utopis

Hm it would be interesting to know whether the piece is made from acid treated (real) silver or just some painted metal.

On this one you can see everything that the original piece has, too (except inscription). The central disk is just more stylized. Well, like an European manufacturer would know what any of those signs meant

has anything to do with this The pieces of European manufacturers were often influenced by their artistic freedom.

Like this

GC

Come on! -high quality cloisonne enamel. -very fine stamped details. -filigree hinge construction. -chiseled central medallion These are worlds apart! The chrysanthemum has badly made enamel (if hot enamel at all) and the details are very sloppy. Hm, I'd rather think that European awardees commissioned high quality pieces in Europe since the Korean made pieces are not very well done (or replacements for lost pieces). Just like the European made Lion and Sun's

Yes, Taeguk, and in excellent quality. As far as I now these were from French manufacture beginning of the 20th century.

Yep, you're right. Nonetheless I don't think that these were really gcs. Especially since a badge with a 3rd class construction will twist on a sash. The swan mark on the set from bm is really interesting, indeed. Looks like another put together group. The sash was a replacement, anyway. @Taganrok: No, not this one. "Recently", as I put it was a year or two back, if I remember correctly.

Yes, the rays of the star base are correct silver and gilt but not the badge on the star. Peterson, same paragraph "the breast star is 81 mm in diameter, convex and has the gold-plated enameled badge set with pearls"

While on topic, do you have an idea what happened to the red enamel on this one? Looks like an unfinished piece.

I remember one complete first class with sash going on an auction recently for ~6000 €. + Here we have that only USA bidders thing going on. Yep, to different buyers but that shouldn't be a surprise.

Well, I guess I was wrong. I didn't expect it to go so high. Sash badge: $5655 Breast star: $4400 $10.055 for a set without sash, box and with wrongly plated breast star....

I think that goes without saying.

Doesn't the large suspension ring indicate a grand cross?

Thank's very much for this rare insight!

Interesting, could you take a picture of the parts that are usually not visible (e.g. back of the blue disk, base without disk)?

Lion and Sun with rhinestones. What do you think is the country of origin?

Actually, I wondered that, too. But beyond that I can't see anything alarming.

I thought of that too and asked the seller but he only ships to the ebay address which must be in the US. So for me that's checkmate.

breast star

Beautiful pillars of state 1 cl on ebay right now. As we remember with the golden kite a "only shipping to us"-policy might cause another bargain. We'll see...

Well done! Especially the first one is a great piece - a worn early war award is probably the best it can get. Now it will be interesting to try dating the different types.

Looks rather hand polished. Chemicals would remove a patina evenly and in the deepest spots. But here the deeper areas aren't cleaned. That's were a cloth (or whatever was used) can't reach the surface.

No, no, the warlord was plain only the breast star had enamel in each possible color

Well on the last Zeige auction somebody was ready to pay for one of those rainbow colored dead eyed warlord fake breast stars 110€ + 25% premium. So this one is still in the price range