Graf

Hi Vazov,

Here is the requested Order I included more pictures from a friend collector -the ones with the blue background

I usually have mine on black background - because i believe makes the details more clear

choose files... Click to choose files

Notice the swords- they are bent. I was told that some owners did this to make the Award  more dramatic I am not sure about that however I did not try to correct  for the risk to break them

Both Orders are with the notched edges on the arms and with free standing swords

Hi,

Those crosses are really Silver gold gilded/ Godet made much less numbers of Bulgarian Orders then Zimmermann.Interesting fact about Godet is that he not always follow the strict design of the Bulgarian Orders

Here are couple of Zimmermann made St Alexander Crosses Both , like yours, are marked Silber

Here is also unmarked  Godet made GC Star - notice that he used swords from a German Order, which he used to make as well

I agree with all of the above.

I suspect the enamel is "new soft type' one

The pin attachment  system is typical of the many WW2 Fakes of the 1st Class Iron Cross

Vazov,  do not forget that this is a very high class and also very rare one. One can expect a very high quality for them, because they were not made in big numbers.

I agree with New World.

Ask the dealers to show you the side of the crosses. I would not buy if it converted and story made for it

Well done Vazov  It is interesting Order with many Models and variations.

The one with the lilies is not as rare as the one you got even in bad condition If you like it like that is fine many.

Some collectors like you like the way the awards are, other chase the close to mint condition, which may never happened, however they still hope to get them.

Here is the  4th Class 1st Grade of the Order without swords

Hi Ruiz,

Yes, you are right It is a nice Commander -German Made in rare Silver variation -Boris III Emission.. Most of them were made from gilded bronze I cannot see any ribbon loop ??!! I can see  part of a ribbon.Very rare i have seen maker marks on the German made ones.Most of them were made by C.F. Zimmermann , Pforzheim

The French made one had the French mark for silver -"boar head"  and the Austrian had the Austrian silver marks

"dog head with AA" and usually with the makers mark

Here is a nice Austrian made Commander by Rothe

Hi New World,

Yes, you are right only the 3rd Class 1st Grade Star is fake -It has Diamonds added to it to look Luxury Model.

It means that a Good Order was butchered for sinister purpose

I just found in my files one of the Viktor/Karissa Masterpieces

Hi Igor,

That what i suggested that your Order is an early Rothe. It is suggested that the very early orders were not made only by the Russian Makers , but few pieces made by Rothe do exist.and they are not mentioned in the books by the Bulgarian authors

Graf

Hi Igor

I saw this one on ebay not long ago. I have seen similar once more.

This one has features of the princely 1st St Petersburg emission {the cross form the obverse medallion and the loop on top}  and early Rothe King ferdinand model (the swords and the reverse medallion It is interesting piece

It is like what the French called "Hybrid' that is why New World could not find it in the books with the standard decorations

Here are some pictures of my early 1881-86 model

It is the 2nd St Petersburg Emission with very big letters on the obverse the medallion which is not flat

the reverse medallion is flat like the first St. Petersburg Emission

Also pictures of orders like yours but is the 1st St. Petersburg Emission (see the swords shape and the reverse medallion}  and like mine (part of an exclusive medal bar} They are not mine just for information

Hi

It is real piece of art I agree.

The reason i suggested the Diamond cut version against the Model with Diamonds is simply that King Boris III was much more modest man then his father and more likely is to have the first one

I might be wrong Perhaps this is the Star which was given to him by King Ferdinand with the Diamonds

Hi 922F if you asked me about the 1936 date of introduction of the Diamond Cut GC  Boris III Model, to be honest I do know.

Hi Alex,

It look more like diamond cut Star then one with Dimonds

The similar diamond cut Stars are the grand Crosses Stars of the Boris emission of the Order for Military Merit and the Order for Civil Merit That is more likely because the Maker used the same body of the Star as for this Orders

DEAR MEMEBERS,

RECENTLY THERE WAS A SPECIAL SERVICE FOR 73 YEARS SINCE THE DEATH OF KING BORIS III

IT WAS HELD ON 28TH OF AUGUST IN THE RILA MONASTERY WHERE IS HIS GRAVE

i WAS LUCKY TO BE THERE BY CHANCE AS PART OF MY TOUR IN THE BALKANS KING SIMEON AND HIS WIFE WERE THERE

RILA MONASTERY IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES I HAVE EVER BEEN.

I WAS ENABLE TO TAKE PICTURES INSIDE THE CHURCH, HOWEVER A FRIEND BULGARIAN SEND ME A COPY OF MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY THE BULGARIAN COMMUNITY IN CHICAGO i ASSUME SOMEONE HAD A PERMISSION TO TAKE PICTURES FROM THE GRAVE OF KING BORIS III

GRAF

Hi Igor

Thank you.

I missed few, because of bad timing....and a little bit of hesitation...and perhaps the other bidders wanted the item much more than i did at the time.

I am still chasing more variations, We do not know how many have been made, because apart from the well known Models many badges were made that did not follow any strict rules. And that is the beauty of collecting them.

Graf

Here is review of my Red Cross Badges collection

- Variations of some of the Models

-1915 Red Cross

- Mini

- rare King Ferdinand badge -shown earlier

i am still chasing more ..and i will update you

Graf

More Red Cross Badges

Graf

More models of the Red Cross  I like this Badge, because there are so many models and it is a chalenge and at the same time fun to collect it

1.  Large Badge -marked in luxury box

2. The same size Red Cross Badge with unusual open design

More of those medals with Document

Graf

Hi Igor,

Congrats. This Badge was sold recently on Ebay France

I was away and did not follow the Auction.

