KIMKAN

Dear all, Most third class badges I have come across with were rather impressive pieces, not very heavy though but large (90 x 90 mm or close to that). I would say that smaller pieces like this one are quite unusual but do turn up every now and then. If I had to set a ratio, I would go for 10% of the cases, not more than that. Regards. KimKan

Dear all, This is another interesting example of a 2nd type 3rd Class 1st grade ODD badge that has been mounted as a star instead of a neck badge. Worthy of note in that case are the following remarkable points : The badge is not large at all. It measures 75 x 75 mm, a rather reduced version of the more common 95 x 95 mm 3rd Class ODD that are frequently encountered. Weight and size cannot be construed as a good reason not to wear it around the neck in that case. The badge is smaller and lighter than many other neck badges issued by most countries in those days. There is absolutely no trace of an earlier neck badge suspension feature. The reverse pin has been affixed by a professional jeweler. This is not a “do-it-yourself” kind of stuff. It really looks 100% original. It looks very much like a Chinese-made badge, not a European one. I am of the opinion that it became common practice over time to turn 2nd type - 3rd Class ODDs into breast star due to the reputation they carried with respect to weight and size. A smaller size star like this one could also have been bestowed upon a woman and we know for a fact that these badges were frequently smaller. Still many things to uncover further down the ODD road… Regards. KimKan

Dear all, I am trying to plug in three pictures of a very beautiful 2nd type 3rd Class 1st grade ODD badge made by the house of Bacqueville in Paris. Worthy of note is the fact that the reverse side clearly shows that both a suspension hook and a breat star pin were provided by this silversmith. A 3rd class ODD badge is a neck badge. However, as a reminder of the good old 1st type days, a breast star pin was also provided as these Chinese neck badges were frequently modified not to be worn around the neck due to their size and weight. Hope you will find this interesting. Regards KimKan

Yes, I will try to do my best next week-end to take close-up shots of this unusual suspension system. Regards. KimKan

Dear all, The conversion from neck badge to breast star could almost not be avoided as these first type ODD were perhaps the largest and heaviest neck badges ever made. Every now and then, we can see pictures of famous people wearing two or three neck badges at the same time and this 1st type ODD leaving limited space to the others. That was a frustrating situation indeed. This observation is still relevant when it comes to the 2nd type ODD, still a large and impressive badge after any medal standard, hence the breast star conversion that immediately comes to mind. I have recently come across a French-made 2nd type 3rd Class ODD badge made by the house of Bacqueville in Paris that comprises both the back pin to wear it as a star AND a suspension loop to wear it as a neck badge, both devices being absolutely original and provided "as is" by this famous maker. This testifies to the fact that this neck versus breast ODD badge issue was not a passing whim but something that makers had to take into account to satisfy their customers. I am not aware of any other similar situation in the world of orders and decorations. Regards KimKan

Dear all, The auction drclaw is mentioning took place in Paris on November 13th and 14th 2012. The auction house was that of Beaussant Lefèvre and the auction expert was Mr. Jean-Christophe Paltey. This ODD 1st type was auctioned off under number 368 with an estimate of 10,000 to 12,000 Euros. It did not reach that price and went for 8,000 Euros plus circa 23% fees and taxes, i.e a final tag of 9,800 Euros. The badge was in pretty bad shape and the engraved name mentioning the house of Man Wah Liu looked very much like a later personnal add-on, not an original maker's mark. However, there is not an inch of a doubt that this badge was once a beautiful and genuine neck badge with too many petty cottage modifications (ugly pin on reverse, removal of suspension loop etc...) to attract the usual sky-high prices that have recently been observed. Regards. KimKan