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Yes Graf, the above sash badge looks like Cejalvo manufacture. Stars possibly attributed to them [sorry no image to hand] have a somewhat different center with blond seraph hair and between cross arm flames/fleur de lis element cut away from [or with a thin metal cut] between them and the cross arms. Also this sash has a 'French' type bow & swivel. I have seen sashes with bows like this, sashes with Austrian type rosettes & bows, and what seem to be the original method [FIRST image below]. I cannot definitely say whether usual Cejalvo-made St. Alexander sashes look like this one or more typical Spanish bows & tails. Must do some more digging. I wonder about the Tallinn Museum set. The SECOND image below, from the Tallinn Museum, seems to show a Cyril & Methodius set...with Austrian type sash!

Maybe sword, dagger sling or aiguillette [or similar type] accouterments? Have seen several of the smaller one before some years ago in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar and maybe in Cairo.

Insignia shown in Graf's post immediately above belongs to the private Cyril & Methodius organization previously discussed. Most material regarding those pieces posits 1920-30 French manufacture. The 'collector copy' Cyril & Methodius collar set badge & star enamel and metal finish quality appear cruder than 1960's Rothe copies. However, the format & execution have similar characteristics to those copies in terms of general shape [flames between badge & star cross arms, star reverse appearance, blue enamel hue, stippling absence, seraph detail, and so on]. Maybe someone found old French or Rothe dies? At one point in the 1970's-'80's, claims that Cejalvo of Madrid made Cyril & Methodius [supposedly for Simeon's use] badges and stars surfaced. The badges were of the 'thin' arm variety. The centers had struck saint images, I believe. These do not look similar to those items.

Thank you Drugo! I tried a quick search of online U.N. diplomatic lists without success but with a June 1960 date may have better luck later.

Fascinating group! You must feel quite lucky to have obtained it! Both the French and U.S. publish annual lists of accredited diplomats so it may be possible to consult those directories. I tried a quick google search for these lists from the 1950's-'60's without success.

Most likely, would be cheaper to buy a complete one than pay for restoration. Genuine ones now range from $80-$150--you can get a not bad copy for around $25

No words for this one!!!

WOW!! some price--I'd have needed more than a few beers' consideration! I gave a wrong attribution for the 6 point 'medal' you saw. Militaria, not MILITES, 2nd year #11, p. 47 of June 1994 IDs it as a Star of Merit of the G.L.A. [ Gioventù del Littorio Albanese--Youth of the Albanian Lictor--an Italian orchestrated Albanian fascist youth organization]. It seems unclear whether it was a formally awarded distinction. This is only the 2nd one I've ever heard of; the other was in a dealer's shop in Rome at least 10 years ago. See http://spazioinwind.libero.it/littorio/org/gal-i.htm for info on the G.L.A. There's a Florence Nightingale medal in that image next to the Red Cross award--another rare bird!

Bob--did you get a price for these? All very desirable!! The epaulets have been forged so cannot offer definite opinion on them. Did you get a view of the button details or reverse? If they're 'linked' to the belt they may well be originals. Have seen only 4 of these Albanian belts [supposedly for officers and court officials] for sale in over 50 years; only one other in this good of a condition. Last one in this condition sold for about $250 or so a few years ago. Both epaulets & belts were supplied by Unione Militare and sometimes so marked. Medal is one of the Albanian fascist party/related items. It's described in the MILITES article--have to consult my copy now stored away. Related things at ...

If you don't find any in the UK, Paul Kaparoff in the USA had a number of Indian ribbons. Paul's email address follows: kap73p@aol.com

Thank you for these stunning images!!

If I recall this group correctly, a silver Ottoman Sanayi Medal.

If you seek maker identification, the first star looks to be Spink manufacture; however Spink almost always placed their maker identification lozenge on the reverse and sometimes used gold pins. Another Spink 'tell' not present here is that now and again the star's central white enamel has a yellowish cast. This may be due to production error or a lacquer overlay. The other stars may be Polish made. First maybe 1990's made by A. Panasiuka, Warsaw--if so ID would be on [apparently missing] screwback plate. Last one more recent--look under the pin hinge support for possible marks.

Great 'Going Home' Find!

Eurorders, a wonderful bar perhaps formerly in George Seymour's collection! Do you know the original owner's name?