This is my contribution at this stage to the topic

Graf

Hi Vazov,

The Order you passed on could be OK. Simply we rely on sources where only discuss and show items that follow the rules The central medallions resemble the ones from 1915 Model.. However it is your judgment and do not regret.

 Orders with "three dots" do exist. 1st Class Order for Bravery with "three dots"  was sold on 25-th June 2010 on 173 Auction of Kuenker in in Osnabruck. It was a par of the one of the biggest sale of Bulgarian Orders out of Bulgaria. The collection belonged to a Bulgarian living in Paris.

The reason that there are some unusual pieces surfacing on the market is that most of the Bulgarian Orders were made by German, French Austrian and at the beginning Russian makers and sometimes they produced "once off' pieces that are either with the family of the recipient or in private collections and never have been shown to the rest of the world. That is why I opened the thread  "Military Order with error"

I have few pieces in my collection listed in different threads which had features not following the strict rules

However it does not mean that we do not have to be alert about the fakes and that is the role of those forums.

There could be situations when some parts were replaced because the decoration was damaged or the part was lost. Those are genuine alterations, compared to the latest changes made by fakers to increase the value of the Order.

BTW I looked closely the eMedals 4th Class with the lilies  You are correct -no pattern under the red enamel of the arms. It looks it is the model with smooth edges of the arms. I have the other model and I can only assume that it was the way it was made Similar scenario as the one on the pictures bellow The ribbon ring is marked 800 for silver

Regards

Graf

Hi Ilieff,

Thank you for the post It is exactly how I felt it when i was vising the Museum.

Nicely described

Do you suggest that the 1st Class Star with the three dots on your second last picture is post -war production i.e. Museum quality reproduction?

Yes, this is very interesting 3rd Class from the 1st Prince Alexander Model. -1st St Petersburg Emission

The grand Cross with the "skull and bones" from this Emission should be exhibited in the personal collection of Prince Alexander in the Museum

Unusual crown. It seems the crown is of French or other European Order

Whether it was added at the time.when the Order was awarded or in later stage is very difficult to judge

If is added in  recent times then it is a little bit worry.

 On the other hand  we are so used to the strict rules about the Bulgarian decorations that sometimes when such unique pieces surface we very easily reject them or look them with suspicion

Those pieces are reminder that the rule were not followed all the time.

I have in my collection few of similar pieces some with makers "errors" One has to separate them form the fakes.

Hi

Thank you for the reply

I also have seen couple of 1st Empire LOH with 1st Restoration reverse medallions -so called "Hybrids" when left overs from the previous period were used with replaced medallions corresponding to the particular period

I have not seen 1st restoration Order with the typical shape of the restoration period

It is  a pity that the Gold Commander listed above is pictured only on the front, because it was sold on auction in France few years ago with the description for the 1st Type of Restoration period...however no picture on the reverse

Otherwise it could have brought  more light to the issue.

I noticed that on this particular Commander the Henry IV is facing to the left, therefore i assumed that this could be additional specific feature for this period ..however not sure now.

Yes, It is a rare beast

I cannot find any good reference for this topic

Graf

Hi guys,

I asked for some more information regarding the 1st Restoration Model of the Legion of Honour ( April 1814- March 1815 ) Any good references?

Is the crown on the back central medallion only different features from the 2nd Restoration period or there are more differences

Regards

Graf

Hi Vazov,

The 4th Class 2nd Grade Order is again a rare model, Although not as rare as the one you listed yesterday

It is believed to be one of the very early Ferdinand emission pieces -" with the Lily connection between the cross and the ribbon ring. Both crosses are OK The one on eMedals site was a very nice one in near mint condition and I know the person who did not hesitate and did buy it. Not me. He is an advanced collector.

eMedals is a good site, however sometimes they also make judgment errors.

The 3rd Class 2nd Grade looks OK for me The finish is very nice and the central medallion is perfect However you have to ask the seller to do so called "needle" test

The main give away of the fakes is the soft enamel and not very well defined letters on the central medallion.

Ask for pictures on the reverse as well and compare with well known samples If possible pay with PayPal and if anything is wrong you can return it

Most importantly "listen" your guts If you do not feel comfortable of buying an item then pass it on.Like you did

Fakers are everywhere not only in Varna. I visited recently Sofia, as part of a small hollday in some of the Balkan countries,  and I went to see few antique shops

One of the dealer mention  a "new" Faker on the market, who is very good. That is a little bit worry

I was happy to visit the Military Museum in Sofia. Very impressive exhibitions of Bulgarian Orders and decorations  You have to go and see them Even they had small errors in matching some of the Sets

Graf

Hi Vazov,

Welcome  on board

This is not a fake Order It is very rare variation of the first model I saw the Bravery cross on Ebay, however i passed it because of the significant damage;

The VicMart as far as I know is still in action, however they do not sell much Orders and decorations now.

The Bravery Order you listed is one of their items which was sold , like you stated,  few years ago

You can see this cross in Prof. Pavlov book and also it is on display in the Bulgarian Military Museum in Sofia as part of Prince Alexander personal collection

Graf

Hi Vazov,

Thank you for the correction,

Yes It is General Nikolaev, 

Best

Graf