Rusty Greaves

I have found a few higher-resolution images of a different example of the J. Lattes folding business advertisement flyer that I illustrated as the first 3 images in my post of 25 April, 2019 on this thread (I also included the image of the first page of that advertisement as the 6th photo in my post of 12 November, 2019). The three photos below come from an auction listing of 11 August, 2019, Lot 28 of One Source Auctions (https://www.onesourceauctions.com/auction-lot/Antique-c.-1900-s-Lattes-Jeweler-Oriental-Egypt_8764E15B9F/), also archived on the AuctionZip website (https://www.auctionzip.com/auction-lot/lot_8764E15B9F). The One Source Auctions (and AuctionZip) description provides no information on this advertisement beyond its dimensions, given as 5 .25 " (inches) X 4". This is a different, more pristine, example of this folding card than the one I illustrated from the eBay auction offering of 18 July, 2018, that has someone's numeric calculations on the first page and some water-staining of all 3 pages. The 2018 eBay listing identified the dimensions of this card as measuring 4" X 5-3/8" when folded and 5-3/8" X 8" when opened. That 2018 eBay listing included a moderate resolution image of the first page of the J. Lattes advertisement, but only lower-resolution images of the center map and back page illustrations that make up the the other 2 folding advertisement card pages. In my post of 12 November, 2019 on this thread, I mentioned that I had seen another version of this advertisement, probably the one illustrated below, as a very low-resolution image in a listing on the invaluable.com website (https://www.invaluable.com/advertising-general/sc-LY1J4TXKAW/?page=73) that was not worth posting here as it added no visible details to what I had been able to show from the 2018 eBay auction photos I posted in my November 2019 post. I believe both of those former auction listings (on eBay and invaluable.com) are no longer archived online. All 3 of the pages shown below can be zoomed for additional details. Front page of the One Source Auctions illustration of the early 20th century J.Lattes folding advertising card. This image, and the two below, can be zoomed for greater detail. Interior folded page from the One Source Auctions listing showing a map of Cairo with the location of J. Lattes shop shown just above the fold in black ink. (also see the contemporary map of this portion of Cairo from a tourist flyer for the Victoria Hotel & New Khedival that I illustrated as the 4th photo in my post about this J. Lattes advertisement on 25 April, 2019. I also included a discussion about the location of Lattes shop in that post). Back page of the J. Lattes advertising flyer from One Source Auctions listing showing Egyptian Khedivate era (1834-1914) coin currency with American $ conversion values (for the Egyptian piastre). I am unclear why these are illustrated. Perhaps this chart was considered a handy currency conversion for tourist. The presence of a map inside the flyer and the currency conversion may have been an entrepreneurial hook to make this advertising flyer useful or popular with tourist visitors to Cairo. I think it is less likely that these currency illustrations also might be in the flyer because numismatic jewelry may have been popular with European tourists visiting Egypt. The coins illustrations do assist in roughly dating the printing and potential use of this flyer to prior to the change in coin currency forms under the Sultanate (1914-1922).

Gregory, this Abbas Hilmi II medal is commemorative, simply issued to celebrate 2 events in the political life of Abbas Hilmi II. It was issued to ceommemorate his return from the pilgrimage (haj) to Al-Medina and Mecca that he took in 1909 (returning in January of 1910) and to celebrate the anniversary of his coronation in January of 1892. It appears the medal was struck in January of 1910. This medal was never awarded to anyone for any particular achievement, they may have been given as gifts or made available for purchase. I am unsure about that, I know very little about such "table medals". Again, please look at some of the other information that I have posted about this medal on the discussion I referenced (in the Middle East & Arab States section") in my last post here on Friday, February 28.

Dear Gregory, you have asked me this question about the value of this commemorative medal before. The few auction listings I have seen for this medal had prices between $(USD) 600-almost $5,000. One eBay offering in 2017 with minimal documentation was sold for $76!. Please do see my more correctly positioned information about this medal in my thread "Egyptian Khedive commemorative medal question" that I started on 11 November, 2016 in the "Middle East & Arab States" section here on GMIC. I am getting some additional information ready to post on that thread about background on the events commemorated by this Abbas Hilmi II medal. Thanks for your continued interest in this beautiful medal.

Below is another example of a miniature Order of the Nile. This medal is from a 9-10 May, 2018 auction by Dix Noonan Webb (Lot 1367) ((https://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive/past-catalogues/lot.php?auction_id=476&lot_uid=311300) that also is archived on the saleroom.com website (https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/dixnoonanwebb/catalogue-id-dix-no10052/lot-5b9ef927-7193-47b6-b74a-a8c400880591), with the auction date identified as 8 May. This is one of a mounted set of 6 miniatures identified as belonging to Captain Archibald G. Forsyth of the Royal Flying Corps. The other medals include: a 1914 Star with clasp; a British War and Victory medal with MID oak leaves; a Kingdom of Serbia Order of the Star of Karageorge with swords; and a Kingdom of Serbia Bravery Medal in silver. The set is in a case marked A. H. Baldwin & Sons, London. Some additional documents, photos, and newspaper clippings also were part of this auction lot. The auction listing includes a short biographical sketch of A. G. Forsyth's aircraft engineering background and later career, his war experiences with the Royal Flying Corps, and work designing racing car engines. Both archived listings provide equivalently high-resolution images of this set, and the Dix Noonan Webb listing also includes a high resolution image of the 2 Serbian medals. There is no information about any service in Egypt or why Forsyth may have received this award. The A. G. Forsyth Order of the Nile miniature is identified in the auction description as a Knight's Class mini, and the configuration of a ribbon with no rosette is correct for the 5th Class of this award. The form of this miniature is nearly identical to the 4th Class Officer miniature illustrated in the first 2 photos of my post of 13 July, 2019 on this thread, showing an example from a March 2019 eBay auction. Both of these versions show identical facets and linear margins of each ray of the embellishment. They both also exhibit the uncommonly undecorated link between the superior ray of the embellishment and the crown suspension device. The calligraphy of the gold central boss appears to be identical in both examples. What is distinct, and unusual, about the above Dix Noonan Webb example is that the gold margin of the central medallion's inscribed boss does not have small ball decorations, but is scalloped with simple cuts along the exterior margin, giving it a "beer bottlecap" look. The eBay example in my 13 July post has uneven facets forming the medallion frame decoration that are not spheres, but they are more fully isolated than the simple cuts made in the medallion margin of the above Forsyth miniature. The auction description provides no information about the potential date of this award to A. G. Forsyth, nor any measurements for this medal. Additional information on dates and dimensions of the Serbian Order of the Star of Karageorge are included (but not for the other medals in the group). The Dix Noonan Webb archived listing does identify the material as silver, gold appliqué, and enamel.

I keep coming across this odd miniature of the Order of the Star of Ethiopia being auctioned as a miniature of the Egyptian Order of Ismail. The ribbon on this medal is that of the Order of Ismail. Owain first made me aware of the correct identification of this medal after I posted it on 17 December, 2017 as the 3rd photo, on the thread "Miniatures of the Middle East & Arab States", started by Oamotme on 6 December, 2017 in the "Middle East & Arab States" Section here on GMIC. Owain pointed out that the 2 separated lower arms of star of this miniature are odd. Subsequently the same medal has turned up periodically on auction sites, always incorrectly configured with this ribbon and labelled as a mini of the Order of Ismail. I would appreciate any comments by some of the learned GMIC scholars here about this unusual configuration of the Order of the Star of Ethiopia miniature. Above is a low-resolution image of this anomalous (?) configuration of a miniature of the Order of the Star of Ethiopia that I first encountered masquerading as a mini of the Egyptian Order of Ismail. This comes from a 4 December, 2017 auction listing of Spink & Son (Lot 140) that is archived on the salesroom.com website (https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/spink/catalogue-id-srspi10156/lot-bd1c4e4c-7dc1-4560-a3c7-a83200ba36e7). This is the only listing for this particular miniature medal that includes its dimensions: 25 mm tall including the crown suspension device X 16 mm wide. The auction listing states it is silver gilt with a "925" silver purity marking on the revers, but does not identify the material of the red cabochon. No image of the reverse was provided in the auction listing. I next came across the above 3 better-resolution pictures of the same miniature, again listed as a mini of the Egyptian Order of Ismail from a Bene Merenti Auktionen listing of 6 April, 2019 (ID 175086, Lot 1028) that is archived on the Very Important Lot website (https://veryimportantlot.com/en/lot/view/agypten-ismail-orden-nischan-al-ismail-miniatu-175086). The auction description states that it is silver plated, mistakenly identifies the silver purity mark as "935", and identifies the red cabochon as glass. As these images are higher resolution, it was unclear if this was another example or the same miniature. However, the two white portions of the weft that are visible in the ribbon on the upper right margin of the ribbon in the first photo are identical to those seen in the first image (obverse) from the Spink & Son auction of December, 2017 (and below in the Stephen Album Rare Coins example below). The image of the reverse clearly shows the silver purity marking as "925". I cannot zoom the image of the reverse of this medal for a better view of the hallmark to the left of the silver purity mark. The above high-resolution photos are the most recent auction appearance I have found of this same medal, again fitted with a ribbon of the Egyptian Order of Ismail and incorrectly identified as a miniature of that order. This comes from a 23-25 January, 2020 auction listing of Stephen Album Rare Coins (Auction 36, Lot 1884), archived on the NumistBids.com website (https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=3628&lot=1884). The auction description provides no information about this medal, simply reiterating some information regarding the Order of Ismail. Note the 2 white portions of the ribbon's weft in the same position along the right margin in the obverse view identifying this as the same medal as in the previous 2 auction listings (at least the same ribbon). Some debris on the reverse side of the ribbon visible in this image also is present in the 3rd photo above from the Merenti Aucktionen April 2019 auction listing. The pattern of tarnish on both the obverse and reverse of the crown suspension device appears to show the same distribution compared with the 3rd photo of the second auction listing by Bene Merenti Auktionen of April 2019, shown above. The shadows in this photo show the design elements of this unusually configured miniature Order of the Star of Ethiopia quite well. The reverse can be zoomed for a slightly better view of the hallmark to the left of the 925 silver purity mark. As I am unfamiliar with Ethiopian regalia, I do not know what this mark may be.

Below is a low resolution image of a miniature of the Order of Ismail from a current Liverpool Medals auction (https://www.liverpoolmedals.com/product/order-of-ismail-commander), SKU L28804. The auction description correctly identifies it as a 3rd Class award and provides measurements of 30 mm (height) x 20 mm (width). There is no additional information except a condition statement provided in the description. The 3rd Class Commander is denoted by the silver galon and rosette on the ribbon. This example appears to be same mini I illustrated as the first of 2 miniature Order of Ismail in my post of 10 November, 2018 in very high-resolution photos of both minis. These 2 minis were listed on a 2018 auction of La Galerie Numismatique that also was featured on the Sixbid.com website (no longer archived on the internet). I also illustrated this same mini the as the 4th photo (only moderate resolution) of my post of 1 November, 2019 on this thread showing a moderate resolution image of that mini, along with the same 4th Class Knight mini that appeared in the 2018 La Galerie Numismatique auction, from an October 2018 Spink auction. The below illustrations add a photo of the reverse of this mini from the Liverpool Medals website, not present in the previous auction listings. This image of the obverse of this mini can be zoomed for a bit more detail. Compared with the very high-resolution image in my post of 10 November, 2018, the details of the rosette show that this is the identical ribbon. Other aspects of the faceted and rayed embellishment also show that this is the same miniature badge. The red stripes on the left side of the rosette show identical exposure and configuration of the blue threads with the 10 November image. Wear on the lower red stripe and the center blue one (between the upper red stripe) on the right margin of the rosette also are identical in the 10 November image of this miniature badge. Additionally, the parts of the crown suspension that appear red are the same as can be seen in the high-resolution 10 November illustration. The reverse of the same miniature Order of Ismail chest badge. None of the previous auction listings of this medal showed the reverse of this badge. No hallmarks are visible on the reverse of this low resolution image. Of interest, it shows the 2 piece construction with the facetted and rayed embellishment and crown suspension device as one piece and the gold (plated?) and enamel star as a separate component of the construction of this miniature. .

Below is a low resolution image of a miniature of the Order of Ismail from a current Liverpool Medals auction (https://www.liverpoolmedals.com/product/order-of-ismail-commander), SKU L28804. The auction description correctly identifies it as a 3rd Class award and provides measurements of 30 mm (height) x 20 mm (width). There is no additional information except a condition statement provided in the description. The 3rd Class Commander is denoted by the silver galon and rosette on the ribbon. This example appears to be same mini I illustrated as the upper image of the 3rd photo of 2 miniature Order of Ismail my post of 10 November, 2018 on this thread, in very high-resolution photos of both minis. These 2 minis were listed on a 2018 auction of La Galerie Numismatique that also was featured on the Sixbid.com website (no longer archived on the internet). I also illustrated this same mini the as the 4th photo (only moderate resolution) of my post of 1 November, 2019 on the thread “Question about the Order of Ismail/Nishan al-Ismail” in this section Middle East & Arab States”, along with the same 4th Class Knight mini that appeared in the 2018 La Galerie Numismatique auction, from an October 2018 Spink auction. The below illustrations include a photo of the reverse of this mini from the Liverpool Medals website, not present in the previous auction listings. This image of the obverse of this mini can be zoomed for a bit more detail. Compared with the very high-resolution image in my post of 10 November, 2018, the details of the rosette show that this is the identical ribbon. Other aspects of the faceted and rayed embellishment also show that this is the same miniature badge. The red stripes on the left side of the rosette show identical exposure and configuration of the blue threads with the 10 November image. Wear on the lower red stripe and the center blue one (between the upper red stripe) on the right margin of the rosette also are identical in the 10 November image of this miniature badge. Additionally, the parts of the crown suspension that appear red are the same as can be seen in the high-resolution 10 November illustration. The reverse of the same miniature Order of Ismail chest badge. None of the previous auction listings of this medal showed the reverse of this badge. A comparable image of the reverse of a miniature Order of Ismail is seen in the upper photo of Owain's post of 12 December, 2017 (upper row, 2nd medal from the right) on this thread. No hallmarks are visible on the reverse of this low-resolution image. Of interest, it shows the 2-piece construction with the facetted and rayed embellishment and crown suspension device as one piece and the gold (plated?) and enamel star as a separate component of the construction of this miniature.

922F, many thanks for your comment. I am woefully ignorant of the British form of sashes. I really appreciate your information that the narrow, unpinked form of the decorative bow, and the fringed, unpinked margin of the sash is a British form. I mistakenly thought it was an Egyptian variant of the sash. In response to your comment, I have tried to look at photos of sashes for British awards and see why you posed this question. This is the only example I have seen of the Order of Ismail with this sash form. The Eisenhower example has an unpinked bow, but the form of the bow and the pinked margin of the sash is the same as all other Grand Cordon examples I have come across in my research. Unfortunately, the Grand Cordon set shown in the 15 January post is not identified with any award recipient. I know very little about how most of the individuals I have identified (either as just names or through photos) have received their Order of Ismail awards, and am afraid I do not now if the choice of such a sash form was on offer from the King of Egypt or may represent a possible after-the-fact construction by folks who wanted a British form of the sash. I have no information about who was the recipient of the Grand Cordon Class of the Order of Ismail from an April 2018 auction by La Galerie Numismatique (https://www.coins-la-galerie-numismatique.com/auction-xxxviii-day-1/order-ismail) that also is archived on the liveauctioneers.com website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/60483636_order-of-ismail) that I illustrated in my first post of 15 January, 2020 (and on 22 February, 2019 showing some of the hallmarks; on the sash badge the date hallmark is "B" for 1927-1928, and a date hallmark of "C" on the breast star, indicating and assay date of 1928-1929). The three British Governor--Generals of the Sudan who I discussed in my post of 25 November, 2019 (Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer, Sir John Loader Maffey, and Sir George Stewart Symes) were British citizens, but wore their Grand Cordon Class Order of Ismail awards with the standard Egyptian form of the sash. This seems logical as the awards from King Fuad I may have been given to emphasize that the Governor-Generals were serving Egypt's interests in the Sudan as a pointed criticism of Britain's condominium form of administration. They would have worn their regalia principally in relation to serving in that role. Now that you have educated me about this possibility, I will keep my eyes open should any indication that a choice of sash forms was possible in my future searches of auction examples and photos of individuals wearing the Order of Ismail.

