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Pierre Rousseau, the author of ORDRES ET D?CORATIONS DE L'EMPIRE CH?RIFIEN AU TEMPS DU PROTECTORAT FRAN?AIS AU MAROC 1912 - 1956, sells his book via French eBay. FJP auctions recently offered at least one copy of this French language book. It provides comprehensive information on the Order of Ouissam Alaouite. Usually Commander and Grand Cross badges are the same size but some larger badges, of the second variety at least, do exist .

Thank you, this is interesting, especially the Manchukuo awards! One might think a Vice Admiral would have something more--- Maybe a red cross medal. Or maybe his German or Roman Eagle were "forgotten for other reasons"?

Designs appear clearly identifiable as Bertrand work [ use of white ink titles, card stock colors and three dimensional shading technique]. The title penmanship is also distinctive.

J. Jacob {Court Jewelers of the World} reports Garrards used the Albemarle Street address from July 1911 until 1952. He got his info in 1976 while Garrard's staff still took their positions as guardians of company lore and service to individuals as collectors with pride. To my understanding, royal Arab parliamentry and judicial badges varied between specific functions. Both Libya and Egypt had different ones for their two parliamentry houses and judges' badges (in Egypt) varied between "local" and "extraterritorial" divisions, at least. That could be a reason for varying centers. Maybe a "personal recognition {moto propritu} award"? This badge seems quite delicate. While possibilities mentioned above may be correct, how about a ladies award of some sort? An Egyptian precedent exists. On the other hand, one or two cased Rafadhain badges on ladies bows have been offered in the past. One {maybe officer grade?} in a Bacqueville of Paris case with a small gilt metal Iraqi crown on the lid of the red leatherette case. Owain?

"Liliac" Red Eagle and 2nd Empire LoH? If so, may KO {knock out!} Austrian von Schmidt on likely bestowal date range. Think you mean St. Greg rather than Lateran Cross, eh Jeff? As to Jacques, sure of Franco-Saxony & Bavaria connections but Wurt? Unless a special bell needed a tower? Tend to agree Friedrich August St?ler held these awards. However, one never knows!

Plus, Rick, don't you find this missing WWI commos {certainly Austrian, maybe Bulgar} but perhaps something more--believe Mark Patterson had this bar or something very similar a couple of years ago, perhaps at OMSA. Maybe there was a Romanian Star or Bulgar Civil Merit on it then as well then... If Mark is out there.... Was there a story of the possibility of a 2nd bar to the same guy with the missing commemoratives and ...??? Did this bar have hook-and-eye rather than pin back? Liverpool is not all bad

Reportedly, da Costa of Lisbon made some Orange Nassau insignia perhaps during WW II. Jeff, didn't FJP auction a commander's star with swords of that type 5-7 years ago? Spink of London may have manufactured some badges in the 1940s as well.

Rick shamed me into digging into Peter Bander van Duren's 1985 revision of Cardinale's, Orders of Knighthood, Awards and the Holy See. Pp 111-112 fully describes the cross and notes that it is an award instituted by the Papacy but not conferred by the Holy See, as bestowal was delegated to the Custos of the Holy Land. "These marks of distinction cannot therefore be qualified as pontifical." However, van Duren's 1987 work, The Cross on the Sword , states [p. 139 & 156-7] that the Holy Land Pilgrim's Cross was replaced with two new awards around 1977. {N.B. I have seen a Pilgrim's Cross document dated 1981} These are the Palm of Jerusalem [conferred by the Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 3 classes for 'special services or charitable work towards the Order'] and the Pilgrim's Shell [awarded by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem (CUSTOS) and the Grand Prior of Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem on behalf of the Grand Master to members of the Order who make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem]. Unless there are subsequent changes, the Palm of Jerusalem award is mainly for, and the Pilgrim's Shell exclusively for, members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Maybe this belongs in a Vatican thread?

As Rick notes, this Pilgrims' Cross existed in this form from 1901 through "reforms" of the 1980s. From the inception, the grade depended on the number of pilgrimages to the Holy Land or the amount of "DONATIONS" contributed. In 1975, for example, the gold class recognized ten or more visits, silver 5-9 and bronze 1-4. "Donations" at that time were US$5 for bronze, $25 for silver and $50 for gold (silver gilt)---don't see how insignia costs were paid at those prices, let alone a significant "donation". {Guess the numbers had not been adjusted for years somewhat like the Japanese Red Cross criteria!} Sometime in the 1930s the "Jerusalem" bar illustrated signified a "special" award (no specific number of visits or contribution amount) but following WW 2 that bar was also presented to non-Catholics granted the honor. Apparently due to misunderstandings on the part of the Italian insignia supplier, the bar accompanied just about ALL awards after about 1960. Because the award was presented under delegated authority of the "Custos" of the Holy Places or Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem--usually a Dominican also involved in the Papal Order of the Holy Sepulchre , French awardees, among others, could not apply for permission to wear it until the post WW II 4th republic. First time I've seen this on a German bar but some Austrian and Italian groups include it. Many American got this decoration--James Risk received the gold cross with bar and David Garrison had the silver cross.

