soldered on the back.

Swords are made of gilt brass, but there's evidence of them made also of Kriegsmetall (zinc alloy) or, rarely, of gilt silver or even gold.

Best wishes,

Enzo

Hmmm... I think I've seen Bob's fine piece already...

Enzo

Hello,

I'll be happy to write in the Forum my impressions about the "Red Auction". But please allow me to have some rest, after nearly 10 hours spent standing, hammering the sale in English and/or German.

Today, I'm in my office (it's Sunday...) doing administrative things and answering to clients' questions, etc.

Best wishes,

Enzo

Prices of Russian orders cant stop to amaze me

... but I need to say that some Yugoslavian pieces have been a surprise too!

Enzo (Auction House San Giorgio)

...but, as an enthusiast of Albanian phaleristic, I regret to say that seeing most of the Albanian pieces remaining unsold, it was quite disappointing.

At least, I'll buy some dreram-pieces in the after-sale...

Talking about bibliography, Eric's work is the book about Albania, and it's me to be proud of having used it during the cataloguing work (when we'll see the 3rd-4th Edition?)

Again, I need to thank Megan for her kindness, also in the name of my colleagues at the Auction House.

Wishing a best Sunday to everybody (I'm in the office, today...),

Enzo

Dear Colleagues,

I understand that this is close to advertisement, but I would like to remember that tomorrow, November 22nd, we'll sell in auction Ambassador's Dr. Spada Collection of Orders & Decorations of the Socialist Countries. On this occasion, a huge collection of pieces from Communist Albania will be sold, many of them, highly interesting.

Now, I need to say that the description of all the Albanian pieces has been done thank to the invaluable book of our friend Eric Schena, author of the best reference on this interesting and phaleristically nearly "unexplored" field.

Kind regards,

Enzo Calabresi - www.sangiorgioaste.com

Hello Sasa,

you can see tha catalogue clicking this link: http://www.sangiorgioaste.com/eng-site/auc...ta=006#category then, you can choose the nation and click on the single lots. All pictures can then be enlarged to better see the pieces.

Best wishes,

Enzo Calabresi

Hello Christian,

thank you for the important and fine details of the Glory Orders in our auction.

I've put the details with the lots, to give more info to collectors.

I understand: I should have given more, more and more details, both in the catalogue and online. To my excusation there is the difficulty to write as fast as possible (by myself and alone, although with the invaluable help of many people of this Forum too, to identify obscure pieces...) a 1310 lots catalogue. The result is a finely illustrated book and, hopefully, a successful sale.

As said, I'm always at disposal, to give all the possible details.

Best wishes,

Enzo Calabresi

Hello,

following to the interesting discussion started in this room about San Giorgio's "Red Auction" (thread "eyes candy") of Nov. 22nd, I would like to inform that tomorrow afternoon (Italy time) we'll put the reverse pictures of many USSR pieces on our web-catalogue (the one possible to see clicking "VIEW LOTS AND MAKE YOUR BIDS" and... excuse me if it is n't the most correct English...), in order to give more details.

I hope this would help a little more. In any case I'm at the disposal of collectors to give any detail.

Best wishes,

Enzo Calabresi

(Orders & Decorations Dept.)

Hello Wild Card,

I've found your opinion highly interesting.

As a collector, I am sure I've better invested my money, buying orders and decorations in the past 30 years than other friends/colleagues of mine, who bought stocks.

As an auctioneer, I understand that the collectors' market is strange, and sometimes with a downwards trend but, especially with high-end pieces, the value never fell down and hopefully, it never will.

Our "Red Auction" will take place in a very difficult international moment (economically). We couldn't forecast this current financial crysis: to organize our sale, took our time from January 2008 (when Dr. Spada decided to give us his Socialist collection), until the end of May (when the collection, after the valuation and inventory, was transferred to our offices), ending with late August, when I was ready after having catalogued the whole; the rest of the work was in the graphic dept. and the typography.

Let's see what will happen: we see high interest from both the Eastern and the Western Countries. This doesn't imply that all those interested persons would spend their money, though.

I don't think that prices would collapse (do you remember the price of Soviet Orders, back in the early '70s?): I think that in the late '80s-'90s they were under, underestimated.

I'm not pessimistic, but I know that the situation is not the best.

At the last auction in Basel (one week ago), I've seen Russian collectors and dealers spend a lot of money, not only in the Russian pieces, but widening (and eventually increasing the average price) their interest towards other European countries, such as Imperial Austria, the islamic states, etc.

sincerely,

Enzo Calabresi (Auction House San Giorgio, Orders & Decorations Dept.)

Hello,

to help collectors and researchers, my colleagues and I are preparing the pictures of the reverse side of many Soviet Orders & Decorations: these pictures shall be put in the online catalogue as soon as possible. The pictures can also be enlarged thank to the zoom option, in order to better see any important detail.