Below are the additional images of the 2nd Class Order of Ismail from the three La Galerie Numismatique auction offering that remained unsold from the March, June, and September 2013 auctions, archived on the liveauctioneers.com website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/15928155_order-of-ismail). These are the 2 photos that accompanied the image of he neck badge and breast star I included as the 3rdimage in my recent post of 1 February above. Image of the obverse of the neck badge of this La Galerie Numismatique set, again showing the anomalous/unique form of engraving on the gold and blue enameled arms of the star. As with the picture of the complete set, this image is a very popularly downloaded online image used to represent the design of the Order of Ismail. The even lighting of this photo shows the engraving in very good detail. The image can be zoomed a bit. Only the arms of the star with the different engraving raise the question about whether this may be a genuine variant form of the Order of Ismail. However, some elements of the central medallion appear to be inconsistent with several other Lattes made neck badges and sash badges. For example, this piece has a different pattern of the gold dot fruits and the red-enameled bands of the wreath are thinner and less evenly executed with all other photos of neck badges I have seen for Lattes made Order of Ismail regalia. The crown suspension device is the same as on other Lattes badges. The margin of one Egyptian gold hallmark can be seen on the right side link of the superior arm of the star to the crown suspension device, as is present in photos of all other Lattes sash badges and neck badges of this Order. I am now looking at some other minor variation in engraving on sash and neck badges and will post a more systematic comparison in the future. Image of the reverse of the neck badge and breast star of this same set. Although this photo can be zoomed a small amount, the detail is not good enough to read the gold hallmarks of the neck badge or the silver hallmarks on the breast star. As noted in my previous post about this set, it does show the location of these hallmarks. The low level of details in this photo provide no reason to suspect that there is anything odd about the reverse boss of the central medallion of the neck badge showing the Lattes maker’s mark and gold hallmarks or the facetted and rayed embellishment and reverse boss of the central medallion of the breast star. Additionally, the reverse of the arms of the gold star visible in the image of the neck badge and breast star don’t show anything that appears odd. Above is the very high-resolution image of the reverse of the reverse of the same Grand Cordon example of the Order of Ismail whose obverse is shown in the 1st photo of my post of 31 January above showing the January 30, 2020 auction listing on the Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG website, Auction 331, Lot 1704 (https://www.kuenker.de/en/auktionen/stueck/251846). The complete set of Egyptian silver hallmarks I described in the 31 January post can readily be read if this image is zoomed. The reverse of the gold arms of the star show a significant number of scratches principally in one direction on the 2:00, 5:00, and 7:00 arms and in 2 directions on the arm in the 10:00 and 12:00 positions. These arms appear to be flat on their reverse side. The best images of the reverse of these arms on unquestionably genuine examples come from eMedals excellent photographic documentation of auction pieces and hallmarks showing some preferred orientation of scratches, but not as in this Künker example. There are many fewer scratches and more random scratches. Additionally, several high-quality images from eMedals listings clearly show that the arms are slightly concave, unlike this January 2020 Künker piece (see below). Reverse of one of the arms of the gold star of a Grand Cordon Class breast star of the Order of Ismail from a pre-2016 eMedals auction showing the slightly concave form of the reverse of this arm, in contrast with the Künker example above (https://www.emedals.com/order-of-ismail-1915-w01271). It also shows the lack of the kind of scratches seen on the Künker Grand Cordon breast star. The "F" hallmark identifies a manufacturing/assay date of 1931-1932. I previously included this photo as the 5th-to-last image in my post of 11 January, 2019 in a discussion of hallmarks (and incorrectly captioned it as a Grand Officer Class breast star).

While chasing down the La Galerie Numismatique image of the strangely engraved 2nd Class Grand Officer Order of Ismail that I included as the 2nd and 3rd photos in my most recent post, I came across the image below that also is archived on the same liveauctioneers.com website. As discussed in my recent post of January 15, 2020 here addressing the form of the decorative bows for the Grand Cordon sash, I want to include this image as another example of the form of the bow configuration. Moderate-resolution photo of a cased Grand Cordon Order of Ismail from a May 2010 auction (Lot 0113) of La Galerie Numismatique that is archived on the liveauctioneers.com website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/7368616_113-order-of-ismail). This catalog page set of images shows a cased sash and sash badge for an offering that lacks the breast star for this set. The medal bed is missing showing some detail of the push release mechanism in the case (as seen in the 4th photo of my 21 October, 2019 post on this thread). The auction description provides minimal information other than confirming that J. Lattes is the manufacturer of this sash and sash badge, obvious from what is visible of the interior case lid. The auction listing notes the presence of gold hallmarks, but provides no information about those marks. The case lid shows the cipher of King Fuad I that only helps to situate the date of this piece to sometime between post-1922 (when it appears that King Fuad I's cipher changed from that used in the sultanate, as seen in my discussion of case form variation in examples of the Order of the Nile in the first post of 21 October, 2019) until 1936. The above image shows the two decorative sash bows that have pinking of their margins above a lower single bow that is hemmed. The few photos I have been able to find of sashes for the Grand Cordon Class Order of Ismail that clearly show how the bow is tied generally show this form of the decorative bow with two bows that have pinked margins overlying a single basal bow that has a hemmed edge (the 5th - 6th photos of the 15 January post), for a total of 3 bows. The only photo that shows a different configuration of this combination is the example in the 7th photo of my 15 January post that shows an example from December 2017 auction by Spink & Son, Auction that has two bows with hemmed edges below the two pinked bows (for a total of 4 bows). The Eisenhower example in the 4th photo of that post also has 3 bows, although none have pinked edges. That also appears to be the configuration of the complete cased set from the April 2018 auction by La Galerie Numismatique that is shown in the 2nd photo of the 15 January post. As seen for most of the sashes for the Grand Cordon of this order, the ends of the above La Galerie Numismatique example's sash also show pinking.

