922F

Fantastic Ed!! What is the fabric? A slippery slope however.......

Many French nationals received this medal--suspect they are not included in the 2,000 figure.

Thank you for this fascinating information!!

Very Nice, Thank you!!

Hugh-- Thanks agin for this wonderful information and illos!! Wing Commander O'Toole, besides many other works, wrote a "Medal Collector" article on Sarawak awards in the 1960s. I don't have access to that now but believe the Star Order originated in 1928 and had the old or first type insignia from then until 1946. If I remember correctly, another iteration of the Star of Sarwak insignia existed from 1970-83 and a further insignia change ran from 1983-88 when yet another version apparently appeared. Right now, the Liverpool Medals site displays a ladies 5th class of what may be the 1970-83 type. I remember that a KL ex-pat bar, maybe near the new Regent Hotel, had a couple of cases of awards displayed in the late 1990s. Didn't the Order of the Star of Hornbill first come into being in the 1973 regulations? PS "kerfuffle" has serious connations in some circles!!!

Absolutely Wonderful!! Many Thanks, Hugh!! Eagerly awaiting further enlargements! Are these mainly Spink production? I know there are [were] several Singapore makers or jobbers, including Eng Leong and Military Suppliers.

Makes one ill---wonder why the {damaged} St. Alex was so (compartively) cheap

Nice to have this all in one place again, Ed!! Thank you!!! I know your views on "exile awards" but for completeness would note 1970s Iraqi Royalist grants of the al Rafadhain and Faisal I Orders. These not by the usually accepted potential pretender Prince Ra'ad ( Prince Ziad's son) or "Sharif Ali" but by Razi Faisal (purported oldest son of Prince Ziad) out of London and Tehran. At one time I heard that "Sharif Ali" planned to dish out Orders but no confirmation he ever did.

Have you seen earlier attempts by these forgers? They offered a couple of stars on eBay last year but erred in have a Medjidie center on an Osmanie plaque and an Osmaie center on a Medjidie plaque. Maybe someone saved the pictures?

And, often, so he was!! Looks like his Order of Malta badge at his neck in the 2nd photo--lots of internet links on the "conspiracy theory" regarding that Order c.f. searches for Baron Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen - Politician who Helped Adolf Hitler to power; Reichskonkordat Negotiator General Reinhard Gehlen - Nazi Chief of Intelligence over Russia; Head of Gehlen Org; Head of BND At any rate, von Papen was elevated to Knight Magistral Grand Cross of SMOM in April 1933. It is likely the upper star in the 2nd photo is that of the Hungarian Regency Order of Merit--von Papen held a number of awards from "friendly' countries including Hungary, Romania & Bulgaria--do not know whether he got anything from Croatia or Slovakia but would not be surprised if he did.

Alex, This remark referred to Theodor's picture of Bulgarian pilots posted earlier

Very nice to see Bulgarian fliers!!

You are welcome. It's hard to gauge demand for pre-Castro Cuban cases -- a few well-heeled specialist collectors certainly exist. If the case has gilt Cuban arms on the outer lid, you likely have a winner. A,V & R supplied the Cuban Merit or Red Cross Order, the Order of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes and some ministerial Orders in burgandy colored cases. Jeff Jacobs' book documents the firm's name changes.

This appears to be a case switch; that is a badge placed in a "found" case. AV & R of Havana consistently produced much higher quality insignia. It is unclear when they went out of business/stopped manufacture. The Austrian Merit badge itself looks to be a typical (1970s-80s?) period piece. The hook and eye cravat fasterners are neither a Cuban nor Austrian type.

Wonderful piece!! A treasure!!! Very nice condition too. Besides the Stalins book, a 1960s Medal Collector has a feature article on this award in English and several 1960s-70s Sabretache articles discuss this order in French. At one time the Museum of the Legion of Honor (Paris) published a catalog of an exhibition on this order.

Magnificant!! Concur completely with comments on this wonderful pair!

Yash translated Pushkin's short story in a 1960s-70s Medal Collector; have otherwise only seen it in English in a 1950s paperback Penguin collection. It's well worth reading, not only for ordens-lust insights.

THANK YOU!!! DANKE (KOLOSSAL!!) !! Merci milles fois, mes amis!!

In the 1990s, the Peteropolis (Brasil) Museum had a collar and perhaps 5 classes on display. D. Acovic authored a study on this Order in the 1980s-90s. Partial award lists exist either in Peteropolis, Rio or Brazilia. Exactly where they are now sited in another question. An early 1990s Medal Collector contains a photo of a painting of Dom Pedro wearing the collar and provides information on qualifications and several holders of the Order. Makers included French, Austrian, Portugese, Spanish and Brazilian firms. A subsequent Thies catalong illustrates a piece with a French maker's plaque.

Magnificant!

I believe Eric Ludvigsen wrote an English language article on this Order published in The Medal Collector in the 1970s-1980s. I do not have access to my records of this at present but perhaps someone with a Medal Collector index can help.

Have you seen the recent Bulgarian uniform booklets? These are available via eBay from world collect & other Bulgarian dealers. FJP sometimes has them for auction sale.

Wonderful!

Very nice!! Thank you Ed!!!

Nicolas de ROFFIGNAC, ORDRES et MEDAILLES des PAYS D'AFRIQUE ? l'?poque POST-COLONIALE de 1960 ? nos jours This paperback trade-edition type book is available on French eBay from time to time priced from 50 to 80 euros, plus postage. See below for only 50 euros "buy it now" <H1 class=itemTitle>Livre ORDRES ET MEDAILLES DES PAYS D'AFRIQUE</H1>Num?ro de l'objet : 140232751435 I have dealt with this seller several times; he is a true friendly, knowledgable and correct gentleman. Problems with this book outlined in earlier posts include 1) use of materials without acknowledgement of original and/or secondary source 2) confusion between differing decorations of various states and 3) wrong information--Liberian section is a notable example. It is quite true that attempting to gather information on independent African state awards is difficult--that does not justify use of materials without acknowledgement. Furthermore, confusion over relatively well known facts (or at least published facts) seems out-of-place when perfectly adequate information in major world languages is available. Unfortunately, Stair Sainty & Heydel-Mankoo perpetuate some of the same errors, likely as a result of their use of Roffignac's information. Steam vented, this is the ONLY easily available, general source on awards of post-independence African States. In the Werlich and Stair Sainty & Heydel-Mankoo vein, that alone commends it to students of this neglected area. A second edition is rumored to be in the works. Besides correcting many errors and adding more illustrations, the 2nd edition is slated to (finally) credit information sources. Most recent info suggests this revised edition will cost about 120 euros. SOUYRIS-ROLLAND "Guide des ordres, d?corations et m?dailles militaires 1814-1963" Paris 1979 is also on French eBay from time to time--there are at least 2 editions.