Hello Gavin, hello Tom
I was looking to this thread only by today and I was getting more and more curious about what will come up next as you continued the discussion.
First thing the order you bought is for sure not Mr. Puric's for more than one reason. First a accompanying calling card is a very good selling performer and often used by non 100% honest dealers. Of cours they will have the accompanying text not clearly state that the order and the card have belonged to the same person. So you will never have the slightes chance to treat them as liars.
Second the Sorlini production started in the late 1930ies so it would be very uncommon that he was awarded one of those production items.And to be more cruel it looks that the order you have more like a Hugunin production rather than Sorlini, the quality of the making is too good for Sorlini, the box for certain is OK.
Third (the most wondering) is the answer of the Embassy people, if the have a list to look after who received or not and what orders I would be the first one amongst many other people liking to have a look at that list. Why? because this list does not exist. There was only the official bureau of orders and decorations in Belgrade keeping track of thos informations and unfortunately all of those tracks and databases have been destroyed in a fire probably on the bombing of Belgrad during the WW II and since then all data has been lost. Except for some class I and II classes as they have been published also in newspapers or military bulletins and they have been stocked and archived in other places.
You did a perfect research on orders and persons but unfortunately (and I am sorry for that) you will not manage to correctly tie those things togheter as they do not belong togheter.
For more pictures on Serbian orders look at my website.
If I could help any further please let me know or PM me.
Best regards from Switzerland
Milan