I just came across an odd example a 1st Class Grand Cordon breast star of the Order of Ismail breast from a January 30, 2020 auction listing on the Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG website, Auction 331, Lot 1704 (https://www.kuenker.de/en/auktionen/stueck/251846). This includes very high resoltion images of the obverse and reverse of this breast star and pretty good cropped images of the hallmarks from the reverse, The same offering also is archived on the NumisBids.com website (https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=3630&lot=1074). The Numisbids.com listing has the same high-resolution image of the obverse, but only a washed out, partial image of the reverse. No image of the hallmarks is in the Numisbids.com archived listing of this auction. The breast star is not associated with its neck badge or a case. The auction listing identifies the dimensions as 82.0 mm x 80.5 mm, without any clarification of which measurement represents the wider dimension. This is consistent with the size of the Grand Cordon breast star given for most other examples where measurements are provided. There are no gold hallmarks visible on the reverse of the gold arms in the high-resolution image provided. The silver hallmarks are detailed in the description and shown on a photo of the reverse of the breast star and in smaller close-up cropped image. A full set of 3 Egyptian silver hallmarks is present on the left principal embellishment ray to the left of the main central ray. No hallmarks are present on other portions of the embellishment and none are visible on the tunic pin. The description correctly identifies the Cairo assay office silver purity mark as 900 silver. The second hallmark is the cat (with raised tail), which is associated with marking Egyptian made silver between 1916-1946. The auction description (and photos) show the date hallmark to be “Y”, but the listing identifies that as indicating 1948 (which would have technically been associated with a lotus blossom Egyptian silver mark, but also see the commemorative coin example I illustrated for the closing of the Egyptian Mixed Courts in October, 1949 that employed the cat hallmark rather than the “correct” lotus blossom hallmark for Egyptian silver made after 1946 on the last photo [14th] in my post of 22 February, 2019 on this thread). The “Y” hallmark actually was used for 1923-1924. The description does identify Lattes as the manufacturer of this breast star and the hallmark close-up image provided in the listing on Numisbids.com does illustrate this. The strange(st) thing about this example is the form of the engraving decoration on the gold floral designs on the obverse of gold arms of the five-pointed gold star with blue enamel. I previously encountered a different image of a similar engraved 2nd Class Grand Officer breast star on flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/kelisli/8843698381), and of that same 2nd Class breast star and neck badge in another image on the same flickr photostream (https://www.flickr.com/photos/kelisli/8844318688/), but failed to notice the anomalous engraving on the arms. Other than these 2 examples, I have not seen another photo of any Order of Ismail regalia with this kind of engraving on those gold floral patterns. Comparing the January 2020 Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG photo, I thought this might be a chimera mix of some genuine, but potentially unassociated, elements with the seemingly anomalously engraved arms of the gold and enamel star. Either this represents a genuine variant of the Lattes execution of the Order of Ismail, or a wily workshop fabricating odd pieces for sale to an unsuspecting market. Because I have only seen 2 such examples in my research, I am unsure which scenario is more likely. On all other examples I have seen, this engraved decoration conforms with the general style shown in the examples starting as the 4th photos below for the all breast stars, sash badges, neck badges, and breast badges in all classes of the Order of Ismail. When I reviewed other examples, I did see some variation in how this engraving was executed across other genuine examples of Lattes-made pieces. As shown below, the more common form of engraving on Lattes Order of Ismail regalia is essentially the same as that used for the Tewfik Bichay examples and even the recent monarchy-in-exile ELM-made breast stars (I have not yet found photos of sash or neck badges that ELM might have made). The only significant difference I have seen in execution of this engraving of unquestionably genuine Order of Ismail regalia is the apparent lack of any engraving on the gold floral elements on a few illustrations of pieces made by Fahmy Tewfik Bichay (i.e., on Owain’s 3rd class neck badge example that can be seen in the 4th photo he illustrated in his post of 5 April, 2018 on this thread; and possibly on a set made by Fahmy Tewfik Bichay from a Sixbid.com auction of November 2012 shown in the 2nd-to-last photo of my post of 11 January, 2019, however that photo is not high-enough resolution to confirm a lack of engraving; I discussed this lack of engraving in my post of 21 April, 2018 in this thread). Perhaps this has made me overly suspicious, but I also think there may also be some anomalies in the form of the “LATT…” letters on the reverse compared with most illustrations I have seen of the LATTES maker’s hallmark. However, a few additional aspects of the obverse design, detailed below, also are outliers among a few illustrated auction examples of Lattes-made Grand Cordon and Grand Officer breast stars of the Order of Ismail. Very high-resolution image of the obverse of the Fritz Rudolf Künker Auction 331, Lot 1074 example, identified as a Grand Cordon breast star, that has completely anomalous engraving pattern on the gold floral decorations of the 5 gold & enamel arms of the star. This image can be zoomed to see this more clearly. The form of this engraving can be contrasted with the other examples illustrated below (that I have previously posted on this thread) for comparison. If I use the superior arm of the star for reference (although the light angle makes aspects of the left upper arm’s engraving clearer), the lowermost central stem portion exhibits a double line outlining the margins only at the superior portion. On all other examples, this portion of the design has a single engraved line extending from the inferior portion of this element to the superior portion, and that engraving is broader at the superior end. While the engraving on the lateral arms extending to each side of this portion of the design is similar with other examples, they originate higher on the central stem (touching each of the double lines on the central portion. They also show a more curled termination at the lateral end of each of these elements. It also is apparent that these laterals are thicker than seen on the examples I illustrate below, having almost the same width along their entire length. In contrast, those shown below, have the engraving originating near the inferior portion of the central design element. The Pinterest example below does show a tighter curl at the lateral margins, but the Bukowski and eMedals examples do not. It also is apparent that these “tendrils” are thinner at their origin and expand at their terminations (however, the ELM example shown below does not have this graceful expansion, and the Tewfik Bichay example has a less pronounced terminal expansion than the Lattes examples). The most obvious other difference, and this pertains to all of the engraving on the Künker example, is the much greater shallowness of all of the engraved lines compared with every other example I have seen. The lozenge superior to this element, where the 2 central flowers originate, is broader than seen in the photos below, and is concave, rather than engraved, the stems of the 2 central flowers have engraved lines, which are completely absent in the other Lattes examples, Tewfik Bichay, and ELM photos shown below. The engraving of the 2 central flowers is completely different than seen on the examples below. The 2 Lattes and one ELM examples have 3 simple engraved marks expanding from their inferior origin extending to each lateral margin and one engraved line running to the superior end of the medial petal portion of the design. The Tewfik Bichay example below only exhibits 3 engraved lines within these 2 blossoms. In contrast, the 3 simple, deeply engraved lines are elaborated in the Künker example with additional curls and outlines of the terminal petals. The 2 tendrils supporting the superior distal blossom are more similar in the Künker example to the others shown below, but lack the delicacy seen in the Lattes example below. They are more similar to the form in the Tewfik Bichay and ELM examples, but have broader engraving in the more distal portion than any examples seen below. The terminal blossoms’ engraving is completely unlike the simple 7 wedge marks on the Lattes engraving and the slightly different form of the engraved marks of the ELM piece. The Tewfik Bichay engraving has a longer central engraved line that is stylistically slightly distinct from the others. The number and placement of the gold dot fruits in the wreath are different than all of the other examples illustrated below. The red enamel portion of the wreath bindings are thinner than seen in the first 3 Lattes examples below, and resemble those in the illustration of the 4th Lattes example from an eMedals auction. Also, there are differences in the calligraphic inscription of “Ismail” on the central boss compared with the first 3 Lattes examples below. While slightly different than the calligraphy on the eMedals example, this offering from the Künker auction also has an additional mark near the margin of the central boss in the ~7:00 position, compared to the calligraphy of the first 3 Lattes breast stars shown below. There is some chipping damaged to the highest relief portions of the enamel of this central medallion. The several anomalies in this piece may suggest a chimera of some original components rather than an outright fabricated imitation. This is a moderately high-resolution image of a similarly engraving example of the Order of Ismail breast star. This comes from a flickr image on Hassan Kamal-Kelisi Morali’s flickr site and is identified as measuring 70 mm in diameter, and weighing 81.25 g. The dimension identifies the size as that of a 2nd Class Grand Officer breast star (https://www.flickr.com/photos/kelisli/8843698381). He provides a partial link to the La Galerie Numismatique website (the source of the measurement and weight), however the link no longer works (but see the text for next image below about the LA Galerie Numismatique listing with this image). There also looks to be damage to the enamel of the central medallion’s so that I though it might be the same example, but it appear to have different damage. Additionally, on closer inspection there are other differences between the design elements on the above January 2020 Künker example of a Grand Cordon sized breast star and this Grand Officer Class piece. The central medallion of this image from flickr lacks the addition mark on the inscription “Ismail” near the margin in the 7:00 position seen on the above Künker breast star. There also are differences between the number and placement of the gold dot fruits in the wreath, and in the form of the red-enameled bands binding the wreath compared with the Künker piece. There also appears to be wear to some of the enamel on the leaves in the wreath that is not apparent in the Künker photo. The photo angle seems to be slightly angled from the viewer’s right in the first photo of the Künker example is. The flickr breast star above does looks as though it has a slight offset between the base embellishment and the star, most apparent to the viewer’s right of the superior arm of the gold and enameled star. The camera angle on this image seems to be perpendicular to the breast star. Above is another photo (of moderate resolution) of the same 2nd Class Grand Officer breast star and what is probably the associated neck badge (showing the same style from another image on Hassan Kamal-Kelisi Morali’s flickr photostream (https://www.flickr.com/photos/kelisli/8844318688/). It can be zoomed slightly, but does not provide as clear detail as seen in the flickr image of just the breast star image above. This is also from a La Galerie Numismatique auction listing. Hassan Kamal-Kelisi Morali identifies it as made by Lattes. This also shows the associated neck badge, that exhibits the same style of engraving on the gold floral elements on the gold and enamel arms of the star. This particular image is a very common photo of the Order of Ismail to encounter on internet searches, but I have never before noticed the engraving differences compared with most examples on auction sites. I included this photo as the 6th illustration in my post of 6 December, 2017 for comparison of the design of full-sized pieces ( in hindsight, misguidedly) with a few genuine and unusual miniatures of the Order of Ismail on the “Miniatures of the Middle East & Arab World” thread begun by Owain (oamotme) on 6 December, 2017 in the Middle East & Arab States” section here on GMIC.I also included this same image as the 2nd photo in my post of 13 December, 2018 outlining the 4 classes of the Order of Ismail. While there is a chance that this is a variant form of the Order made by J. Lattes, it is not the best example to characterize the desing of the 2ndClass Grand Officer neck badge and breast star of the Order.I was able to search and found the La Galerie Numismatique auction listings archived on the Liveauctioneers website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/search/?keyword=Order%20of%20Ismail&page=1&pageSize=24&sort=-relevance&status=archive) that include 3 listings for this set (Lot 0185 of 3 March 2013; Lot 0442 of 23 June, 2013; & Lot 0300 of 20 September, 2013). The auction description provides the measurement of the neck badge as 60 mm and its weight as 48.6 g. The breast star is 70 mm in diameter and weighs 81.25 g, and is identified as a Grand Officer set. Two additional photos in each of these listings provide an image of the neck badge and ribbon (showing in better detail the same kind of engraving better than in the image above) and an image of the reverse of both the neck badge and breast star showing the Lattes manufacturer’s marks on each, but is not of high-enough resolution to distinguish any of the 3 Egyptian hallmarks (below the Lattes mark on the neck badge and to the right of the catch of the tunic pin on the breast star). I cannot yet download these photos, but will keep trying. Interestingly, all three lots from March, June, and September were passed and remained un-purchased. Did collectors have doubts about the authenticity of this set? High-resolution image of the obverse of a 2nd Class Grand Officer breast star that I initially encountered on a Pinterest board of (https://www.pinterest.com/offsite/?token=628-525&url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F61%2F61%2Fd1%2F6161d133bc0d01101e125d81f8dc7e27.png&pin=7881368074139698&client_tracking_params=CwABAAAAEDQzNTc1MzU5NzQxNjkzODUA~0&aux_data=%7B%7D) that I previously included as the 2nd photo in my post of 21 April, 2018. I selected this example because it can be zoomed for comparison with the engraving on the Künker and La Galerie Numismatique examples above. There was no information about the manufacturer or date hallmark on this breast star associated with the Pinterest image of the breast star and neck badge of this set. However, I located the auction listing for this image archived on the acsearch.com website (https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1430371) from a Stack’s Bowers Galleries auction from November of 2012. I posted this image as the 2nd photo in my post of 19 October, 2019 along with the auction information that provided dimensions confirming it is the 2nd Class of the Order of Ismail, that it was made by Lattes, and identifying of the date hallmark as “C” indicating manufacture in 1928-1929 (although no photos of the reverse were provided). Although the engraving is simpler than the more elaborate detailing of the flowers in the January 2020 Künker and La Galerie Numismatique auction examples, the form of the engraving is more elegant in its overall effect. Also note that some of the examples shown below here have slight variation in the number and placement of the gold dots representing fruit, and the red & gold bindings on the wreath framing the central gold & enamel boss with the calligraphic inscription “Ismail”. A high-resolution image of a 2nd Class Grand Officer breast star made by Lattes from an April 2017 auction by Bukowskis, archived on their website (https://www.bukowskis.com/en/lots/906508-the-order-of-ismail-nischan-al-ismail-22k-gold-and-silver-lattes-in-kairo-1928-1929-weight-ca-81-g#). This photo can be zoomed to compare with the Künker and other examples shown here. I previously included this photo as the 1st image in my post of 2 November, 2018 on this thread. The gold fruit dots in the wreath and the red-enamel binding of the wreath match the Pinterest/Stack’s Bowers Galleries example precisely. Although the reverse of this piece is not illustrated in the auction listing, that description identifies the date as 1928-1929. Ah, here again is the very damaged 2nd Class Grand Officer breast badge from La Galerie Numismatique (https://www.coins-la-galerie-numismatique.com/auction-33-day-1/order-ismail) that was awarded to Dr. Giovanni Quirico, physician to King Fuad I. I have previously illustrated other images of this battered example in its case as the 4th photo in my post of 14 November, 2017 (and again as the 2nd -to-last [23rd] photo in my post of 19 October, 2019 in a discussion of variation in cases for the Order of Ismail), the brevet envelope as the 5th photo and the brevet in the 6th photo of that same 14 November post on this thread. I posted this photo as the 14th image in my post of 11 January, 2019 addressing hallmarks. The 16th image in that post shows the “Z” date hallmark on the silver tunic pin of this piece, indicating a date of 1924-1925 (the same as the date hallmarks on the neck badge of this cased set). This can be zoomed for comparison with the other examples in this post, showing damage to the enamel and other elements of the star. I am sorry to illustrate this abused example again, but the high-resolution image also illustrates some interesting differences within Lattes-made examples. Note that the stems of the central 2 flowers exhibit engraving on their stems not seen in the above 2 Lattes examples. Additionally, there is a 5th engraving mark on the central 2 blossom elements that effectively outlines the central petal of the 3 terminal margins of the flower. Neither of these engraving elements are present in any other of the high-resolution images I have seen of the Order of Ismail breast stars made by Lattes (nor by Tewfik Bichay). The most distal flowers on the arms of Dr. Quirico's breast star exhibits only 5 rather than 7 engraving marks. The gold fruits in the wreath and the red-enameled bindings of the wreath are however the same as in the above 2 examples. Because the sample of photos available with reliable dates (photos clearly showing the date hallmarks) is relatively small, I also do not know if the revisions to this Order made in 1922 and 1926 might have affected any aspects of the execution of designs. My suspicion for most of these relatively minor differences shown here among a small number of Lattes examples is that they are likely to represent workshop differences reflecting die replacements and in staff skills more than any intentional re-design. A moderately high resolution image of a 1st Class Grand Cordon breast star made by Lattes from a pre-2016 auction archived on the eMedals website (https://www.emedals.com/order-of-ismail-1915-w01271). This photo can be zoomed, but does not provide the same detail as the above photos. I previously posted this as the 1st image in my initial post of 7 November, 2017, and again as the 1st photo of my post of 13 November, 2017 on this thread. I did not provide any information about this breast star in those posts. However, I included images of the reverse and hallmark data about this breast star in the 28th - 30th image of my post of 11 January 2019. The date hallmarks on this piece are “F”, indicating a manufacturing/assay date of 1931-1932. The engraving on this piece, while following the pattern of the above 3 Lattes designs, appears less gracefully executed, it may be shallower, and has a less flowing calligraphic feel. However, it is more elegant than the workmanship on the Tewfik Bichay example illustrated below. This example shows some differences in the placement and number of gold dot fruits in the wreath compared with the above Lattes examples. The width of the red-enameled bindings of the wreath are thinner than those shown in the Lattes pieces above as well, but those elements are more even in their execution than the thinner windings of the Künker example in the 1st photo above or the Tewfik Bichay example shown below. There are a few differences in the calligraphy of the central inscription of “Ismail”, note especially the additional mark near the margin of the central boss in the ~7:00 position that also appears on the Künker example (and in the Tewfik Bichay example below). This breast star is more recent than the other 3 Lattes examples shown above, and may reflect changes in dies and staff compared with those earlier pieces. High-resolution photo of a 1st Class Grand Cordon set of the Order of Ismail made by Tewfik Bichay. This picture can be zoomed for greater detail. This image is cropped from a photo I illustrated as the only image in my post of 30 April, 2018 on this thread and the uncropped original shows the obverse and reverse of both the sash badge and breast star of this set. This comes from fall 2014 auction by Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel (https://www.kuenker.de/en/archiv/stueck/58396). I illustrated a cropped version of that image showing only the reverse of the sash badge and breast star as the 4thto last image in my post of 11 January, 2019 discussing hallmarks. I also included a cropped image of the obverse of the sash badge as the 3rdto last photo in that same post. The Arabic letter date hallmark on the right side of the reverse of the crown suspension device is the most legible, however, even in zoomed views, the date hallmarks shown on the reverse of the pieces are unclear to me. The auction description suggests an Arabic letter hallmark that would indicate 1946-1947. My best inference from viewing the image is that it may indicate an assay date of 1949-1951(?). I cannot read the silver or gold date hallmarks present in the photo of the reverse of this breast star. The auction description states that it is the letter “D” hallmark, indicating an assay date of 1929-1930, and would indicte that this is not an actual set of sash badge and breast star. The gold floral patterns on the arms of the gold & enamel star are less gracefully executed than the Lattes examples. The same is true of the engraving on the gold floral designs on the arms of the star. The placement of the gold dot fruits in the wreath is different than any of the Lattes breast stars shown above (including the eMedals example that is different from the first 3 illustrated Lattes breast stars). The red-enameled bindings of the wreath are thinner than the first 3 Lattes examples, less regular than on the eMedals Lattes breast star, and more closely resemble the workmanship on the January 2020 Künker auction example. The calligraphy on the central boss also has the additional mark (at ~7:00 near the frame of the central medallion) on the calligraphic inscription of “Ismail” as seen on the eMedals Lattes breast star and the January 2020 Künker example. Photo of an ELM version of probably the 1st Class Grand Cordon monarchy-in-exile modern version of the Order of Ismail breast star. This image can be zoomed for some additional detail. The ELM version shows the adherence to the form of engraving seen in every example except the initial Künker and La Galerie Numismatique breast stars. This comes from a former version of the ELM website (https://instarix.com/p/1449052170103257288_4325996166#) but this image is no longer part of their advertisement. I expect several differences in execution on such a modern medal, however it is useful in emphasizing how anomalous engraving on the January 2020 Künker auction example and the set from La Galerie Numismatique shown in the first photos may be. Obviously, the design for this medal adhered to the most common form of that engraving and this may suggest that is the official design and the unusual form on the examples at the top of this post is either a very uncommon variant or a perhaps a rogue impersonation. Although to my eye not as finely executed, I won’t go through all the design distinctions from pre-1952 pieces, it is an inelegant copy of a beautiful award. However, note that the wreath is markedly less 3-D in not having leaves with relief underneath the enamel, the gold dot fruits in the wreath and the bands on the wreath also are flush with the rounded ring that mimics the form of a wreath without the dynamic presentation of that design element, and it lacks the delicate movement implied by the width variation in portions of the floral design’s tendril or leaf components. The finials at the ends of each arm of the gold star obviously have a more robust gold casting with a smaller amount of enamel (almost certainly more durable than the original design and construction by Lattes and his successors). Images provided on the January 2020 auction listing showing the hallmarks on the reverse of the Künker example. Again, I may be reading more into the form of the “LATTES” maker’s mark because of the odd engraving on this piece, however the first 4 letters appear to possibly be more regular than most I have seen, especially in comparison with the last 2 letters. The “…ES” show irregularity in their form comparable to seen in many of these marks. However, the “LATT…” letters do not (the crosses onto "T"s look like separate elements rather than as integrated components of even a slightly worn punch). Perhaps it is my paranoia, but in comparison with the last 2 images of Lattes maker's hallmarks below, the "...ES" appear more sculpted so as to appear worn than actually showing some of the irregularity. Certainly some of the Lattes marks have crisp letters (see the reverse of the 4th Class knight badge shown below), however the combination of some letters that look to have a “worn” form and those that are sharp merits additional scrutiny. Punches that are used for multiple marking of jewelry pieces in a workshop often develop irregularities, and detection of unusually regular letters, or inconsistent wear across the entire set, in makers’ names is a common way to identify suspect imitations. There are no apparent anomalies in the 3 silver hallmarks shown on the right. Again, this Künker breast star may be a bonified, but very uncommon, variation in the Lattes-designed Order of Ismail regalia. However, why then are there only 2 examples that I have found so far circulating in the auction world that can be sampled through online listings? Why did the 2nd Class Grand Officer set I illustrated above from La Galerie Numismatique remain unsold over 3 listings? Why do Tewfik Bichay and the ELM examples all employ a form of the engraving on these floral design elements that is consistent with the other Lattes pieces I illustrated in the 4th - 7th photos shown above? If there is monkey business about the construction of this piece, I feel that the facetted and rayed silver embellishment is authentic and the date hallmark in the January 2020 Künker would indicate the work of Maison Lattes. The anomalies in the obverse design elements of this piece (and the La Galerie Numismatique set of Grand Officer regalia) compared to other Lattes examples are hard to reconcile. If not the work of Lattes, I would suspect the central medallion portions to be later components made by Tewfik Bichay, Fahmy Tewfik Bichay, or another manufacturer that I have never seen. If the “LATTES” hallmark on the reverse boss of the January 2020 Künker piece is not genuine, it would suggest trying to manufacture a mark consistent with the date hallmark on the rayed & facetted embellishment and potentially represent an older version of such a breast star (of course, an isolated authentic Lattes reverse boss to the central medallion could also have been combined in this way). There is something seriously hinky about the obverse gold and enamel star arms that leads me to suspect a chimeral creation mimicking a valuable 1923-1924 Grand Cordon breast star. In this case. The presence of 2 such examples seems insufficient to postulate good evidence for a variant in the Order of Ismail design of the engraving by Lattes. But the scarce appearance of 2 pieces with this anomalous engraving may suggest efforts by a workshop to combine some genuine but not valuable bits & pieces into saleable items. It may be ironic, that internet borrowing has selected the 3rd photo of the Grand Officer set as one of the most commonly duplicated examples used to illustrate the design of the Order of Ismail. Reverse of a 4th Class Knight chest badge of the Order of Ismail showing the Lattes mark with even and crisp letters. What is different about this compared with the mark on the January 2020 Künker example is that all the letters are of similar definition, suggesting a relatively new punch. This comes from an October 2017 eMedals auction (https://www.emedals.com/egypt-a-french-made-order-of-ismail-officer-by-lattes). I illustrated an un-cropped version of this photo as the 21st photo in my post of 11 January, 2018 on this thread. Lattes maker’s hallmark on the reverse of the same 2ndClass Grand Officer Order of Ismail breast star as shown above from the April 2017 Bukowskis auction (https://www.bukowskis.com/en/lots/906508-the-order-of-ismail-nischan-al-ismail-22k-gold-and-silver-lattes-in-kairo-1928-1929-weight-ca-81-g#). Note that all the letters exhibit similar size and possible deformation from use of the punch. I have confined myself here to a couple examples of consistent wear across LATTES marks on the silver reverse of pieces relevant to the January 2020 Künker mark. However, several illustrations I have included on this thread of the gold Lattes marks on sash badges (1st Class) and neck badges (2nd & 3rd Classes) also illustrate the more common association of consistent letter morphology across al letters in the mark. I have avoided including some of those gold hallmarks here because 18 carat gold is softer than 900 silver and may respond slightly differently to marking and wear of the maker’s punch. Lattes maker's hallmark on 4th Class Knight Order of Ismail from a December, 2015 auction by Thies Auction that is archived on the invaluable.com website (https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/egypt-order-of-ismail-knight-s-badge-269-c-2744c6ab2c). I just recently posted this image as the 2nd photo on my post of 15 January, 2020 here on this thread. This also shows the more comparably similar size and imperfections in the punched mark. Also of interest, the "...ES" appear very similar to those on the January 2020 Künker Lattes mark; however, the irregularity of the "E" in this example is opposite to the appearance of that letter on the Künker piece. I may be imagining this, after all both "E' and "S" are often difficult letters to create and often show irregularities on a range of jewelers' hallmarks.