Prof. G. A. Tammann was working on a manuscript several years ago but I have not been able to contact him for about 2 years. Perhaps someone has a draft copy of his work? The U.S. Library of Congress had a complete run of the Zanzibar Gazette from about 1920-1963, the fall of the sultanate. I do not know if it still exists there. The British Foreign Office probably still has a Gazette run but the Gazette copies formerly held at the U.S. State Department were destroyed in 1989. Besides listing appointments to the Zanzibari orders and medal awards, they contained extra numbers with changes to award statutes/criteria. The Royal Ark website has minimal info at http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Tanzania/zanz7.htm as do Werlich and other general references. The Order of the Exhalted may have been awarded later than 1911. As Ed says, articles appear in the OMRS & OMSA journals and Sabretache. And Ed didn't you write something on this subject? Perhaps Dragomir Acovic did too?

The last Thies auction offered a St. Stanislaus commander document to a Dr. Florsch?tz identified as physician to the SCG court. Don't remember the first name, likely Carl.

This is a Masonic badge. These appear in various auctions in the "International Order" category or on eBay {sometimes eBay vendors correctly describe them}. I do not know what it signifies.

Thanks for posting this! I last visited this palace about 5 years ago; you are quite correct vis-a-vis opposition to taking pictures! I didn't get any at all. Wouldn't be so bad if any sort of catalogue [illustrated ! even] existed. There were more European [Franz Joseph, Iron Crown & Imperial Russian St. Anne? plus others] and Asian [Japanese Sacred Treasure & Hawaiian Crown Order especially] items on display then. Did you see any Dutch Orange Nassau insignia or Indonesian sultanate materials? I recall a jewelled Cambodian Royal Order commander badge as well. In discussion with an "assistant curator", I hinted about insect and sunlight damage and mentioned that several sashes had been wrongly attached to badges but see those concerns were ignored. At least the enamels do not appear to have suffered additional damage!

Thanks, Ed. Wondered about cloth type ribbon sets. n.b. Klenau and others sold excess royal Sun insignia in the 70s/80s at less than production cost!

Greetings! The number of classes of this Order have varied between 3 to 4 to 5 since its inception. It added a Grand Commander (Commander + star) grade in the 1890s and an Officer grade (rosette on breast badge) in the 1910s. Some French awardees receive an officer's badge and star for the Grand Commander grade. The officer grade went away in the 1920s but reappeared in the 1930s. The statutes are provided in the Laws of Liberia. I will provide the exact cites in about a month as I am traveling now. The Order of African Redemption may have an associated medal. [According to the second statutes it was in 3 classes, gold, silver, and bronze. It is not mentioned in the most recent statutes.] The round medal has an enamel depiction of the Liberian coat-of-arms on the obverse and the inscription "Honour" on the reverse. Ribbons are varied; some medals have the order ribbon, some use a red/white/blue ribbon and there are other varients plus ribbons added by individuals. Liberia's Order of the Star of Africa has a 3 class medal associated with it. Obverse is the order insignia central medallion design, reverse the reverse central order insignia medallion. Ribbon is blue w/ith red horizontal stripes but it is seen on other ribbons.

Quite interesting, Ed. Thank you! Have you seen any fabric or plastic-coated paper ones? Do you know whether the Sun Order has been reinstated?

I have very little information on Gambian awards. Saw military officers wearing ribbon bars and attended a function where the President wore the collar during a visit to Banjul 3-4 years ago. The ten year of independence medal may be the one on the green-red-green ribbon and the long service [10 or 15 years?] is on the red-white-blue-white-green one [same as the Order of the Republic of the Gambia ribbon]. The Order apparently has a medal associated with it but the medal is supposed to have the Order cross incised on it. (Maybe that info is wrong and both men are holders of the medal of the Order?) Megan's site has some information and illustrations and there's another Gambia website that has some data.

I am traveling now and will not have access to references until late-November /early- December. Robert McNamara wrote a study later published by OMSA on Austrian hallmarks but I do not recall him describing either of these. Perhaps someone else has more ready access to that information. Some marks are "shop marks" identifying either individual craftsmen or the order in which a piece is assembled. Is the one on the right an "O" and an "L" or "10"? The one on the left may be "C F Rothe" but it may be a Serb import tax stamp. The marks on the loop between the cross and crown may be clearer and easier to identify.

During a visit to Khartoum last Spring, a contact said that a Singapore firm currently supplies Sudanese awards. Spink's made them in the 1960s-80s.

The 5 arm white enamel decoration (Legion of Honor type) that the lst officer wears 2nd from last on his lower row of awards is the insignia of the Order of the Republic of The Gambia, likely member or 5th class. Another ribbon worn after that appears to be the Gambia Independence medal. {His medals do not appear to be worn in order of precedence.} The medals both have appear to be an Armed Forces Long Service Medal {15 year?} and an Independence anniversary medal. Although the third photo is the "official President's portrait" posted in most Gambian government offices, schools and other places, no one in Banjul could provide definitive information on the collar and badge. Foreign Ministry staffers believe it is apparently a combination Presidential badge of office and symbol of the Grand Mastership of the Order of the Republic of The Gambia.