Rusty, Think Ismail Teymour Pasha's Belgian Crown Order neck badge indicates a commander grade award. https://twitter.com/EgyChampagne/status/511990449741901824/photo/1. may be an admiral or the commander of the royal [now Presidential] Yacht el Morissa built in 1863 and still active. About 90% certain he's wearing a naval uniform--4 rings usually means captain. Somewhere I have an image of Farouk in naval uniform [admiral] & seem to recall the ornate cuff embroidery same as this fellow but with a very broad band in place of the 4 stripes. I agree with your decorations ID. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/107945722297247055/. -- no idea of uniform ID but lean towards Anglo-Egyptian Sudanese Condominium military service. His neck awards may be Ismail, Nile, Jordan Independence, and Iran Taj [Crown]. Two breast medals appear to be UK Sudan & Khedive's Sudan. Star too washed out for me - maybe Jordan Independence

Rusty, Thanks for posting this image. I'd opine that Ismail Teymour Pasha's neck badge you've IDed as a Legion of Honor is rather a Belgian Crown. Note the points on the components between cross arms and the loop above the bottom juncture of the suspension wreath. When enlarged the center looks more like a crown than a head.

Graf--A gem of a gem with gems!! Puns intended. French manufacture? Have you the realized price? Thank you for posting this GEM!

Sincere thanks!!

KVK1x might be most probable but center disk seems very pronounced and thicker than most KVK1s. What about simple KVK 1 [no swords]? Unlikely for an Admiral..... I tend to think that it's not a Zvonimir for reasons outlined above.

Try the Palais Royale with several retail establishments and Le Louvre des Antiquaires where you will find a few shops as well, both near the Louvre Museum. Relatively high prices--shops in Palais Royale sometimes have old ribbon stock. Your flea market success is hard to determine both in terms of what you may [or not] find and prices. I'd visit the Marché aux Puces de St Ouen (early Saturday), Porte de Montreuil (7 AM Saturday) and often overlooked Porte de Vanves (7 AM Saturday or Sunday). There were a couple of shops along Rue de l'Universite but don't know whether they're really worthwhile. Some of les bouquinistes who have stands along the Seine have medals and both Arthus-Bertrand [6 place Saint-Germain des Prés, Paris, 75006] and the Monnaie de Paris sell current production items. Metro and public bus links make all of these relatively easy to get to and traverse among. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, and pay in cash for best prices at flea markets. Upscale shops, Bertrand and the Monnaie generally do not bargain but it never hurts to ask. If you have time, visit the Hôtel des ventes Drouot [9, rue Drouot 75009 Paris] which offers both estate and specialized collectable item auctions. Ask people who you meet at such places whether they know of any other shops or the sometimes hard to access collectors' meetings. Opportunity awaits!

Stitching seems sloppy & ribbon wear maybe inconsistent? I'd blacklight this.

Artan, Good to hear from you and thanks for your image! In an on-line video of the event, thought I saw someone who resembles you at the State Dinner. Some of the cases have the recipient's name written on white sticky tape fixed to the outside case bottom.

Hi Bob, I think this is a modern production (possibly post WW2). The red enamel eagles of the trophy ate taken from the grand star of Scanderbeg Order Italian period (1940). The four eagles between the cross arms are taken from the grand star of the Besa Order Italian period (1940). Albania do not use decorations of cross shaped, because is a many-religious country. Regards, Artan Greetings, Thanks to all contributors for their efforts on this thread. An early 1980’s Graf Klenau auction catalog contains the earliest known [to me] image of this type insignia identified as belonging to an Albanian langue of the Roman Catholic Order of Malta. The catalog illustrates both a collar and a pinback breast badge. Supposedly Count Ciano instigated formation of this langue as a component of his campaign to become the Albanian head of state in 1939. When that initiative failed, the project did too. I contacted the Roman Catholic Order of Malta at least five times in the 1980’s-‘90’s, including personal visits to Via dei Condotti, regarding this purported langue. Authorities there dismissed the possibility of an Albanian langue’s existence even as a proposed concept, let alone acknowledged existence of an insignia description. Nonetheless, I have seen three collars, a neck badge or two and at least five pinback crosses in this style. I cannot opine whether they are sample pieces, fabrications for eager or avaricious or gullible collectors or represent an as yet unknown different still-born project. If the Roman Catholic Order of Malta still denies a ca. 1939 Albanian langue proposal then these are almost certainly fantasy pieces. Another possibility may be that some pseudo Order or association discovered the design and proceeded to have insignia made for their own ends. I suspect that’s the raison d’etre for the single headed black enamel Scanderbeg type insignia [Bob's post 25 above]. An alleged Scanderbeg family member of the branch resident in Italy for the past 500 or so years instituted at least three decorations in the 1870’s-90’s. This could be another such creature. Bob’s post 15 Honor Collar of Albania image closely tracks with examples manufactured by Bertrand for Leka I in the 1970’s-‘80’s. The firm 'Worth' manufactured the Leka II - Elia marriage medals shown in Bob's post 24 above [note "W" stamped on suspension ball reverse]. Cased exemplars destined for wedding guests were positioned at their place settings during the State Dinner offered by the Albanian government following the marriage ceremonies. The cases may be seen there in internet images of the event; at one point a guest handles one but the images are not clear enough to distinguish details. A very few persons having strong ties to the newlyweds or who offered them superior services who did not attend the wedding or dinner also received cased medals.