I have identified an individual who is wearing the Order of Ismail in a photo I included in my post of 2 April, 2019 on this thread. That post showed some of King Farouk I's chamberlains wearing chamberlain's pins in response to illustrations that Owain provided of such pins in his posts here of 26 March and 29 March, 2019; 2 photos of named individuals wearing the Order of Ismail; a couple low-resolution images of King Farouk I's Order of Ismail from theAlexandria National Museum; and the image duplicated below of an individual I could not identify at the time I posted this photo. Above is the final image (11th) in my post of 2 April, 2019 showing the man seated 3rd to the viewer's left of King Farouk I wearing the Order of Ismail (the sash is probably that of the Grand Cordon Class of this award). This shows a royal banquet honoring Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran (the wedding banquet?) seated to the viewer's left of King Farouk I, probably in 1939. Unfortunately I cannot read Arabic and had no volunteers to translate the captions. I have now been able to identify this recipient of the Order of Ismail. The woman seated to the viewers right of the Crown Prince of Iran is Lady Lampson, the 2nd wife of the British Ambassador to Egypt, Sir Miles Lampson, from 1934-1946. Next to Lady Lampson on the viewer's left is the Iranian Ambassador to Egypt from 1939-1943, HE Ali Akbar Bahman wearing the Grand Cordon Order of Ismail. This image came from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/43829903@N02/4047823450/in/pool-egyptianroyalty/ Above is another photo from this same banquet that is posted on flickr in a photostream of Ahmed S. Kamel (https://www.flickr.com/photos/askamel/400176241/in/photostream/). On Ahmed S. Kamel's flickr, this image is identified as copyrighted by askamel (and the same image also is on a flickr photostream of Almorgh that is identified as copyrighted by almorgh: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8168043@N03/807345293/in/dateposted/). The Ahmed S. Kamel version of this image identifies Lady Lampson by name, but only identifies the man next to her as "HE the Iranian Ambassador". This made it straightforward to check a list of ambassadors to Egypt and identify him as Ali Akbar Bahman (also known as Mizra Ali Akbar Khan) who was the Ambassador to Egypt from 1939-1943, and confirm that with other photos of Bahman. This photo does not show the Grand Cordon Order of Ismail breast star in as good detail as the previous image above (that can be zoomed). As noted above, the images probably dates to March 1939 when Princess Fawzia (sister of King Farouk I) married the Crown Prince of Iran. The marriage is considered to have been a political union conceived by Reza Shah of Iran to legitimize his non-royal origins. King Farouk I was apparently convinced by his advisor Aly Maher Pasha to approve of the match to benefit Egypt's power in the Middle East against Britain. Ali Akbar Bahman arranged the marriage. The 1939 date of these photos indicate that Bahman was awarded the Grand Cordon Order of Ismail probably very early in his appointment as Ambassador to Egypt. The presence of Ali Akbar Bahman suggests these photos are from the elaborate wedding banquet sponsored by King Farouk I at Abdeen Palace. Ahmed S. Kamel's notes on this photo also identify that King Farouk I wears the breast star of the Iranian Order of Pahlavi and the Iranian Crown Prince wears the Grand Cordon breast star of the Order of Mohammed Ali. A photo of Alii Akbar Bahman (second from the left, wearing glasses) at the 1943 Cairo Convention (November 22-26) that Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Chiang Kai-Shek attended with their diplomatic corps to strategize post WW II treatment of Japan and power relations in Asia (including Russia's role, although Stalin and his staff did not attend this conference). Bahman may be wearing the sash and breast badge of the Order of Ismail in this photo, although the breast badge is barely visible. (From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Akbar_Bahman#/media/File:Ali_Akbar_Bahman_with_delegation.JPG). Another photo associated with Iranian Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi coming to Egypt in March, 1939 for his marriage to Princess Fawzia of Egypt. This photo is from the same flickr photostrem of Ahmed S. Kamel and also is copyrighted by him on flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/askamel/400176235/in/dateposted/). It shows the Iranian Crown Prince on the left saluting as the Imperial Iranian Anthem is played on the Egyptian Royal Yacht H.M.S. Mahroussa (see my post of 30 April, 2019 on this thread that briefly discusses the H.M.S. Mahroussa in relation to identifying the portrait of Rear Admiral Galal Eddin Allouba Bey , who was the commander of the H.M.S. Mahroussa, wearing the 4th Class Knight Order of Ismail in that portrait). This image is of interest here as the man behind the Crown Prince appears to be wearing the neck badge of the 3rd Class Commander Order of Ismail. I have not yet identified this individual.

I have a couple odds & ends to add - illustrations of one additional 4th Class Knight Order of Ismail and a good resolution image of a Tewfik Bichay interior case lid marking from an Order of the Nile. Obverse of a 4th Class Knight Order of Ismail from a December, 2015 auction, Lot 269, by Thies Auction that is archived on the invaluable.com website (https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/egypt-order-of-ismail-knight-s-badge-269-c-2744c6ab2c). No measurements or other data are provided in the auction description. The Lattes hallmark on the reverse of this 4th Class Order of Ismail from the 2015 Thies auction. The hallmarks on this same 4th Class Knight Order of Ismail showing (L-R): the Cairo assay office hallmark for 18 carat gold; the ibis hallmark identifying Egyptian-made gold; and the date hallmark "D" indicating the manufacture and/or assay date as 1929-1930. Tewfik Bichay manufacturer's mark printed inside the lid of a 3rd Class Order of the Nile from a 27 February, 2016 auction of Centurion Auctions, Lot 15138, archived on the Liveauctioneers website. (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/43639112_egypt-order-of-the-nile-badge-with-sash-and-box). This cased Order of the Nile is mistakenly described as having a sash, rather than the neck ribbon. No date or assay hallmarks are visible in the 2 images of the reverse of the Order of the Nile neck badge in this case, but the Tewfik Bichay hallmark is visible on the reverse of the central boss of the badge. This is a good quality image of this interior printed case label (It can be zoomed). It is comparable to that shown in the 2nd photo of Owain's post of 5 April, 2018 on this thread of his cased example of a 3rd Class Commander neck badge of the Order of Ismail; to the 4th phot of my post of 17 September, 2019 of the 1st Class Grand Cordon Order of Ismail awarded to Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1947; and to a blue ink version of this mark with a blue-line frame in a case that I illustrated as the 6th to last photo (20th image ) in my post of 21 October, 2019 of the case for an Egyptian 3rd Class, Devotion to Duty medal in bronze from an eBay auction. The royal cipher on the exterior lid of this case is that of King Farouk I.

Below are four higher resolution images of a Grand Cordon set of the Order of Ismail from an April 2018 auction, SKU 560, by La Galerie Numismatique (https://www.coins-la-galerie-numismatique.com/auction-xxxviii-day-1/order-ismail) that also are archived on the liveauctioneers.com website (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/60483636_order-of-ismail). I previously illustrated this set in the 1st-3rd photos and the 8th photo of my post of 22 February, 2019 in a continued discussion of hallmarks and their placement on the Order of Ismail. I also illustrated this first Class Order of Ismail in its case in the last photo (24th image in that post) of my post of 19 October, 2019 discussing cases of the Order of Ismail. Those images all came from the liveauctioneers.com website, and I only recently was able to download these higher-resolution images from the La Galerie Numismatique website. These are slightly more detailed images than photos in the 22 February post. The description in the La Galerie Numismatique auction listing is the same as that for the liveauctioneers description. This set was made by Lattes and the sash badge measurement is given as 62 mm wide x 85 mm high, the breast star is stated to measure 82 mm in diameter. I originally illustrated this cased set to show that the sash badge and breast star had overlapping but slightly contrasting date hallmarks. The sash badge is hallmarked with "B" date hallmarks indicating a manufacturing/assay date of 1927-1928. The breast star is hallmarked "C" for manufacture/assay in 1928-1929. Apparently, the Cairo assay office either received each component at slightly different times, or the staff performed the assays of each under adjacent temporal periods when the date hallmark was being changed so that each piece in the cased set bears a different date hallmark. Another reason I wanted to illustrate this set again is that it appears to show a variant form of the decorative bow of the sash that does not have the pinking (zig-zag) edge as shown in the illustrations of most other examples of the Grand Cordon sash of the Order of Ismail. As noted in my post of 15 October, 2019, the Eisenhower 1st Class Order of Ismail sash bow lacks pinking of the bow (shown in the 1st photo of my post of 17 September, 2019 and in the 1st and 2nd photos of my post of 17 September). The decorative bow also may have a slightly different tied configuration that I do not know if it is principally an artifact of more recent re-tying or folding of the sash or some other form of the intended bow configuration. The ends of the sash of this example are frayed and do not exhibit the pinking edge, but that may just have been cause by wear. Higher resolution image of this Grand Cordon Class of he Order of Ismail from the April 2018 auction by La Galerie Numismatique in its case. This is a better detailed image than the versions I previously illustrated in the 1st photo of my post of 22 February, 2019 and in the last photo of my post of 19 October, 2019. (this image, and the three photos below, are from: https://www.coins-la-galerie-numismatique.com/auction-xxxviii-day-1/order-ismail) Higher resolution image of this La Galerie Numismatique Grand Cordon Order of Ismail than the version I posted in the 2nd photo of my post of 22 February, 2019, showing the lack of pinking on the decorative sash bow. It also illustrates the frayed margins of the sash that lack pinking. While some sashes for other Egyptian Orders also exhibit a lack of pinking of the bow and sash margins (see the 1st illustration that 922f included in his post of 22 April, 2018 on this thread showing one of Fuad II's Monarchy in Exile example of the Nishan al Noor; also see the Monarchy in Exile examples of sashes for the Order of Women and the Order of Mohammed Ali made by Worth in Markus post of 28 November, 2018 in his thread "Interesting Egyptian orders in Spink Auction" in the Middle East & Arab States section here on GMIC). However, such a configuarion is unusual compared with most examples of the Grand Cordon sash of the Order of Ismail. Higher resolution photo of the sash badge from the La Galerie Numismatique April 2018 auction than I posted in the 3rd photo of my post of 22 February, 2019. The auction description states this badge is 62 mm wide x 85 mm high, and date hallmarked "B" = an assay date date of 1927-1928. The identified height of 85 mm seems too large, most reported height dimensions for the sash badge range from 80-82 mm, but I cannot be certain where on the Crown suspension device that dimensions was measured (or if it may have included the clip to the sash?). Higher resolution photo of the breast star from the La Galerie Numismatique April 2018 auction than the version I posted in the 8th photo of my post of 22 February, 2019. The auction description identifies the diameter of this star as 82 mm. Although most reported examples are consistently 80 mm in diameter, some 1st Class stars are identified as ranging 81-82 mm. Images of the reverse of this breast star show a "C" date hallmark for manufacture or assay in 1928-1929. I am including a few additional images below (most I have previously posted on this thread) showing configurations of the bow on the Grand Cordon sash of the Order of Ismail. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of good mages of the sash bow on auction sites nor in some of the few photos I have found of individuals wearing the Grand Cordon Order of Ismail. Image of a Grand Cordon Class Order of Ismail sash and sash badge (there is no breast star associated with this example) from a past eMedals auction. This example was made by Lattes. The sash badge is identified as measuring 61.5 mm wide x 80 mm tall, including the crown suspension device. The sash badge has a date hallmark of "A" indicating manufacture in 1925-1926. I previously posted this image as the photo in my post of 13 November, 2017. This example shows the pinking of the central 2 bow margins of the decorative bow (and the outermost/lowermost portion of the bow is hemmed, not pinked). The sash margins also have pinking of the fabric ends. No length or width dimensions of this sash are give in the actuation description. (From: https://www.emedals.com/africa/egypt/egypt-order-of-ismail-w0269) Image of another sash for the Gand Cordon Class of the Order of Ismail from a past eMedals auction. This sash is not associated with any sash badge or breast star, but the suspension swivel clip device is present). Although slightly crushed from storage, this photo clearly shows the 2 central portions of the decorative bow exhibiting pinking above the lowermost single bow that is hemmed. This configuration also is seen in the above eMedals Grand Cordon sash, and in the next image below from a 2017 Spink & Son auction. The width of this sash is identified as 112 mm, its length is not given, although it is stated to be "full length". I previously illustrated the sash suspension swivel clip device of this example in the 6th photo of my post of 22 August, 2019. (From: https://www.emedals.com/order-of-ismail-1915-a-sash-w01278) A Grand Cordon Class Order of Ismail from a December, 2017 auction by Spink & Son, Auction 17003, Lot 28, (https://www.spink.com/lot/17003000028) archived on The Salesroom website (https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/spink/catalogue-id-srspi10156/lot-3b07acb4-542f-4733-93a3-a83200b99892). This example was made by Lattes and the auction description identifies the sash badge as 62 mm wide x 80 mm tall (Including the crown suspension device) and the breast star as 80 mm in diameter. This example has a date hall mark of "Y" (manufactured in 1923-1924) and was associated with its case. I previously posted this image as the only photo in my post of 6 December, 2017 on this thread, and as the 1st photo of my post of 13 December, 2018. This is probably the best auction image of the decorative bow showing the pinked margins of the uppermost 2 portions of the bow underlain by the 2 bows with hemmed margins (and the pinking of the sash end). The Eisenhower Grand Cordon sash showing the lack of any pinking of the decorative bow, although the margin of the sash shows pinking of its edge. Photo provided by the Archvist at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Childhood Home, Abilene, Kansas, USA (https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/eisenhowers/awards-medals). I included this photo as the 1st image in my post of 17 November, 2019 on this thread. The date hallmark probably identifies the manufacturing date as 1945-1946 for this example made by Tewfik Bichay (the award date to Eisenhower is 1947). The JOMSA article on the Order of Ismail (2006. Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America (JOMSA) 54 (4): Fig 15, pg. 20) appears to show a decorative bow that lacks pinking, however the image of the bow itself is incomplete. The JOMSA description gives the width of the sash as 100 mm, and the 9 mm red stripe are inset from each edge of the sash by 2 mm. No length of the sash is identified. I included this illustration in my post of 27 August, 2019. The portrait of Sir John Loader Maffey wearing the Grand Cordon Order of Ismail with his uniform as Governor-General of the Sudan that I included as the 6th photo in my post of 25 November, 2019. This is the only image I have currently found showing someone wearing the Grand Cordon Order of Ismail that shows the decorative bow of the sash. The National portrait Gallery version of this image (https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw114845/John-Loader-Maffey-1st-Baron-Rugby) can be zoomed and appears to show pinking of the 2 uppermost margins of the decorative bow and the hemmed lowermost bow portion, as seen in several photos above. Unfortunately, the resolution of this version of the portrait (from: http://royalisticism.blogspot.com/2015_12_23_archive.html) is not high enough to see the pinking on the margins of the decorative bow. This photo was taken on 27 June 1931, and is a whole plate glass negative, curated in the National Portrait Gallery (NPG x150079).

The Archivist at the Sudan Archive at Durham University just got back to me about the unlikely date of 1930 for Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer's award receipt of the Grand Cordon Class of the Order of Ismail. Apparently the catalogue entry was incorrect, identifying the Hijra date as 25 Shawwal 1348 as the award date of the award to Archer (26 March, 1930). The correct date on the brevet for Archer's Order of Ismail is 6 Shawwal 1344 AH, which is 20 April, 1926. This dates fits within Sir Geoffrey Archer's time as Governor General of the Sudan (he was forced to resign on 6 July, 1926). The Archivist step that the date is unclearly printed on the brevet, and he will double check in February with a group of Arabists.

