Order of the White Eagle replica/copy?

[Tara]

This is a little enamel pin I came across that I'm trying to find out more about.  Googling lead me to some photos of the Serbian Order of the White Eagle medals, which it resembles. Although it looks more modern to me and some details are different. It's about 32 mm by 38 mm.

[paul wood]

Looks like quite a nice miniature White eagle with Swords  to me.

Paul

 

[Tara]

Hey thank you!  So I bought this today, came across it while looking online at vintage jewelry listings. I can take some better photos when it arrives in the mail.

[Rush79]

Looks real to me too, it resembles a Fran Sorlini type (the shape and the swords).

When you receive it by mail, maybe you can look for any hallmarks?

[Tara]

Thanks, yes, I'll go over it for any hallmarks carefully.  The seller was listing it as a brooch, possibly fraternal or military. She didn't mention any hallmarks in the listing but perhaps she overlooked them. 

[paja]

The miniature looks just fine to me as well.
The only unusual thing is the pin, they came with suspension ring and ribbon.
Also the quality looks very good, I've seen some hideous miniatures of that order.
You can see more examples here.
One more thing, the miniature appears to be gilded so it should be 4th class or higher.

[paul wood]

I suspect the gold pin is a later attachment probably designed for ladies evening wear.

Paul

[paja]

I agree, it must have been added later. I won't say it's impossible that the order was awarded to a female but considering that it's with swords it sounds more likely that it wasn't. Of course there were female recipients of Karađorđe Star with Swords like Milunka Savić (Милунка Савић) and Flora Sandes, so who knows.

[Tara]

I took some photos of the miniature medal today- hopefully these show the details a bit better.  I haven't been able to find any hallmarks.  It's unfortunate about the safety pin that's been attached.  I think this was done by soldering- not sure how much damage it will cause to remove it.

another photo

[paja]

Looks like soldering to me as well. If it was up to me I would leave it the way it is.
I presume this was done by the recipient, I doubt some collector would do it.

[Tara]

[paja]

Thanks for additional photos, a very nice example.
Compare the quality with this one for example. Photos found here.

Edited September 21, 2016 by paja

[Tara]

Oh no, I wouldn't attempt to remove it as I'd probably just make it worse.  It's hard to tell from the low resolution photos, but those two look ...sort of bulky?  lol, I'm not a collector obviously but I like this one better than those. 

[922F]

Recall many ladies wearing Serb/Yugoslav White Eagle full size insignia in the 1960's-70's "Because it looks so nice" or "It came down through the family."   Usually these were knight, officer or commander badges worn suspended from a chain around their necks.  One time, though, a Grand Cross star [civil] worn pinned as a stole fastener!!  [not even mink!!]   When informed what these pieces actually represented and signified, "Oh no, it's Polish" or "Not true, a Paris creation!"  Suppose these replies due to ignorance or the 1950's-60's availability of Coro 'jewelery'!   One lady took me seriously and removed her 'necklace.'   I recall similar stories from people like S.G. Yasinitsky involving Imperial Russian awards and George Dimacopoulos regarding  Greek Order of the Redeemer pieces.  And...Michael Jackson's White Eagle commander??

 

Seems an extremely remote possibility this item originally belonged to a female holder of the Order with swords--but, perhaps, practically anything is possible.  I'd opine that it was converted as a piece of 'found art' into a stunning pin.

 

I, contrary to other contributers, would attempt to remove the pin by the most simple means--heat the pin with a soldering iron myself or ask a jeweler to do it.  That should melt the solder and release the pin.  If that method failed, leave it as it is because epoxy [the next most likely 'fastener'] is nearly impossible to remove without solvents that could damage enamel.    

[paja]

Frankly speaking that idea didn't even cross my mind but that just might be the case here, unfortunately. 
Now don't be too harsh on Michael Jackson, if I recall correctly he said that was his way of honoring the troops 
Jokes aside I find wearing decorations in public (for that matter indoors as well) as fashionable details very offensive and disrespectful. Not to mention the fact that he was wearing White Eagle around his neck during the child-molestation trial.

[paul wood]

The sad thing is the Michael Jackson probably didn't even remotely understand what he was wearing but to those who did I can see it was quite disrespectful. In the 60s and 70s in England we had a lot of teenagers wearing pseudo military uniforms and wearing various British campaign medals on them, they thought it was cool but again they had no understanding of what they were wearing.

Paul

[pieter1012]

Paul,

you may remember that in those days one could even buy second hand original guards jackets in Carnaby Street (London). Those red jackets were much in fashion with the youth and were sold cheaply. I was then a teenager myself and bought a Cold Stream Guards coat, not to wear, but just for the fun of it. I still have it as a memory to the days of "flowers in your hair".

Pieter

[paul wood]

Pieter,

Yes I remember it well, I think it was the cover of the Sergeant Peppers LP that sent the trend going. Carnaby Street was certainly the place to be in the late 60's and gave ample opportunity to waste money.

Paul

[Tara]

Thanks everyone for your help.  I definitely think the pin was added much later after the medal had been passed down a generation or two.  Or perhaps ended up with someone who simply didn't understand the significance of it.  I can't imagine wearing, say, a relative's WW2 Caterpillar Club pin, but that's because I know what it is.  I can see someone thinking it was just a neat little vintage pin, especially before the internet.

[Nikola]

On 24/08/2016 at 17:53, Tara said:

This is a little enamel pin I came across that I'm trying to find out more about.  Googling lead me to some photos of the Serbian Order of the White Eagle medals, which it resembles. Although it looks more modern to me and some details are different. It's about 32 mm by 38 mm.

This is Serbian Order of the White Eagle medal. It was given during the great war as one of the highest medals and honors that the king could bestow on a soldier. The highest being the Order of Karadjorje Medal (read: Kara-George "Kara" as black. Black George's medal).

Orden belog orla - Wikipedia

On 24/08/2016 at 17:53, Tara said:

This is a little enamel pin I came across that I'm trying to find out more about.  Googling lead me to some photos of the Serbian Order of the White Eagle medals, which it resembles. Although it looks more modern to me and some details are different. It's about 32 mm by 38 mm.

 

This is Serbian Order of the White Eagle medal. It was given during the great war as one of the highest medals and honors that the king could bestow on a soldier. The highest being the Order of Karadjorje Medal (read: Kara-George "Kara" as black. Black George's medal).

Orden belog orla - Wikipedia