For any further detail and information I'll be available at the office's email and of course here, if the question could also be interesting and useful to the community of collectors and enthusiasts.

Sincerely,

Enzo Calabresi

(Auction House San Giorgio)

Hello,

in the past months, I've heard everything about the "decline and fall of Russian buying enthusiasm". At the Gunzenhausen show, my colleague and I had to listen to dark previews and statements like "Russians are pennyless now"; "it's the end of the market"; "all recent auctions have been a disaster", and so on.

I've been present in person at the Tammann sale held at the UBS in Basel, Switzerland, the past week. Besides the fine quality of the pieces offered for sale and the perfect assistance given to us customers from the auction's personnel and especially the expert who wrote the catalogue (this helps a lot!), I've seen the active and highly interested participation of many buyers from Russia and the Eastern Europe. The Russian pieces have seen the usual "fight" to give them a new owner and bids rose to excellent hammer prices; the same happened to Bulgaria, Serbia, etc..

Like anything not necessary to everyday's life, we cannot expect that prices would restless rise up to the space: the collecting market has a "wave" movement where a decrease of prices is always followed by an increase of interest (and prices, as a consequence).

In my opinion, quality pieces never loose either interest or their public of enthusiasts.

kind regards,

Enzo Calabresi

Dear Christian, dear all,

thank you for your kind words.

Of course, I'll keep everyone informed about any news regarding our "Red" sale, also in the case where we wouldn't sell one single lot.

Yes, back in the 80s, collecting Soviet Orders wasn't as cheap as in the early-mid 90s, but if a collector is a passionate historian and strongly wants something...

Besides the Soviet Union, that has its special place in the market and the first in our catalogue, I find also highly interesting the orders and decorations of the other Socialist countries, like the very well made pieces from Czechoslovakia or the "intricate" and intriguing honour system of Albania, just to give a few examples.

Best wishes,

Enzo

Hello,

thank you for the interesting comments about the "Red Auction" to be held in Genova, the coming Nov. 22nd.

I've written the catalogue for that sale and, please believe me, it has been a strong effort.

The Dr. Spada Collection is one of the best known and greatest private collections of phaleristic and the "Socialist" part of it, has been given to us for sale. This section has been put together in the mid-80s and in the months when the Warsaw Pact was falling apart. I know this "Socialist" collection since the days when it was put together and I need to say that I've been feeling honoured to catalogue it, although the end of this work would be its dispersion.

The "Treasures" of his collection, with outstanding pieces from all over Europe and Overseas, are going to be on exhibit at the National Museum of the Legion of Honour in Paris, France, from Nov. 19th on.

I am sorry if the catalogue hasn't been illustrated in a "scientifical" way, with micro-details, reverse detail, serial nos., etc.: yes, that would have been the best, but especially for reasons discussed in this forum too, the Auction House decided not to publish certain details; details that can be given to those prospective buyers that would request for a condition report and/or further detailed pictures (besides that, the online-catalogue's pictures can be strongly enlarged and this is a good help already).

The sale's terms and conditions: they are like those of most other auction houses, also where the originality of items is discussed. Of course, if any piece would be detected as a counterfeit, the purchaser will be refunded, in the same way and under the same guarantees as it happens for any European auction house.

The starting price is the lower estimate price (if a piece has an estimation of ? 1.000/1.500 the sale will start at 1.000) and the final price will be formed by the hammer-price plus buyer's premium (18%); the V.A.T. (20%) is calculated on the buyer's premium only; that means a total of the 21,6% to be added to the hammer-price. Non EU residents are exempt of V.A.T. Of course, if the purchaser needs the pieces be sent to his address, handling, shipping and insurance have to be added.

Please excuse me for this long and nearly-bureaucratic post, but I think that I should have given some clarifying details. I've been offline (and off-work) for many weeks, due to personal reasons, this is why I haven't been able to participate to this interesting discussion earlier.

From now on, I'll be glad to give any further detail and information (also those not illustrated in the catalogue!...).

I always find precious the opinions and critics from fellows collectors and colleagues.

Best wishes,

Enzo Calabresi

(San Giorgio - Orders & Decorations Dept.)

Office's Email: info@sangiorgioaste.com

Hello,

thank you very much for the information and help.

Yes, the medal is large and I think it is neither a watch's chain pendant, nor a jetton. I can't read the lettering in the scroll under the Hammer and Sickle symbol, but yes, style and manufacture are those we see on ornaments made in Central Asia.

I've spent most of yesterday night searching through old catalogues and books, but no success (I am sure that the book/catalogue where I've seen that piece is the one I've lost or hired or... whatever.

Could it be Khoresm?

Best wishes,

Enzo

Reverse face: