Carol I

Amazing set indeed. I took a photo of it 10 years ago when visiting the museum.

The order was established in 1917 as a war order for the medical personel. In 1938 the order was reorganised with small changes in the design of the cross and the ribbon (the addition of the gold edges characteristic to war decorations). The order was disbanded after 1947 as all the other traditional Romanian orders. Yours appears to be a 1st class cross (only the 1st class of the order was enamelled) of the second type, post 1938. Congratulations!

The Defenders of the Independence medal instituted in 1878 for those who supported the army during the War of Independence of 1877-1878. The ribbon was blue with red-yellow-red stripes on edges. See http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medalia_Ap%C4%83r%C4%83torii_Independen%C8%9Bei for images

Many of the early Romanian orders have been manufactured by French, Austrian or German jewellers, so it is not unusual for them to carry foreign hallmarks. LE: I have taken a fresh look at the image of the hallmark and I think I can see "Diana's head" and "A", thus indicating a Vienese jeweller.

What you have is a peacetime military version of the Type I of the order. The crossed swords above the cross indicate the peacetime military version and the design and ribbon indicates Type I in use between (1864)-1877 and 1932. I cannot make out the full details of the hallmark, but it does not appear Romanian.

Yes it is and it does. The Military Virtue ribbon has been introduced for the Romanian orders with swords during WWI as a sign marking bravery in front of the enemy. It was thus meant to distiguish frontline distinctions from general war service ones. The award has been maintained during WWII as well and you have a copy of the latter. Please take a look here for another copy of the WWII award.

It's an officer's cross of the Order of the Crown of Romania with swords on Military Virtue ribbon.

I would like to dig up this old thread and ask you what decorations would this man have received during his service which lasted until about WWI (beginning or end - not clear). Based on the photo, it was already established that he received the 1898 Jubilee Medal for the Armed Forces. Given the length of his service, I would suspect that he also received the 1908 Jubileum Cross. Is this supposition reasonable? Anything else, like a long service decoration or something similar? Thanks in advance for your help

Order of Faithful Service

Order of the Star of Romania, peacetime officer's cross

Order of St. George

Order of the Ruling House of Hohenzollern (Romanian model)

Order for Cultural Merit, Carol II model

INTEMEIETORUL CONTINUITORUL SI CTITORUL NOULUI LOCAL AL SCOALEI - roughly translated as "Founder, supporter and benefactor of the new school building"

Badge of the academic staff of the Military Academy

Badge of the graduates of the Superior School for Administration

Badge of the graduates of the Military Academy

"The cult of the motherland"

1. Order of the Star of Romania, Grand Cross 2. Order of the Crown of Romania, Grand Cross 3. Legion of Honour (France), Grand Cross ... 5. Order of the Orthodox Crusaders of the Patriarchy of Jerusalem ... 7. Honour Sign of the Romanian Eagle, Officer 8. Order of Agricultural Merit, Officer

Constanta was indeed the navy base... ...but I have no information of this sort.

Apararea fixa maritima - Fixed maritime defense?

There are also unmarked medals, medals marked with an "N", as well as medals made in silver, but the latter are very rare.

I do not know how you found it, but Alexandru G. Florescu was indeed the first Romanian ambassador to Poland, between 1919-1924: http://www.consul-romania.pl/cd/85.html Maybe our Polish colleagues can help with a translation if necessary. His house housed the Goethe Institut in Bucharest until recently: http://bucurestiinoisivechi.blogspot.com/2010/04/casa-alexandru-florescu-arhitect-ion-d.html

No, sorry.

Neck badge 1: Commander of the Order of the Crown of Romania (type II) Neck badge 2: Order of Polonia Restituta (Poland) Medal bar 1. Order of the Crown of Romania with swords and Military Virtue ribbon (knight's cross) 2. Order of the Crown of Romania (officer's cross) 3. Cross of the Ruling House (?) 4. Sanitary Merit Cross 5. 1913 Campaign Medal 6. WWI Commemorative Cross 7. WWI Victory Medal 8. Order of the Crown of Italy (officer's cross) 9. Order of the White Eagle (Serbia) 10. ? Close-ups 2 and 3 indicate rather a Grand Cross of the Serbian Order of St. Sava.