922F, Many thanks for identifying this breast star and for providing the links with information about this award. Where would I be without the education you keep providing through significant information related to my stumbling along in the dark about the Order of Ismail and my feeble forays into identifying other decorations? I have passed your identification along to the Archivist at the Durham Univ. Sudan Archive as well. We'll see if the Archivist can clarify the possibility of an earlier date for Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer's Order of Ismail that makes a bit more sense in terms of the potential date for the portrait of him wearing the Grand Cordon sash with badge and breast star. In the meantime, to veer back into the Order of Ismail lane (albeit a low velocity philatelic rather than purely phaleristic one), below are a few Egyptian stamps that use one of the best known official photographic portraits of King Farouk I showing him wearing the Order of Ismail. I posted a version of this portrait as the 3rd image of my post of 24 March, 2019 on this thread (and accidentally inserted it a second time at the end of the post). In that portrait King Farouk I wears the Collar of the Order of Mohammed Ali along with the Sash and breast star of the Order, The breast star of the Order of Ismail, and the breast star of the Order of the Nile, all worn in correct order of precedence. Although the portrait has sometimes been identified as c 1948 (and I repeated this in my post of 24 March. 2019) it is used in several stamps below that were issued before that date. This s a sheet of imperforate 4 mills King Farouk I stamps in green ink from David Feldman International Auctioneers (https://dsy73arn0qite.cloudfront.net/2019/05/159770ex1_full.jpg). The King's portrait has been cropped so that it only displays a small portion of the Order of Ismail breast star to the viewer's left of the Order of Mohammed Ali. 1944-51 military King Farouk I £E blue and sepia ink stamp with the breasts stars of the Order of Mohammed Ali, the Order of Ismail, and the Order of the Nile visible (as are the other stamps and one FDI envelope illustrated below). These may be a valuable imperforate set. This is from David Feldman Auctioneers (https://www.davidfeldman.com/de/dfsa-auktionen/egypt-2017-online-auction/global-catalogue/80120/egypt-definitives-1936-1952-king-farouk-1944-51-mi/?soff_session_category=6410). This is the 25th Birthday of King Farouk I stamp in purple ink issued in 1945 celebrating the King's 25th birthday (11 February, 1920). This is a valuable imperforate example set of this 10 mills stamp. (From: https://findyourstampsvalue.com/rarest-stamps/most-valuable-egyptian-stamps). 50 pi military stamp of King Faoruk I issued in 1944-51 in green and sepia ink. It shows a much greater amount of the King Farouk I portrait. Note the King's crescent and 3 stars from his coat-of-arms surmounted by the crown at the superior margin of the stamp. This is considered to be one of the most handsome Farouk I stamps by collectors, and this imperforate examples is quite valuable. From: https://findyourstampsvalue.com/rarest-stamps/most-valuable-egyptian-stamps This 30 mills stamp is identified as having been issued on February 11, 1952 (the King's birthday) in green and sepia as part of a series commemorating the abrogation of the Anglo-Egyptian treaty, before King Farouk I was overthrown on 26 July, 1952. From the cornet.com website (https://colnect.com/en/stamps/stamp/321721-King_Farouk_and_Flag-Abrogation_of_the_Anglo-Egyptian_treaty-Egypt). Commemorative first day of issue envelope (10 January, 1946) for the royal visit of King Adulaziz Ibn Saud of Arabia to Egypt. I illustrated a photo of this event (with the associated date of 11 January, 1946) showing both King Farouk I and Ahmed Hassanein wearing the 1st Class Order of Ismail as the 6th photo of my post of 24 March, 2019 on this thread. From an August 2019 eBay auction (https://www.ebay.com/itm/1946-Cairo-Egypt-The-Royal-Visit-King-of-Saudi-Arabia-First-Day-of-Issue-Cover/392384361280?hash=item5b5bee3340:g:4dgAAOSwPqFdVeqH). There are several other Egyptian stamps that feature versions of this portrait. Many are cropped and do not show the Order of Ismail. There are some additional stamps that repeat the cropped versions seen in the 4 mill green stamp shown above (i.e., a 1 mill orange/brown ink 1945 issue; a 2 mills red ink 1948 issue; a 10 mills purple ink 1944 issue; a 13 mils red ink January 17, 1952 issue; a 10 mills military Gaza stamp in green ink). I have illustrated above the best quality examples I can readily find online, and those my uninformed philatelic tastes consider interesting uses of this King Farouk I portrait with the Order of Ismail.

Jah Jim, I've included the other portrait of Sir George Stewart Symes from the Durham University Sudan Archive that you wished to look at to perform some "fuzzy logic" medal identification. At second glance, I am very uncertain whether the breast star to the viewer's right of the neck badge of the 3rd Class Order of the Nile may be an Ethiopian Order of the Star. I expected to see some of the openwork of the execution if it is an Order of the Star. My guess was based on the 2004 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Vol 53, pg. 585) listing that Symes’ foreign honors include Hedjazi and Ethiopian decorations, in addition to the identified Turkish award (the 4th Class Order of Osmanieh) and Egyptian awards (the 1st Class Order of Ismail and the 3rd Class Order of the Nile). I look forward to your opinion on this breast star. Autographed portrait photo of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Stewart Symes in his uniform as Governor-General of the Sudan with a slightly contrasting set of decorations from the portraits shown in the last 2 images of my recent post of 25 November. This photo is dated to approximately 1939, although that is not a secure date association. The portrait is identified as having been taken in London. This photo is from the Palace Green Library Special Collections, Durham University Library’s Sudan Collection (GB-0033 SAD.1/11/5) in materials of the Symes, G. S. Collection, and is copyrighted by the archive and should be used for research purposes only.

One of the most illustrious Europeans to be awarded the Grand Cordon Class of the Order of Ismail is the Norwegian jurist Michael Hansson (1875-1944). Unfortunately, I have not found any photographs of him wearing this award, nor any documentation regarding where this award currently resides. Hansson had a 25-year career on the Egyptian Mixed Courts and then worked with the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague as well as other international arbitration commissions. Hansson received the1938 Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the Nansen International Office for Refugees and presented the acceptance speech for the1938 Nobel Prize as the President of that organization from 1936-1938 (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1938/nansen/lecture/). Michael Hansson was appointed in 1907 to the District Court of Mansourah, transferred to the District Court of Alexandria in 1913, promoted to Conseiller (legal advisor) of the Mixed Court of Appeals in 1915, made vice-President of the Mixed Court of Appeals in 1924, and served as the President of the Court of Appeals from 1927 until his retirement from the Mixed Courts in 1931. I have posted 4 images of Hansson in his judicial regalia in the 6th-9th photos of my post on 18 April, 2019 that discusses the biographies of judges whose badges or photos of them in their regalia are useful in my research on the badges worn by the judges and some other officials of the Mixed Courts (see the thread “Egypt Khedival Judges’ Badge question” that I started on 17 November, 2016 here in the “Middle East & Arab States” section of the GMIC Forum). Hansson was a very well-respected jurist, and his promotion to the most prestigious position in the Egyptian Mixed Courts (President of the Appeals Court) is evidence of the esteem in which he was held by his peers. Hansson also was awarded the Grand Cordon Class of the Order of the Nile, but I do not know the date of that award. I do not have any photographs of Hansson wearing his Order of Ismail, and do not know the precise date of the award. Hansson had probably not yet received the Order of Ismail or Order of the Nile by 1926. His biography in the 50th Anniversary publication celebrating the Mixed Courts (Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926: Livre d'or Édité sous le Patronage du Conseil de l’Ordre des Avocats á l’Occasion du Cinquantenaire des Tribunaux de la Réforme, par le :journal des Tribunaux Mixtes. Alexandrie, Egypte, Février 1926, on page v of the appendix listing the personnel of the Appeals Court) makes no mention of these honors. Jasper Yeates Brinton wrote in his memoir of his time serving on the Mixed Courts (and eventually as the President of the Appeals Court from 1943-1948) that honors from the Egyptian throne to judges of the Court often were not awarded until after their retirement, to avoid any appearance of biased influence during their term on the bench (pg 87 of Brinton, Jasper Yeates, The Mixed Courts of Egypt, 1930. Yale University Press, New Haven). This practice may not have been entirely exclusive of some individuals receiving ranks and honors from the Egyptian King, however it does appear to be so in relation to Hansson’s receipt of the Grand Cordon of the Order of Ismail. Hansson had a sterling reputation both for his legal acumen and professional behavior that is consistent with not accepting any distinctions from the Egyptian Government while serving on the courts. I can find no evidence that he received his Order of Ismail honor prior to 1931. Hansson also received the Norwegian Knight 1st Class of the Order of St. Olav in 1915, and the 2nd Class Commander of this Order in 1926, and was a Commander of the Swedish Order of the Polar Star (date unspecified). Photograph of Michael Hansson taken in 1912 showing him in his judicial regalia (stamboulin coat with a red sash with the gold & silver judicial badge of a District Court, and maroon tarbush) at the time he served on the District Court of Mansourah. I posted this image as the 6th photo in my post of 18 April, 2019 on the GMIC thread addressing research on the judicial badge of the Mixed Courts, referenced above. This photo is from the Norwegian biographical website Norske Biografisk Leksikon of the Store Norske Leksikon (https://nbl.snl.no/Michael_Hansson) and is the 2nd photographic plate in Hansson's posthumous autobiography: Hansson, Michael, 1946. 25 År I Egypt (25 Years in Egypt), Forlagt Av H. Aschehoug & Co., Oslo, opposite page 17. Photo of Michael Hansson (L) accepting the 1938 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on behalf of the Nansen International Office for Refugees from Frederik Stang (R), Chairman of the Nobel Committee on December 10, 1938. Captions of this photo do not unambiguously identify which man is Hansson. Although both men look similar in this photo, other photos of each man show that Stang parted his hair on the left and Hansson parted his hair on the right. Additionally, the photo is supposed to document Hansson receiving the award for the Nansen International Office for Refugees, so I believe I have correctly identified their positions in this photo. (From: https://evian1938.de/en/norway/?a=2&d=0&o=0)

I have some doubts about the alleged award date of 1930 for the Archer Grand Cordon Order of Ismail noted above. Although the Palace Green Library Special Collections in the Durham University Library’s Sudan Collection. (GB-0033 SAD. 430/7/6) identifies the award date as 26 March, 1930 in the “Catalogue of the Papers of G. F. Archer”, I think this date is problematic. Archer resigned under duress in 1926. The above portrait of Archer from the Sudan collection (GB-0033 SAD. 1/11/4) is used as the first plate of Archer's autobiography Personal and Historical Memoirs of an East African Administrator, 1963, Oliver & Boyd, Ltd. Edinburgh. Archer titled the image “The Author as Governor-General of the Sudan”. As Archer was forced to resign in 1926, this raised question about the date associated with the brevet for his Order of Ismail as 26 March, 1930. It is certainly conceivable that King Fuad I may have awarded Archer the Order of Ismail after his term as Governor-General. However, it seems unlikely that Archer would pose in the official uniform of Governor-General 4 year after his resignation (and despite the acrimonious attitudes of many British administrators about Archer’s meeting with Sayyid Abd el-Rahman al Mahdi that precipitated his resignation, although historically his position about al-Mahdi proved to be prescient). I believe there is a good chance that the 1930 date in the catalogued information for the brevet may be incorrect. Archer’s forced resignation was considered a disgrace, and I would be surprised if he could have posed for this portrait, and titled it “The Author as Governor-General of the Sudan” in his autobiography, wearing his uniform and this award after that unpleasant event. I am corresponding with the Archivist of the Sudan Collection to see if this question can be resolved. I also wish to add the above image of another example of the 'Mon J. LATTES, Le Caire" label inside a medal case that is identical to that shown in the 2nd photo of my first post of 21 October, 2019 on this thread (although the above image is much higher resolution than that shown on 21 October) from a past eBay auction archived on the Worthpoint.com website for a 2nd Class Silver Egyptian Devotion to Duty medal. The above interior case lid is illustrated in an October 2019 auction listing (Lot 855) on the Saleroom website (https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/arthur-johnson-and-sons-auctioneers/catalogue-id-ibart10723/lot-f891320e-5a2e-40be-b3f5-aada00f02ed1) for a 2nd Class silver Egyptian Medal for Meritorious Action. The auction description does not identify the medal, but shows illustrations of the obverse, reverse (both showing a purple ribbon), an illusion of the interior case lid (cropped in the above photo), and the exterior of the case showing the cipher of King Fuad I. Other than dating prior to 1936, there is no additional information to try and situate the temporal use of this form of Lattes' interior case marking. The other similar J. Lattes marking shown in my post of 21 October is not associated with any reliable dating information.

