Carol I

Hi Alex, Yours is the correct ribbon. Type one insignia (1877-1932) had red ribbon with two blue stripes on each side. The red ribbon with one blue stripe on each edge is the Military Virtue ribbon for battlefield awards. Hence it does not fit peacetime insignia.

... and with wrong (battlefield) ribbon.

You're welcome, Gordon. Here is more on the history of the medal. It was originally established in 1878 as a two class award and was reorganised as a three class award in 1932. The wartime awards (with swords) were introduced in 1937, also in a three-class system.

Hi Gordon This is old type of the medal with the coat of arms in use until 1922 (and it should also have a surmounting crown). The other ones are of the type used during WWII.

I thought Nicholas' question was about the wartime awards. Also, I would like to add that although the Faithful Service Order indeed had 5 classes in 1937, these were Collar, Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander and Officer.

Hi Nicolas, The Faithful Service Cross and Medal were the lowest wartime decorations according to the Royal Decree no. 1932/1941, with the cross ranked above the medal. Unfortunately I do not have access to the text of the decree, but I guess the difference was on whether the award was for armed deeds (cross) or for service (medal).

Romanian orders manufactured by C. F. Zimmermann during WWII had a "CFZ" mark.

This is the Maritime Medal, established in 1936, later named Medal for Maritime Virtue.

This model (both the badge and the ribbon) was not described in any official regulation and therefore I regard them as fantasy pieces made to deceive the collectors.

The first one is the Romanian Faithful Service Medal with swords.

The two batons used by Antonescu appear to have differed from previous models. October 1941 (probably a temporary model) March 1943

This gilt cross is an officer's cross on a knight's ribbon (without rosette).

Above: Order of the Star of Romania, type I, peacetime insignia with swords above the cross Below: Order of the Star of Romania, type II, wartime insignia with swords through the centre on wrong type I ribbon

Same decoration worn by the Emir of Bukhara as photographed by Prokudin-Gorsky in 1911 ... ... and in the Museum of the Legion of Honour.

More interesting details are surfacing: Michael's baton is in fact Ferdinand's, his grandfather. Ferdinand's baton was donated to the National Military Museum after his death in 1927. The administration of the Royal House requested the baton on the 8th of May 1941 for the promotion of Michael to marshal rank on the 10th of May 1941. Then, on the 19th of June 1941 confirmed that the baton will remain the property of the king and the baton was erased from the inventory of the National Military Museum.

It is of the same design as that used by Kings Ferdinand and Carol II, as well as Marshals Averescu and Prezan. Averescu's baton is in a museum, but unfortunately in a rather poor state. Antonescu on the other hand seems to have used one or even two different designs. In the colour photo above, he seems to have a baton with somewhat bigger metal ends than Michael's, but of comparable thickness. However, in the photo below, he has a thicker baton, with a different design.

King Michael's marshal baton displayed at his funeral ... ... and in wear in a colour photo from the 1940s.

Hi David. As far as I know, there is no official list of recipients for the Order of the Star of Romania. However, if the recipient was British, there is a chance you might find his name if you look into the London Gazette issues of the time. Some years ago they were searchable and one could look for decrees acknowledging foreign awards, but I imagine that cross-checking the information with other awards would be extremely tedious.

I think I may have found the answer: Eduard Hjalmar Palin, Finnish envoy to Romania between 1941 and 1945

You described the very connection (in only 4 steps): Rome > Roman Empire > Roman conquest of Dacia > Romanian people > Romania

It is not Italian, but Roman and it is a symbol of the Roman origins of the Romanians.

Can anyone identify this (presumably Finnish) man? Thanks.

Thank you for this confirmation. The updated list of the confirmed foreign awards is: Belgium: Grand Cross (military) of the Order of Leopold Bulgaria: Small Collar and Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius Great Britain: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Greece: Collar of the Royal House Order of Saints George and Constantine Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer Manchukuo: Collar of the Order of Orchid Blossom (February 1941) Poland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle (22 May 1937) USA: Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit (20 March 1946) USSR: Order of Victory (06 July 1945)

Can anyone identify the collar worn by PM Petru Groza in this photo?

Those truly interested always learn new things on this forum. This is the Collar of the Royal Victorian Order, not the Royal Victorian Chain.