Bulgarian Recovering Captured Flags Badge

[cwdts]

Hello Guys! 

Wondering if anybody has any information on this badge. I believe it was for recovering captured flags during WWI. If so, how many were awarded? Couldn't have been too many. Any information would be helpful, thanks.

[new world]

This is supposedly very rare badge with just few awarded. Most of what you see for sale are fakes.

[cwdts]

I have faith in it's authenticity, It was purchased from EMEDALS in Canada

[new world]

47 minutes ago, cwdts said:

I have faith in it's authenticity, It was purchased from EMEDALS in Canada

So what? That is not 100% guarantee, that dealer sold questionabe items in the past.

[cwdts]

yes i understand that,do you have any idea as to how many were awarded and/or to who? i can't find anything about it's description.

[new world]

I recall reading somewhere that there were literally just couple of these badges awarded (around 2-3). It had to be such low number, think about it - capturing a flag in the battlefield was big deal and extremely rare event.

To me the quality of your badge looks too crude and unacceptable for such honorable and rare award. Look at Bulgarian badges from that period, even common badges were of high quality. What you are showing us is just not on par with the craftsmanship of that era.

Sorry to tell you, but your badge does not look promising at all... 

[ilieff]

Hi guys,

This badge was actually given to people who participated in the activities of hiding/smuggling the military banners of their units (and not re-capturing them), after the defeat in WW1. 

If I am not mistaken, the total number of badges minted (locally, in Bulgaria) is 200 and these were given to the people who participated in these acts - usually, about 4-5 people per military unit.

I need to double-check in Petrov's book, as he describes this in detail. In the meantime, here's an image of a badge from the museum of Pleven (supposedly an original piece) - yes, the quality was not as good as it should be for such rare award. 

[new world]

This is the worst quality of a badge I've ever seen, faker make better copies.

[ilieff]

Edit: The total number of badges produced is 100 (as per Petrov). They were produced in Austria (in 1924) after the local Sofia-based manufacturer refused production. 

About 50 of these were awarded to the officers, NCOs and soldiers who were involved in this ordeal. These were also among the last military decorations after the end of the war. 

And these badges are displayed at the Military Museum in Sofia. However, I have no idea if they have been divided into grades or types, as the metals used suggest.

[Igor Ostapenko]

[cwdts]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH ILIEFF;I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR INFORMATION AND PLACES TO CHECK..CWD