I have a few diverse contributions in this post, principally identifying some advertisements for manufacturers of the Mixed Courts' judicial badges. I want to begin with another portrait of Judge Pierre Crabitès during his tenure on the Cairo District Courts. I have finally come up with an additional mention of Laurencin & Cie. who is identified as the manufacturer of one judicial badge shown in a November 2012 auction by La Galerie Numismatique (Lot 323) that is archived on the sixbid.com website (I illustrated this badge in 3rd-to-last image in my post of 28 February, 2019 on this thread). I have found no other information about Laurencin other than this auction mention until I came across the advertising for a well known Cairo Jeweler, L. Kramer, identifying Laurencin & Cie. as an agent of his business. I do not know if this means that the Laurencin & Cie. badge identified in the 2012 La Galerie Numismatique auction may have been made by L. Kramer or by Laurencin. A portrait of Judge Pierre Crabitès from 1930 or earlier used in a plate showing three American judges of the Egyptian Mixed Courts from: Brinton, Jasper Yeates, 1930. The Mixed Courts of Egypt. Yale University Press, New Haven, opposite page 300. An advertisement for Rudolf Stobbe from The Sphinx Vol 13, No. 189, 20 January, 1906, (Societe Orientale de Publicite), page 33 (from the American University of Cairo digital Collections: http://digitalcollections.aucegypt.edu/cdm/ref/collection/sphinx/id/620/). Compare this advertisement with the 3 that I included as the 3rd, 4th, and 5th images of my post of 24 September, 2019 on this thread. Advertisement for the well-known Cairo jeweler L. Kramer that identifies Laurencin & Co. as an agent of this jeweler in Alexandria. Laurencin & Cie. is identified as having a shop on rue Chèrif Pacha, Alexandria, the same street where two other manufacturers of Mixed Court judicial badges had their shops (W. Horowitz and Zivy Frères & Cie.). L. Kramer is one of the most commonly identified jewelers of Cairo from advertising and guide book listings from the late 19th-early 20th century. This advertisement is from: The Sphinx, Vol 26, No. 422, 29 March, 1919, (Societe Orientale de Publicite), page 3 (from the American University of Cairo digital Collections: http://digitalcollections.aucegypt.edu/cdm/ref/collection/sphinx/id/3763/). I have found only one Mixed Court magistrate's badge that is identified as having been "made" by Laurencin & Cie., from a November 2012 auction by La Galerie Numismatique (Lot 323) that is archived on the sixbid.com website (https://www.sixbid.com/browse.html?auction=515&category=11656&lot=539484). The auction listing identifies the cased badge as being in a case marked “M. Laurencin & Cie, Alexandrie, Egypte”. No photographs are included to determine whether other maker's marks are present of the reverse of the badge nor of the Laurencin & Cie. name in the case for this badge. I included the one photograph from this auction listing as the 3rd-to-last image in my post of 28 February, 2019 on this thread, in a discussion of hallmarks and the different manufacturers identified for these Mixed Court badges. An advertisement for L. Kramer on the same page as the above advertisement for L. Kramer as a watchmaker, from The Sphinx, Vol 26, No. 422, 29 March, 1919, (Societe Orientale de Publicite), page 3 (from the American University of Cairo digital Collections: http://digitalcollections.aucegypt.edu/cdm/ref/collection/sphinx/id/3763/). As noted above, advertisements for the L. Kramer workshop are among the most commonly seen in a range of late 19th - early 20th century online documents about Egypt. It is unclear if Adolphe L. Kramer (see below) is another family member of the Maison Kramer business, but that is also a well recognized name in Cario and Palestine as a jewelry and watch business. In this advertisement, L. Kramer's business is identified in the Muski market region on the same street, el-Manakh Street, where the J. Lattes business was located at address of J. Lattes shop as "Sharia el-Manâkh 30" (see my post of 24 April, 2019 on the thread "Question about the Order of Ismail/Nishan al-Ismail" in the section here on "Middle East & Arab States"). Below are 7 advertisements for L. Kramer spanning 1898-1928. All are from the the www.925-1000.com website, in the the Middle East Trade section (http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=53896&p=170910&hilit=kramer). Advertisement for L. Kramer from 1898 with an address at Mousky and Shawadliyah Streets in Cairo. Advertisement for L. Kramer from 1899. Advertisement for L. Kramer from 1904, giving the address as rue Mousky, Cairo. Advertisement for L. Kramer from 1918 with the shop identified in the Muski at the intersection of Mousky Street and El-Manakh Street, Cairo. Advertisement for L. Kramer from 1923 with shops in Cario, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Haifa. . Advertisement for L. Kramer from 1928 identifying shops in Cairo, Alexandria, Jaffe, Jerusalem, and Haifa. Advertisement for L. Kramer as a representative of the Parisian jeweler A. Marchak from 1928, located at 4 rue de la Paix 4 in Cairo with a shop in Alexandria as well. Example of an L. Kramer manufacturer's hallmark on a cigarette case with assay hallmarks that are not Egyptian (From: http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=53896&p=170910&hilit=kramer). Example of a silver Tavanne Swiss-made chronometric watch marked with the L. Kramer & Co. name as the distributor of this watch. This watch is identified as probably having been made between 1910-1919. It measures 44.45 mm wide and 7.84 mm thick (no height is provided). From a current eBay auction (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tavanns-chronometer-pocket-watch-L-kramer-co-silver-900-frame-as-coins-Rare/163908716525) Image of one of the L. Kramer shops in Cairo, identified as from 1901 on the www.925-1000.com website's Middle East Trade section. The source of the illustration is not identified. (http://925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53896#p171422). Adolphe L. Kramer, who is identified in the 1943 edition of Le Mondain Egyptienne: The Egyptian Who's Who: L'Annuaire de l'Elite d'Egypte, F. E. Noury & Fils., Le Caire on page 165 as a jeweler located at 6 rue Malek el-Afdal, Zamalek, Cairo who started his business there in 1893, may be a successor to L. Kramer. Adolphe L. Kramer appears to have had several shop locations for selling watches and possibly jewelry other than the rue Malek el-Afdal location as well. Below are a series of 7 different advertisement designs that Adolphe L. Kramer used in the the 1939 edition of Le Mondain Egyptienne: The Egyptian Who's Who: L'Annuaire de l'Elite d'Egypte, F. E. Noury & Fils., Le Caire, as examples of his company's visibility. Kramer paid for the use of these designs multiple times throughout this particular edition, and was the only jeweler to advertise in this Who's Who publication. Only one other watchmaker (Tavannes) advertised in this 1939 social listing. The image of each advertisement shows the page number on which it first appears. All of these advertisements from the 1939 Who's Who identify the el-Mankh Street as Kramer's former business address, with his 1939 address as 41 rue Maleka Farida, Cario. Kramer did not place any advertisements in the 1941 or 1943 editions of Le Mondain Egyptienne, although he is listed in the 1939, 1941, and 1943 editions (complete pdfs of these are available online) and his photo is included in his listing in the 1941 edition. The Adolphe L. Kramer business is noted as formerly having been located on Manakh Street (see below), suggesting he is a successor to L. Kramer. Adolphe L. Kramer is identified in that 1943 Who's Who listing as having been awarded the British War medal and Victory medal with an MiD. From page 35. From page 38. From page 44. From page 53. From page 74. From page 79. From page 108. A Zivy Frères & Cie. advertisement for a manufacturer I have seen identified for only one example of the Mixed Courts' judges' badges. This advertisement is identified as from 1918. See my discussion of this manufacturer in my post of 24 April, 2019 on this thread that a business card and an advertisement for Zivy Frères & Cie. in the 7th and 8th images in that post. Of interest, the above advertisement identifies the date of the establishment of Zivy Frères & Cie. as 1863, something not seen in the materials I posted on 24 April. The above advertisement is from the www.925-1000.com website, in the the Middle East Trade section (http://925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53896#p171422). Another advertisement for Zivy Frères & Cie. from a 1911 guidebook to Alexandria: A Few Lines About Alexandria: Its Climate, Antiquities, Beauties and Monuments, 1911. Issued by the Municipality of Alexandria, Egypt. Whitehead, Morris & Co. Ltd. Alexandria. (http://www.cealex.org/sitecealex/diffusion/etud_anc_alex/LVR_000039_w.pdf) Image of the Cesar Zivy jeweler's store from the www.925-1000.com website's Middle East Trade section (http://925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53896#p171422). The illustration is identified as having been published in 1901, but the source of the photo is not given. Jules Cesar Zivy, who may be (or have been?) one of the Zivy brothers in the business identified as having made judicial badges for the magistrates and other functionaries of the Mixed Courts. Jules Cesar Zivy is credited with founding the Le Nil Masonic lodge in Alexandria.

Chris, I heard back from Doga Ozturk and he sent me his paper's text for the presentation at the 2019 MESA meeting. He is a Ph.D. candidate in Middle East History. I have directed him to the GMIC website, encouraged him to join and peruse the Forums here. I expect we may hear from him soon.

Chris, thanks for the heads up on this paper. I tried to arrange some work I am doing in southern Louisiana to coincide with the meeting and try to attend or meet Mr. Ozturk. I could not schedule that trip to overlap with the meeting, but have written him and will report back to GMIC should I get a copy of his paper.

Over the American holiday of Thanksgiving I was visiting a member of my wife's family interested in the Crabitès family history, and he has found the judicial badge worn by Pierre Crabitès (1877-1943) during his time on the District Court of Cairo (1911-1936). He also has found a number of interesting papers and other photographs of Pierre Crabitès, including one taken by someone probably in the US Dept of State of his grave in the British Christian Cemetery in Baghdad, where he died on assignment in 1943. At the graveside service, the Egyptian chargé d’affaires placed a wreath on Crabitès' grave on behalf of King Farouk I. I suspected the family could not have lost Crabitès' magistrate's badge and have shown several family members images of what it looks like, but it has taken 3 years for someone to have the time to start digging through old trunks and boxes over the last year. I am happy to finally be able to include below some photographs of Judge Crabitès' judicial badge. I do apologize for problems with the quality of the photos below. My struggles with the borrowed camera and the unfamiliar setting are probably just my ham-handedness, although I took these before the festivities got too deep into the Thanksgiving offerings of ales, wines, bourbon, and liqueurs...These images can be zoomed to see greater detail. The cased judicial badge of Pierre Crabitès. The inscription on the interior lid identifies the manufacturer as Rudolf Stobbe of Alexandria. Obverse of the Pierre Crabitès judicial badge. The badge measures 114 mm tall X 85 mm wide. It is silver, with gold gilt on the rayed basal embellishment, on the star and its rays above the central tablet with the inscription, on the central tablet, and probably on the tasseled cords tying the upper corners of the mantle. The gilding on the tablet is quite worn from 25 years of use. There appears to be no gilding of the fringe of the mantle as on other examples (see descriptions and references to other images on this thread below). It is unclear whether there may be gold on the 2 tughs that cross behind the central tablet showing horsetails and the hand of justice on the tugh on the L and the crescent on the finial of the tugh on the R. I have only come across a couple additional examples of the gold & silver District Courts' badges. As noted in this thread, the silver magistrates' badges more commonly appear on auction sites probably because not only were they used by the Parquet, but by a number of court officials such as registrars, clerks, and possibly some lawyers. Interestingly, there appears to be a fair bit of variation in which portions of the District Courts' badges were ornamented in gold across the few images I can find showing them. There seems to be differences even between examples of District Court badges made by the same manufacturer. I wonder if the silver badges were the basic construction for most of these, and gilding of the District Courts' badges (and the Appeals Court?) might have been done as needed from the available silver badge stock, resulting in situational difference in which portions of the badge design were gilt? I have illustrated the obverse of one other gold & silver District Court Badge made by Stobbe in 2 previous posts on this thread (in the 1st photo of my initial post of 17 November, 2016; and the 1st photo of my post of 4 April, 2017 [correcting an erroneous attribution of the badge to the Appeals Court], all are high-resolution images). That badge is from a December 2014 auction listing by Baldwin's (Lot 844), archived on the Saleroom.com website That Stobbe-made badge shows gilding of the princely crown, the exterior of the mantle (including the tasseled cords tying the upper corners of the mantle and the inferior fringe of the mantle), the star above the central tablet (but not the rays around it), but no gilding is present on the central tablet with its enamel inscription. The District Court badge attributed to Joseph Timmermans from a 2014 auction by Jean Elsen & see Fils, archived on the acsearch.info website is illustrated in the 1st photo (high resolution) of my post of 31 October, 2018 on this thread, and in the 10th photo on the post of 18 April, 2019 discussing Timmerman's career. This badge was made by Froment-Meurice and shows gold ornamentation of the rayed embellishment of the badge, the princely crown, the star above the central tablet, the portion representing the exterior of the mantle where it has the embroidery design and fringe sections of the mantle margins, the tasseled cords at the upper corners of the mantle, the horsetails & finials of the 2 tughs at each upper corner of the central tablet (and probably their lower, proximal ends), the laurel branch on the R of the central tablet and the oak branch on the L of the tablet, and the central medallion of the Order of Medjidie ornament at the center of the inferior portion of the badge. The Timmerman badge shows the greatest amount of gold ornamentation of different elements of the badge design of any available photos of District Court badges. I illustrated a badge from a Spink & Son auction in December 2017 (archived on the-salesroom.com website) in the photo (high resolution) on my post of 6 December, 2017 on this thread that appears may be a District Court badge as well. The manufacturer of this badge is not identified in the auction listing, although the undescribed "pawnbroker's mark" stated to be on the reverse may actually be the maker's hallmark. As noted in my 6 December post, a staff member from medals division of Spink & Son could not confirm whether there was gold on parts of the the obverse design of this badge. It appears to have gold ornamentation of the rayed embellishment, the princely crown, the star above the central tablet and the rays around the star, the tasseled cords tying the upper corners of the mantle, the fringe at the margins of the mantle, probably on the horsetails and finials of the two tughs (as well as their proximal ends of the tughs), and probably at least part of the Order of Medjidie design at the inferior margin of the badge. I Illustrated a close-up of the tablet of this badge in the 6th photo of my post of 17 October, 2018 on this thread that shows details of the gilding of the star above the tablet and the rays surrounding it, possibly on the tasseled cord (although the portion visible appears quite worn), the horsetails, finials, and proximal shafts of the tughs, and the fringe of the mantle. Additionally, the painted portrait of a judge of the District Courts that Egyptian Zogist contributed to this thread in the 2nd photo of his post of 23 November, 2016 (and that I included as the 5th photo in my post of 1 April, 2019, with a probable identification of the sitter as likely the Swiss District Court Judge of Alexandria and Cairo, and later the president of the Cairo Court, Raoul Houriet) that shows gold ornamentation of parts of the badge. Although this is not a photograph, elements of this portrait are shown in realistic detail and may provide an accurate depiction of the gold and silver design scheme on this badge. The portrait shows gold ornamentation on the rayed embellishment, the princely crown, the star and rays above the central tablet, the central tablet with its inscription, the two tugs, the tasseled cord tying the corners of the mantle, the fringe of the mantle, and the entirely of eh Order of Medjidie at the inferior margin of the badge. The photographic portrait of Pierre Crabitès from 1911 that I posted as the 2nd photo in my post of 14 November, 2018 on this thread appears to show some of areas of his badge that may have been gilt: the rayed embellishment, the star above the tablet and rays emanating from it, the central tablet with the inscription. I am posting that portrait again below for comparison with the badge in the above photo. Inscription on the reverse of the Crabitès judicial badge. No manufacturer's marks of Rudolf Stobbe are present on the reverse, and there are no hallmarks that could identify the Egyptian assay purity or the year of manufacture. There are no hallmarks on the tunic pin. The vanity inscription was done after receipt by Crabitès and reads: " PIERRE CRABITÈS, LE CAIRE, LE 19 JUIN 1911". The "Le Caire" identifies Crabitès assignment to the District Court of Cairo. "Le 19 juin 1911" appears to indicate the date of his assuming his judgeship. The Les Juridictions Mixtes d'Égypte 1876-1926: Livre d'or Édité sous le Patronage du Conseil de l’Ordre des Avocats á l’Occasion du Cinquantenaire des Tribunaux de la Réforme, par le: Journal des Tribunaux Mixtes. Alexandrie, Egypte, Février 1926 volume identifies the date when he was named to the Cairo court as 8 June, 1911 in the Appendix I listing on page xi of judges on the "Tribunaux de Première Instance" from the United States. Apparently, there was conflict between the US government and Great Britain over Crabitès nomination to the Egyptian government that was only resolved probably on the 19 June, 1911 date (US State Department Document 883.05/49: From Peter A. Jay, Agent and Consul-General in Cairo, to the Secretary of State in Washington D.C. 20 June 1911). Portrait of Judge Pierre Crabitès in 1911, at the age of 34, after being appointed to the District Court of Cairo where he served until retiring in 1936. It shows him wearing the silver and gold badge shown above on the red sash over the black stambouline coat, and with his maroon tarbush (I previously included this portrait as the 2nd photo in my post of 14 November, 2018 on this thread) . Inscription on the inside of the upper lid of the case for the Crabitès badge identifying Rudolf Stobbe as the manufacturer of this badge from 1911. The inscription reads: "R. STOBBE, Joaillier, ALEXANDRIE, L'EGYPTE" ("Joaillier"="jewelery" in English). The lining of the upper lid is a cream-colored satin. This is the only image I have found thus far of the Stobbe name printed inside a case for a judicial badge. Note the French spelling of "Alexandrie", in contrast with at least 2 examples of badges with Stobbe hallmarks on the reverse that use the English spelling of "Alexandria", shown in the 1st two photos of my post of 24 September, 2019 on this thread. . Exterior of the uppper lid of the case for the Crabitès judicial badge. The case is wood with the satin lining of the inner lid and a red velvet lining of the medal bed. The case's outer dimensions are 153 mm long x 112 mm wide x 31 mm deep. The upper lid and lower base are wrapped in a red paper covering with a plain, unembellished push release catch. The hinge (paper connecting the medal bed to the upper lid and covered with the satin lining of the upper lid) is broken on this case. The red velvet-lined medal bed of the Stobbe case for the Crabitès judicial badge. The bed is slightly raised at the end nearest the upper case lid, elevating the superior portion the badge slightly as it rests on the bed. The cutout for the tunic pin is visible. This configuration appears very similar to the case interior illustrated in the 5th photo of my post of 1 December, 2018 on this thread, showing the medal bed without the badge for a Horovitz-made judicial badge (with a black exterior and cream colored satin upper lid and cream-colored velvet on the medal bed) from a January 2019 eBay auction. I also have illustrated cases for a gold Appeals Court badge (from a past Flickr posting, no longer online) by an unidentified manufacturer in the 4th image of my post of 24 March, 2017 on this thread (showing a red [velvet?] medal bed and possibly gold-yellow interior satin of the upper lid and of part of the lower case compartment for the medal bed, probably with a dark [black?] exterior); a case for a silver Froment-Meurice badge from an eBay auction (archived on the worthpoint.com website) attributed to the Greek Judge Apostolo N. Gennaropoulo (he may also have been a member of the Parquet, a registrar, or some other official?) in the 9th photo on that same post of 24 March, 2017 (showing a black exterior and maroon satin on the inner portion of the upper lid and a medal bed of maroon velvet); the case of a silver badge made by Froment-Meurice in the 5th photo of my post of 23 July, 2018 from a June 2018 eMedals auction; the case of a Froment-Meurice judicial badge from from a 2015 auction by Clark Auction Gallery in Larchmont, NY, USA (archived on the the LiveAuctioneers website) that I illustrated in my post of 22 January, 2019 on this thread that includes 2 photos of the probable owner (possibly a member of the Parquet or another court official, but probably not a judge) along with an unidentified "Egyptian medal (the case exterior for the magistrate's badge is dark blue and the interior satin of the upper lid and velvet of the medal bed are turquoise blue); and in the 3rd-to-last photo of my post of 28 February, 2019 on this thread showing a silver badge attributed to M. Laurencin & Cie. (whose exterior is black with gold embellishments along the margin at least of the upper lid, dark blue satin inside the upper lid, and a black [velvet?] medal bed). Underside of the case for the Crabitès badge. His surname is written on the paper covering, and 2 cloth tape pieces are pasted on the upper an lower margins of the case, both read "17". I do not know what this number refers to in relation to Crabitès appointment. The Crabitès family member who found the badge, photos, and other documents also came across Judge Crabitès' gavel and sound block from his service on the Cairo District Court, illustrated above. I do not know what wood the gavel is made from, but the sound block is ebony. Inscription on a piece of cloth tape affixed to the underside of the Crabitès ebony sound block. It reads: "1923, 440 VOLS". I am uncertain what the 440 "vols (?)" may refer to in this note. 1923 was eventful year in Cairo as the first full season of excavation of the tomb of Tutankhamen, which involved Crabitès in the following year (1924). Crabitès was one of the first persons to learn of the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb by Howard Carter while he was breakfasting with General McEwing, who intercepted the first communication from Carter to his sponsor in Britain, Lord Carnarvon about the discovery. Crabitès presided over Howard Carter's suit against the Egyptian government (February-March 1924) over tourist visitation to the tomb, an acrimonious and very public feud fueled by British sentiments of autonomy about their actions in Egypt conflicting with nationalist feelings of the Egyptians seeing the conflict as an example of colonial overreach by the British excavators and press. A photograph of Judge Pierre Crabitès at the age of 58 visiting his granddaughters in New Orleans, Louisiana in August, 1935 (the year before he retired from the District Court in Cairo). The girl on the left is my mother-in-law Petie and her late sister Frederica is on the right. Pierre Crabitès was affectionately known to these girls as "Abu" (part of a teknonym [kunya in Arabic] meaning "father of", so technically he should have been called "Abu Henry"; the women also referred to their grandmother Charlotte Crabitès throughout their lives with the equally incomplete kunya "Ummi", meaning "mother of"). This photo is in the family and a copy was in the photographic morgue of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, used in a couple of society page stories.

