Graf

Hi Igor, Sorry, However this cross does not have the features of Zimmermann crosses The ball is not as big and defined and the cross does not have the quality and details I might be wrong, however that what i see

Hi Igor, We do not expect all the posts to be with pictures from our collections It will be nice to have all those items Cheers

Hi PREM, More information regarding Bulgarian Order for Military Merit you will find in Central and Eastern European States Section of this Forum Here is a overview of the Commander Classes of this Order from all periods including the Regency and Republican Periods -the two bottom ones Notice that the republican Model has wreath instead of crown Note: The Cross on the very left with the War Decoration is the 1st Class It is 75 mm wide It is from King Ferdinand Period The rarest model is the one with so called "flat" reverse central medallions -only single pieces are known in the collectors world Cheers

Yes Igor, Thank you for the pictures i looked in my files for this Knight Cross I could not find it I did not bid on this one Frankly I do not bid on eMedals Auctions, since i found them a bit funny to say the least Cheers

Hi Igor, It is a pity that you have only the front of the cross otherwise we can have more clues. This Kretly Set looks funny The Cross and the Stars do not look to match in time Cross is the Princely Model while the Star is the Kings model Unless they were awarded as they are in some transitional period we can speculate that they are joined together at later time

Hi Eric, Cheers

A nice old Commander

Hi JapanX, Yes, the central medallions of those luxury models are made of 18 Carat Gold . Some of the crosses are made of 18 Carat Gold some are Silver very heavily 18 Carat gilded In my opinion the making of 18 Carat gold crosses stopped some time between the WW1 and WW2 period After this period crosses in 18 Carat Gold are extremely rare even to the used to extravaganza French

Thanks Cheers

Hi Igor, Both types have their own place in the collecting world Cheers

Hi Igor I cannot see any strange It is 2nd/3rd Class First Emission 1881-1886 Russian made with the correct swords It look like it was re -enameled or at least some of the enamel repaired. I can see some marks on the ring connecting the cross with the ribbon loop I is a pity you do not have an image on the reverse Most of them have their maker's marks on the reverse of the crowns arms/pendalia

Hi LUbo, Sorry, typing mistake You are correct Read " The pair of medals DID appear in the German booklet in 1889, but it it DID NOT look to be sold in the SOTHEBY"S Auctionin 1998" Cheers Just edited the text to correct the typing mistake Cheers

HI JeffV, Congrats That is a good price Perhaps you next buy could be Commander like this one bellow It is also silver gilded Cheers

Hi Lubo, Thanks The pair of medals DID appear in the German booklet in 1889, but it DID NOT look to be sold in the SOTHEBY"C Auction. in 1998 I just noticed on Igor post of Spink Sale, an interesting fact. The Spink stated in the Provenance Section that those items had been sold by SOTHEBY"S Auction on 7 of July 1998. That mean that the Spink Auction took place in a later year. Silly of me I did not notice that fact earlier. Now i have to dig in the past or perhaps the current SPINK Auctions to find the year Igor can help me to avoid this search if he knows the year of Spink Sale.

Nice groups Cheers

Hi Lubo, Ifgor showed the book from the German Auction in in a post in 2019 His last post from November 2021 was from Spink Auction You stated Here is the rarest of all, no other gold award of this type is known to exist! Its listed as #086 of this fine booklet that Is displayed by Igor in the previous post. Sorry for the cut pictures. A bit a confusion ..needed some clarification I added pictures from SOTHEBY"S related to the posts. Did they organise the Auction with collaboration with Spink in 1998? Cheers Graf

Hi Lubo , Is this pair contributed to King Ferdinand? They did not appear in the SOTHEBY"S Auction Igor is shoiwng pictures from a SPINKS Auction site Hi Bayern, Thank you for the information Here are pictures from the SOTHEBY"S Auction on 7 July 1998 in London

See the swards they are hand made pattern on the back of the handles The central medallion appear flatter and the text is similar to Batenberg issue The rim is flatter compared to the other cross As a whole the cross is finer and the quality is better compared to the other cross

Hi Lube, Thank you for the information I said to myself the same when I joined the GMIC in 2011 Always is a nice to be a member to a club where we share our good and bad experience and contribute with our knowledge and expertise I can admit sometimes is getting hot and sparks fly in the air Yes, We all have this crazy stage in our collector's life I also have slowed down significantly, nearly to a stop . I can contribute that is due to the crazy time we have been living for the last 2 years Although we pretend everything is normal -it is not And all those events affected also our collecting We hope for the best I hope that you can contribute with your knowledge, expertise and experience to the forums Best Regards Graf

This is a classic 18 carat,16-17 Grams Gold Officer - Third Republic See the fine construction and the typical Gold appearance Usually they have the French hallmark " eagle head' for Gold on the bottom of the cross -on obverse or reverse side Size is 4O mm wide

Hi GM1, Thank you for the information. Spain Orders were not my main collector interest, however i am fascinated by the beauty of the Order of the Charles III Stars and crosses They are real master pieces

Hi Lubo, Welcome to the club. We will appreciate if you have any evidence backing your opinion. It is not a rule of those forums, however it will be nice if you have the right information to share with the members of the club. That way the members will avoid buying those "rare" items that are questionable. As novice collectors most stick to standard pieces, since it is safer. However as we advance our eagerness to buy "rare' once off pieces to advance our collections grows. That is why we can get in position buying this "rare" or once off piece that is not correct not to say fake. We all have experienced that and we learned from the mistakes. Did we? Once again Welcome to the Club

Hi New World, I agree with your point about the neck ribbon loop. At the same time we have seen few Sets of 1st Class/Grand Cross with crosses this loop. In my opinion the size is the most important if we have to follow the books, although we have seen those Sets with non standard size of either the cross or the Stars. We do not know whether those Sets had been awarded as they are or some of the parts were replaced due to damage or loss later I have in mind the well known and documented Sets not the ones in the collectors world where the mix and mach can take place at any time. See even in those Sets the rules are not followed in the Russian issue 1st Class Sets the one without the swords the Star looks like a later model The cross from the luxury Grand Cross Set has ribbon loop

Hi Great Dane, Good points Worth exploring further