The loop connecting the cross to the crown apparently has at least three marks. The ribbon ring seems to have a couple as well. These probably will reveal the base material as silver, the maker as Rothe or Fischmeister, and a tax release mark suggesting the manufacture date range and country of origin {Austria}. This piece has a central MO IV monogram suggesting a likely 1882-89 date range. This order's insignia seems to be relatively susceptable to losing reverses. As Jeff notes, it is not especially unusual to find missing reverses replaced with a plain or domed disc or sometimes even a coin. The lack of gilding may be a manufacturing error or evidence of heavy wear, disassembly and reconstruction evinced by the slight rotation of the obverse center & wreath. The lack of damage to the suspension crown, cross and wreath but chips to the motto ring & red enamel center may support that possibility. Or maybe the obverse center is simply loose.

An early 1970s "Medal Collector" article describing Amin's receipt and wear of a Swiss unofficial medal lists some of Amin's other awards. He "qualified" for the Israeli wings and even continued to wear then after Entebbe. The OMRS journal also had several articles on this topic. Ed Joslin of Spink spoke specifically about Amin at an early 1970s OMSA convention during a presentation on "designing jewelled jam tarts". An Order of the Source of the Nile (Uganda's highest order under Amin) collar set reportedly belonging to Amin was on offer at the Nairobi Hilton gift shop in 1988. Several countries withdrew their awards presented to Amin following his expulsion of Asians but he continued wearing the insignia.

The series of Rwandan decorations this example of the Order of the Grand Lakes belongs to were primarily made in Belgium. Reportedly, following somewhat problematical intrapersonal relations at the manufacturing firm and the usual Rwandan govt inability to "pay up", decorations came onto the market. These pieces are almost always gilded or silvered base metal with 1990s type enamel or epoxy work that may "pop" off in severe climatic or pressure changes. {An important factor as consignments delivered from winter Belgium to elevated but tropical Kigali experienced radical temperature and air pressure change, not only during the delivery flights.} While insignia design appears innovative and attractive, the execution is a little disappointing with the badges for varying grades generally all the same size {so the higher grades' badges look disproportionally small} and the stars quite heavy. Some stars have a reverse medallion that bears the Rwanda coat-of-arms, some do not. Badges seen to date are uniface though one or two also have the national coat-of-arms medallion applied to the reverse. Ribbons display various combinations of the former Rwandan national colors red, green, yellow, dark blue, and black. {The Order of Peace, for example uses a yellow and blue ribbon.} On October 25, 2001, the national colors were changed to light blue, gold (yellow) and green and a newly designed flag officially hoisted. {This, in part, to help dispell bad feelings stemming for the mid-1990s genocide.} Perhaps the national awards system was changed at that time as well. Several Belgian specialists have quite interesting information on these awards--perhaps they will join in the discussion?

Hello Gentlemen, I would offer the Liberian Order of the Star of Africa, officer rank, as the potentially unknown ribbon. That Order's ribbon colors are nearly the same shade and dimension as the UK Sts Michael & George -- How likely would it be for a Dutch national to have both a RVO and a KCMG {M&G with rosette might suggest 2nd rank of M&G or KCMG). Foreigners were admitted to the British Sts. M & G Order as the Honorary Associates but not Members--I do not know if foreigners may be admitted as full Members at present. The 3rd foreign ribbon/rosette may be a Luxembourg Adolf {blue with orange stripes} or perhaps a royal Egyptian Nile Order {blue with yellow stripes}? Ribbon variations for both exist; the yellow/orange edge stripe width and shade could be typical of either {though usually the Nile has a touch of blue at the outer edge}. Agree that the first "foreigner" is a RVO probably 4th class: Several non British ribbon bars have RVO ribbon w/rosette to identify that class, now called LVO.

Hello Veteran, Determining the "reality/originality" of this group is quite difficult. As you say, odd groups are not in themselves fake ab initio. If anyone ever saw W. Churchill's pre WW I group (and Brit medals were unnamed!), it certainly would appear highly suspect! The circumstances when located are immaterial to me in examining the issue as they have little to do with "genuine" vs. "lash up". Career progression could argue pro or con too. The number of colonial orders actually is not too unusual nor, given the examples cited earlier, are the non-statutory swords on the Belgian Crown Order ribbon. The question of presence or absence of name on the Legion of Merit doesn't really worry me but the officer degree raises serious question. Analysis of that piece itself (composition and ribbon material) might be informative. Even the former owner's ignorance of the holder's name is not necessarily bad. I certainly have seen some groups for sale in flea markets by distant relatives or junkmen who had no idea of the history. I suppose the "overall feeling", including patina, wear, etc is a useful factor. If Thierry remounted everything, then enamel damage or metal wear probably is not a reliable guide. Hendrick's thoughts on the matter, especially the Polish award ribbon and the bar issues, clearly deserve resolution. If the group was actually worn in France, then the possibity of substantial penalities for wearing awards not earned might tend to legitimate the group.