I recently came across an archived auction listing from 2013 for a named set of the Order of Ismail attributed to Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer. This auction included the neck badge and breast star of the Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, what the auction listing incorrectly described as the cased set of the 2nd Class Grand Officer neck badge and breast star of the Order of Ismail, and a ribbon bar that includes: the KCMG; the African General Service Medal; the George V Silver Jubilee Medal 1935; the Egyptian Order of Ismail; and the Ethiopian Order of the Star ribbons. All of these awards are attributed to Sir Geoffrey Archer. This auction listing is Lot 895 from 20 March, 2013 archived on the Toovey’s Antiques & Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers website (https://www.tooveys.com/lots/232439/the-awards-bestowed-upon-sir-geoffrey-archer/). Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer (1882-1964) was a British administrator in Somaliland, Uganda, and the Sudan. He is best known as the Governor of British Somaliland between 1913-1922 and is credited with a controversial plan to use the RAF airpower against Mohammed Abdullah Hassan (the “Mad Mullah”) following four unsuccessful ground campaigns. In January 1920, Archer’s plan successfully broke the Mullah’s forces' resistance to the British and resulted in victorious ground campaigns against the “Dervish” State forces. Archer was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George on 3 June, 1920. Wikipedia and other derivative and secondary sources report the award date as 5 June, 1920. However, the description of the brevet for this award in the Sudan Archives' (GB-0033 SAD) “Catalogue of the Papers of G. F. Archer” at the Palace Green Library Special Collections in the Durham University Library’s Sudan Collection (GB-0033 SAD. 490 1/42) identifies the date as 3 June. Subsequently, Archer served as the Governor of Uganda (1922-1925), and then as Governor General of Sudan from January 1925-July 1926, in the wake of the assassination of Archer’s predecessor Sir Lee Stack. His tenure in the Sudan was controversial with the British colonial interests. First, it was unusual for a non-military man to take on such a position and he appears to have been viewed as an outsider in his role as Governor. Archer assumed his governorship of Sudan at a time of significant British conflict with Egypt over emergent nationalist movements and controversy about the status of the Sudan, as well as problems within the Sudan. The British had severely suppressed what they viewed as a mutinous allegiance of one Sudanese battalion with the Egyptian King Fuad I and their refusal to obey British Orders. Archer tried to support some of the Sudanese officers who had not participated in that mutiny. This attitude and especially his meeting with the leader of the Mahdist Ansar movement of Sayyid Abd el-Rahman al Mahdi and promised future relationship between the British with the Mahdi was seen as highly problematic by the administration of the British High Commissioner for Egypt and the Sudan. The unpopularity of any rapprochement with the Ansar rebels, and that Sayyid was the son of the Mahdi whose forces were responsible for the publicity nightmare in Britain of Major-General Charles George Gordon’s killing in Khartoum in 1885 was clearly an embarrassment to the British and Archer’s actions were seen as a reversal of their policy in the region. Consequently, Archer was forced to resign, and this was the end of his administrative career. He subsequently worked in business in India and then retired to the south of France where he died in 1964. Archer also is remembered as an avid ornithologist, hunter, and outdoorsman who made several contributions to the ornithology of East Africa in bird classification, breeding, and migratory behaviors. Information about Sir Geoffrey Archer is readily available on several online sources. I initially thought that perhaps his sympathy for the Sudanese forces who had wished to remain loyal to the Egyptian King might have been the reason that his service in Sudan earned him the attention of King Fuad I and resulted in his being awarded the Order of Ismail. However, I have been unable to find any historical documentation linking his work there directly to the honor from King Fuad I. Subsequently, I found images of his 2 successors as Governors of the Sudan, Sir John Loader Maffey (later Lord Rugby) and Sir George Stewart Symes both wearing the 1st Class Grand Cordon of the Order of Ismail in several official portrait photographs. I currently think that each of these Governors of the Sudan have been decorated by King Fuad I (and possibly by King Farouk I) particularly because of the conflict between the Egyptians and the British over the Egyptian position that the Sudan was a part of Egypt and British strategies that allowed them to rule the Sudan. The Order of Ismail attributed to Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer and identified in the Toovey’s auction description incorrectly as the 2nd Class Grand Officer neck badge and breast star. The auction description identifies this Order of Ismail as made by Lattes. There is no additional information in the auction description, and no images are provided of the case nor any neck ribbon for this award. The brevet for this award is archived in the Palace Green Library Special Collections(GB-0033 SAD) in the Durham University Library’s Sudan Collection. The “Catalogue of the Papers of G. F. Archer” (http://endure.dur.ac.uk:8080/fedora/get/UkDhU:EADCatalogue.0518/PDF) identifies the brevet in section “2. Personal Papers (ii) Honours and Decorations” (GB-0033 SAD. 430/7/6). The description gives the award date as 26 March, 1930. This catalogue entry identifies this as the “Grand Cross” Class of this award. Because that term can be ambiguous, and because of the contrast with the Toovey’s listing, I contacted the Palace Green Library Special Collections at Durham University to clarify the class of this award. Correspondence with the Sudan Collection's Archivist identified that this is the 1st Class Grand Cordon Class of this award. Additionally, I came across a photo of Sir Geoffrey Archer wearing the sash and breast star of the Order of Ismail, and later confirmed with the Sudan Archive at Durham University Library that they are the source curating this image. Although this medal, and the others in this auction of Toovey's Lot 895 sold in 2013 are attributed to Sir Geoffrey Archer, the identification of the class of the Order of Ismail award is incorrect. I do not know if they did not distinguish between a neck ribbon and a sash, or if the measurement of the breast star could partially resolve the class of this award (see caption on the next photo below). The auction listing's identification of the ribbon bar with 5 awards includes his KCMG, the Order of Ismail, and the African General Service Medal, shown in the two portrait photos below. As noted above, the listing also identified the ribbons for George V Silver Jubilee Medal 1935 and the Ethiopian Order of the Star ribbons on that same bar, which I have not seen on any portrait of Archer and no information on these medals is in the Sudan Archive of the University of Durham Library online catalogue records in section “2. Personal Papers (ii) Honours and Decorations of the Papers of G. F. Archer". Full photographic image associated with the Toovey’s Antiques & Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers 2013 auction listing showing the neck badge and breast star of Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer’s Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George on the left and the Order of Ismail on the right. The size of the breast star of the Order of Ismail appears to be approximately the same as the KCMG breast star. The KCMG breast star is usually identified as 82 mm in diameter; the 1st Class Order of Ismail breast star is usually reported as 80-82 mm in diameter; and the 2nd Class breast star is consistently identified as 70 mm in diameter. If this photograph was taken of both awards in the same exposure (likely), and they are both shown at the same scale, then it would be evident the breast star of the Order of Ismail is most likely ~80 mm in diameter, identifying it as the Grand Cordon Class, consistent with the information that Archer was awarded the 1st Class of the Order of Ismail and as seen in the 2nd portrait photo shown below. The above portrait photo is the most commonly reproduced image of Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer in his dress uniform for the Governor-Generalship of the Sudan. It shows him wearing the neck badge and breast star of the Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George and what is probably the Africa General Service Medal (1913-1920). This fairly high-resolution version of the portrait is from David Valenzuela’s flickr photostream (https://www.flickr.com/photos/target_man_2000/34752817902/in/photostream/). I have found one source for a high-resolution portrait of Sir Geoffrey Archer wearing his Order of Ismail regalia, and have reproduced a moderate resolution copy of that image below. A moderate resolution version of the portrait of Sir Geoffrey Archer in his dress uniform as the Governor-General of the Sudan wearing the Grand Cordon Class of the Order of Ismail. This image is copyrighted by the Palace Green Library Special Collections of the Durham University Library’s Sudan Collection, and is the only portrait I have found showing Archer wearing the Order of Ismail. This same image is reproduced as a low-resolution photo in the upper right plate on page 314 of Martin W. Daly’s 1986 book: Empire on the Nile: The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 1898-1934. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. This portrait shows him wearing the KCMG neck badge and breast star, probably the same African General Service Medal (the thin green stripes of the ribbon on the Africa General Service Medal are more apparent of this image), and the breast star of the Order of Ismail in addition to a sash of the Order of Ismail. The black & white photo shows a light gray center and darker stripes at the margin, and there is a sash badge visible in this image that appears to be the sash badge of the Order of Ismail. The color configuration does not match the sash for the KCMG which has a broad central stripe of red against a blue background. During correspondence with the Archivist for the Sudan Collection, he identified their higher-resolution original of this portrait as GB-0033 SAD. 1/11/4. This number does not appear in the online catalogue of the Papers of G. F. Archer because it is a duplicate of one of the loose photographs associated with his time in the Sudan SAD. 22/3/1, that is listed in the catalogue for this collection. No date is associated with the collection information for this photograph, however the archivist has now included a note that it must post-date 1930 when Archer received the Order of Ismail from King Fuad I. The portrait clearly shows the sash badge of the Order of Ismail, and the black & white hues of the sash are similar to those shown below in photographs of Sir Geoffrey Archer’s successors in the Governorship of the Sudan, Sir John Loader Maffey and Sir George Stewart Symes. Those portraits do not show the sash badge of the Order of Ismail, although both individuals also wear the breast badge and the what appears to be the sash for the 1st Class Grand Cordon of this Order. Portrait of Sir John Loader Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby (GCMG. KCB, KCVO, CSI, CIE) in the same dress uniform of the Governor General of Sudan as shown above for Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer. The portrait shows the breast star and sash of the 1st Class Grand Cordon of the Order of Ismail. I have not found any information about the award date of his Order of Ismail. The above version of this portrait comes from Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Maffey,_1st_Baron_Rugby#/media/File:Lord_Rugby.jpg), but, as noted below, a high resolution version can be seen on the National Portrait Gallery website. Following Sir Geoffrey Archer’s resignation, the career civil servant Sir John Loader Maffey was appointed as Governor-General of Sudan and served from 1926-1933. Maffey is better known for his diplomatic role during WWII between Britain and Ireland from 1939 until his retirement in 1949. This was a particularly challenging post, especially in navigating Ireland’s neutrality policy and the secretive Anglo-Irish security during WWII. Maffey was made the 1st Baron of Rugby in 1947. At least 4 portrait photos of Sir John Loader Maffey show him wearing the breast star and the sash of the Order of Ismail. In the above portrait, Maffey also wears the neck badge and breast star of the KCVO, and five service medals that include (from the viewer’s L to R): probably the India General Service medal with 4 clasps; the 1914-15 Star; the British War Medal (WWI) and Victory Medal; and probably the Delhi Durbar Medal 1911.The name of the photographer of this is portrait is unknown, but worked for Bassano Ltd.. The photo is recorded to have been taken on on 27 June, 1931. It is a whole plate glass negative, curated in the National Portrait Gallery (NPG x150081): https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw114847/John-Loader-Maffey-1st-Baron-Rugby?LinkID=mp59788&role=sit&rNo=2. The National Portrait Gallery version is much higher resolution than the image I have included above, and, of course, copies can be purchased through the NPG. A larger format portrait of Sir John Loader Maffey from the National portrait Gallery taken on the same date shows the sash for the Order of Ismail better, but the sash badge is not visible. This portrait also was taken by a photographer whose name has not been recorded working for Bassano Ltd. (probably the same as the previous portrait of Maffey), on 27 June 1931, and is a whole plate glass negative, curated in the National Portrait Gallery (NPG x150079): https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw114845/John-Loader-Maffey-1st-Baron-Rugby. The lower resolution image I have posted above comes from: http://royalisticism.blogspot.com/2015_12_23_archive.html. In addition to the Order of Ismail, Sir John Maffey was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG); Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, neck badge and breast star, (KCVO), CSI Companion of the Star of India (CSI); and the Companion of the Indian Empire (CIE). Above is a photograph of Sir John Loader Maffey (front row, 4th from the viewer’s left) with the British Delegation attending the coronation of Haile Selassie I as Emperor of Ethiopia in 1930 that shows him in dress uniform on the steps of the British Legation in Addis Ababa wearing the same decorations in the two portraits above, including the Grand Cordon Order of Ismail. The detail is not good enough to determine whether it may show the sash badge of the Order of Ismail. This version of the photo is from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/British_delegation_Addis_Abeba.jpg. This photo is available in a higher resolution for sale on the Alamy Stock Photo History and Art Collection on the alamy.com website (image ID: P7GKA3). The Alamy listing also identifies some of the individuals in the photo: "Front row, from left to right: Sir H. Kittermaster, Governor of Somaliland; Sir S. Barton, Minister (ambassador) to Addis Abeba; the Duke of Gloucester, Head of the delegation; Sir J. Maffey, Governor-General of the Sudan; Admiral Fullerton, East Indies Station, Royal Navy. Standing behind Kittermaster and Barton is the Resident of Aden, Sir Stewart Symes. Young Wilfred Thesiger, who had been invited by Selassie to attend the event, is standing in the 4th row (arrow)". Photo from the Palace Green Library Special Collections of the Durham University Library showing Sir John Loader Maffey (seated in the center) wearing the sash of the Grand Cordon Order of Ismail. This is a copyrighted photo from the Sudan Archive, although lower resolution images can be found online. Although Maffey's KCMG breast star is visible (he was awarded the KCMG in 1931, and the GCMG in 1938), that for the Order of Ismail is not (there may be small amount visible below the KCMG star, but both the low resolution of this version of the photo and perhaps Sir John Maffey;s sash and sleeve covers up most of the Order of Ismail breast star as well). Martin Willoughby Parr, the Private Secretary to the Governor-General from 1927-1933, is seated to the viewer's left of Maffey. The 2004 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, Oxford) identifies the dates of Maffey's KCMG and GCMG awards noted above, as well as the dates for his KCVO (1921), CIE (1916), and KCB (1934) in volume 36, page 105. This image is from the Sudan Collection's materials associated with Martin Willoughby Parr, and listed in the catalogue as GB-0033 SAD.842/10/5. This image is identified in the catalogue as probably dating between 1932-1933, depicting Maffey with his staff in Khartoum. This photographic print measures 221 x 272 mm, and was taken by taken by A. Kazandjian. One of the National Portrait Gallery photographs of Maffey’s successor, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Stewart Symes (KBE, KCMG, DSO) as Governor General of the Sudan (1934-1940), also shows him wearing the sash of the Order of Ismail and it shows a portion of the breast star of the Order of Ismail below his breast stars of the Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George and that of the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire. The award date of his Grand Cordon Class of the Order of Ismail to Symes is identified in Le Mondain Egyptien; The Egyptian Who’s Who: L’Annuaire de l’Elite d’Egypte1939 (F. E. Noury & Fils, le Caire) entry on page 355 as 1938. This portrait (NPGx85426) also is by an unnamed photographer from Bassano Ltd. and is dated 1938. This portrait can be viewed at a much higher resolution on the National Portrait Gallery website (https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw53172/Sir-George-Stewart-Symes). A larger portrait of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Stewart Symes that appears to be from the same sitting shows the breast star of the Order of Ismail and the complete sash, but the sash badge is not visible in this photograph because of the position of his left arm holding the dress sword. This is a copyrighted image from the Palace Green Library Special Collections in the Durham University Library’s Sudan Collection (GB-0033 SAD. A85/181), from the papers of J. Angus Gillan. As in the above, he wears the neck badge and breast star of the KCMG, and the breast star of the KBE (the KBE neck badge is suspended to the viewer’s L of the KCMG breast star, overlapping the sash of the Order of Ismail). He wears the DSO below the KCMG neck badge. The resolution of the maximum zoom possible on the National Portrait Gallery site’s image of the 1st portrait above of Sir George Stewart Symes shows enough detail that some knowledgable person here on GMIC can, I believe, determine enough of the obverse design and especially ribbon configurations to identify the medals. I can only identify six of these seven medals. To the viewer’s R of Symes' DSO, from L-R are: the Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902 with 2 clasps, the British War Medal (WWI) and Victory Medal with MiD oak decoration; the George V and Queen Mary Silver Jubilee Medal 1935; George VI Coronation Medal 1937 (?); and the Order of Osmanieh 4th Class. The obverse of the 7th medal is difficult to see, even on a zoomed view of the NPG image, because of the overlap of the Order of Osmanieh, but appears not to be a portrait bust, but some other design. I have not had luck trying to match the ribbon design. Symes is recorded to have received the "Egyptian Medal" for his participation in the 1908 Blue Nile Expedition, but this is probably not that medal. The Archive’s data for this portrait identifies it as taken in 1938, and it includes the caption in an album page where this photo is situated, apparently with other portraits: “Goodbye to all these, July 1939”, and a caption on the photograph “H.E.”, probably "His Excellency". The National Portrait Gallery version of this portrait (the same format as the 1st photo of Sir George Stewart Symes shown above) identifies the date as 12 July, 1939. The Durham University Sudan Archive identifies this portrait as having been taken in Khartoum and measures 151 x 104 mm, but does not list the photographer (identified as Bassano Ltd. on the NPG online catalogue). Another image of Symes in his Governor-General's uniform from the Durham University Sudan Archive (SAD.1/11/5 ) shows him without the Order of Ismail. In that autographed portrait, with an uncertain date of 1939, Symes is wearing his KBE neck badge at his collar and the neck badge of the KCMG is worn to the viewer's left of the breast star of the KBE. It also shows two honors not worn in the above images; the 3rd Class Commander Order of the Nile (identified as awarded in 1915 in the biography of Symes on the AngloBoerWar.com website: https://angloboerwar.com/index.php/medals-and-awards/non-boer-war/129-dso-ed-vii-by-date-of-issue?option=com_grid&gid=23_px_0&p=3), and another breast star I cannot distinguish from the resolution of that image. The other award may be an Ethiopian Order of the Star, but I am uncertain about that. The 2004 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, Oxford) states that Symes' foreign honors include Hedjazi and Ethiopian decorations (Vol 53, pg. 585) in addition to Turkish (Order of Osmanieh) and Egyptian (Order of Ismail; Order of the Nile) recognition, but the specific awards and dates are not identified. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry for Symes also identifies the dates of his awards of KBE (1928), GBE (1939), CMG (1917), and KCMG (1932). As noted in the first paragraph of this post, the award of the these 1st Class Order of Ismail honors given to Governors of the Sudan occurred at a particularly contentious time in regard to Egypt’s claim on the Sudan. Although I do not have any historical documentation to support this inference, I may speculate, that King Fuad I awarded these Governors the Order of Ismail not simply in a pro forma manner, but for very pointed political reasons. I believe that the Egyptian King rewarded these Governors-General for their service within a territory that Egypt continued to claim as their rightful conquest under Mohammed Ali Pasha, blaming Britain for losing this territory to the Mahdi Muhammed Ahmad, and unhappy with the British scheme of maintaining it as a condominium which effectively kept Britain as the actual ruler of Sudan. Decorating acting or former Governors of the Sudan with the Grand Cordon Class of the Order of Ismail may be a minor way to assert that the Governorship role was a service to Egypt in its interest in maintaining that the Sudan should have been under Egyptian control. By honoring these governors with the 2nd highest Egyptian award, the Grand Cordon Class of the Order of Ismail, the Egyptian throne was implicitly identifying the value of their contribution to the ”eminent service of the state” (the defined purpose of this award’s creation by Hussein Kamal in 1915), emphasizing their service to Egypt in the Sudan rather than to the British. General Sir Francis Reginald Wingate, 1st Baronet (GCB, GCVO, GBE, KCMG, DSO, DL, TD), Governor-General of the Sudan and Sirdar of the Egyptian Army (1899-1916), was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Nile in 1915 and the Grand Cordon of the Order of Mohammed Ali in 1917 (both probably from Sultan Hussein Kamel) that likely were given for his service as Governor-General. He was sympathetic to the Egyptian Nationalist Party, a position that resulted in his acrimonious dismissal by the British from his position as British High Commissioner to Egypt (1917-1919). I have not identified any Egyptian honors awarded to Major General Sir Lee Oliver Fitzmaurice Stack (GBE, CMG), Sir Geoffrey Archer's predecessor, when he was Governor General of the Sudan and Sirdar of the Egyptian Army from 1917 until his assassination in Cairo in 1924. I also have not found any data regarding whether the subsequent Governor-General of the Sudan (1940-1947), following Sir Stewart Symes, Major General Sir Hubert Jervoise Huddleston (GCMG, GBE, CB, DSO & Bar, MC), received any honors from King Farouk I. The Sudan Archive at the Durham University Library also has no corroborating imagery or documentation of Huddleston or Stack having received Egyptian honors.

I have a minor amount of additional information on the elusive J. Lattes to add here. This is peripheral background info that builds on the advertising card I posted on 24 April, 2019 from a July 2018 eBay auction, and some of the horological info mentioned in that post as well. In the 24 April post on this thread (and in my post of 14 November, 2017), I cited the only other source of information I have found about J. Lattes business: I have previously given a short synopsis of this brief mention in The Jeweler's Circular and Horological Review, Vol 34, No. 24, of 14 July, 1897, pg. 9 of the shop of J. Lattes as a small but attractive store at the margin of the market area (the Muski) and what the author (Chas Crossman) termed the foreigner's quarters. Lattes shop was considered by the author of this article as the best of the small shops catering to both local and European trade interests. I am re-posting the 1st page of that advertisement card I posted on 24 April at the end of this post. I apologize for cluttering up this thread with some watch images, but as biographical data on M. J. Lattes is so scarce perhaps any additional information can be useful in getting a better sketch of his life and work that includes so many beautiful Egyptian medals. This is a J. Lattes art deco jewelry brooch in its original case with a different form of the J. Lattes name and identifier of the Cairo shop than seen on any cases for the Egyptian state awards and decorations. This piece features a probably genuine ancient Egyptian scarab (however, molds also have been found by antiquities looters and dealers that were used to make ceramic copies of ancient scarabs for the tourist market since at least the 19th century, but the common nature of scarabs in the archaeological record and tourist markets, especially during the early 20th century, suggests it may be an archaeological example rather than a copy) that is noted to have hieroglyphs on the underside. The scarab is set in 18 carat gold with enamel for the bird-like wings (tail and eyes), with a span of 6.8 cm,. This is a fanciful deco modification of the ancient Egyptian imagery that often puts raptor (vulture) wings on scarabs or occasionally combines vulture and scarab motifs.The description indicates that the case is stamped "J. Lattes Jeweller Cairo", but it is unclear if that is on the outside case lid. This is from a listing on the PICTAME website from Peter Brandt-Jensen Antiques (From: https://www.pictame.onl/media/BxCuVriHT7S). Note that the advertising brochure for J. Lattes, shown in the last image on this post and as the 1st image of my 24 April, 2019 post, claims the use of "real scarabs" in Lattes jewelry. The advertisement card shown in the last image of this thread also mentions the Lattes Cairo shop dealing in watches from Geneva, Switzerland. Several auction listings are available online that identify pocket watches made by Lattes Frères & Cie à Genève. As with the dearth of other biographical data on J. Lattes, I do not know who these Lattes brothers may have been nor the relationship between the Geneva and Cairo shops, other than the watches being Swiss-made and sold in Cairo. As this is not a thread about watches, I will only illustrate a couple better photo examples of Lattes Frères watches and one made for J. Lattes by the exceptional, but little known, watchmakers Haas Neveux & Cie. of Geneva. A pocket watch (No. 10789) made by Lattes Frères from a November 2017 (Lot 85) auction by Christie's (https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/lattes-freres-an-extremely-fine-and-rare-6102744-details.aspx). The description of this two time-zone watch notes that this is an 18 carat gold open case (several listings of Lattes Frères watches identify the cases as pink or rose gold) measuring 53.5 mm in diameter, and probably dating to the 1880s. This example also is interesting for exhibiting Turkish numerals on the upper right dial below the Lattes Frères signature. A close-up of the face of this same watch from a Pinterest website archive (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/511932682622510024/visual-search/?cropSource=6&h=355&w=492&x=16&y=10) of a past eBay auction of this same two time-zone watch (No. 10789). Close-up view of another face of a pocket watch made by Lattes Frères & Cie., Genève, showing a variant form of the manufacturer's signature. This image comes from a watch-wiki.org image index (https://watch-wiki.org/images/1/16/Lattès_Frères_&_Cie_à_Genève,_Geh._Nr._4318,_57_mm,_143_g,_circa_1880_(2).jpg) and is from an auction archive on the invaluable.com website (https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/lattes-freres-cie-a-geneve-case-no-4318-57-m-464-c-b8049a0a70) that no longer includes the photo shown above of this watch. That auction description (6 May, 2017, Lot 464 from Auktionen Dr. Crott, Frankfurt Airport, Germany) identifies the number of this watch as 4318, gives its size as 57 mm, and provides a weight of 143 g. It also suggests a date of approximately 1880s. The description also give bracketing dates of 1860-1880 for Lattes Frères & Cie., although I have not yet been able to check those dates through many other sources. The advertising card for J. Lattes shown below identifies the date of the Cairo shop's establishment as 1860. Another past auction listing (Lot 45, from June 2001) on the La Cote de L'Occasion website of a Lattes Frères watch (http://www.lacotedesmontres.com/Enchere-No_468.htm) suggests a date of 1890 for their watch listing. I do not know if Lattes Frères & Cie. continued to make watches into the 20th century, the few with attributed dates on auction websites do not include any dates later than c.1890. Note the watch below made by a different Swiss manufacturer for J. Lattes in Cairo that likely dates to before 1937. A watch with the signature "J. LATTES, LE CAIRE" from a website listing of Paris Encheres Collin Du Bocage (http://encheres.parisencheres.com/en/lot/26277/6082587). The watch is described as made by Haas Neveux & Cie., a Geneva-based and award winning fine watchmaker (founded in 1848 by the brothers Lèopold Haas and Benjamin Haas jeune [jr.], both knights of the Légion d'honneur), and is given an approximate date of c.1940 (probably incorrect). The case is 18 carat gold, with a silver face, with a blue stone cabochon on the winding knob, gold numbers, and the J. Lattes signature, probably suggesting it was made for the J. Lattes Cairo shop by Haas Neveux & Cie. (the movement anchor is signed Haas Neveux No. 67708; case number is given as 9053835). The diameter is 44 mm and it weights 50.7 g. The provenance of this watch is identified in the auction listing as having belonged to Ahmed Ihsan Bey, a member of the royal family a chamberlain of King Fuad I (he also appears to have been a chamberlain of King Farouk I). A photo of King Farouk I's chamberlains is shown in my post of 2 April, 2019 on this thread (the Flickr attribution suggests this photo is from the 1920s, however it is more likely post-1936 as Ahmed Hassanein, shown in the photo, probably only served as a chamberlain to King Farouk I sometime after becoming crown Prince Farouk's tutor in the early-mid 1930s, although he was an advisor to King Fuad I from 1925-1936) that includes Ahmed Ihsan Bey, shown seated in the front row at the viewer's right of the 3rd photo (with names) and the 4th photo (possibly showing a watch chain attached to his vest??) of that post. Although the Paris Encheres Collin Du Bocage website dates this watch to approximately 1940, Haas & Neveux went out of business in the 1930s (probably ~1937). However, this may help bracket the termination of the Lattes Frères & Cie. of Geneva relationship with J. Lattes in Cairo. However, J. Lattes is not identified as a regular retailer of Haas Neveux watches on the partial listing of 384 individual watches (out of a production of probably ~90,000 watches) provided on the Haas Neveux & Cie. Genève website (http://www.haasneveux.com/watches.php). The first page of the undated J. Lattes folding card advertisement that I posted on 24 April, 2019 on this thread which mentions the manufacture of "Egyptian jewellery (the preferred British English spelling) with real scarabs" and watches from Geneva, from a past eBy auction (https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-FOLDING-TRADE-CARD-WITH-MAP-FOR-J-LATTES-JEWELLER-CAIRO-EGYPT-/163133205268?ul_noapp=true&nma=true&si=mpDX%2FvmJ3j93DINpvfI%2FS1m09vQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557) that was formerly archived on the Picclick website (https://picclick.com/Rare-Folding-Trade-Card-With-Map-For-J-163133205268.html#&gid=1&pid=1), although the image and description is no longer available on that site. A much lower-resolution image of the first page of what is probably a different example of this same card (lacking the calculations in upper left corner, no stain in the upper right, possibly with darker brown ink on the decorative sphinx, pillar, & lintel, and maybe black ink used for the lettering?) was recently identified on the invaluable.com website (https://www.invaluable.com/advertising-general/sc-LY1J4TXKAW/?page=73) in a listing of "Advertisements-General", although the image of the card and its description is no longer available on that site.