922F

ex Ludvigsen or Colson???

Amazing medal, couldn't be in better hands! Repeat visits pay off!! For those who don't know what Kawass (or Cavass) men are, they act as combination way clearers or honor escorts/guards employed (or, formerly, owned) by specific authorities from government officials to powerful families, from religious leaders to consular & diplomatic officers. This profession probably originated in pre-Ottoman or Ottoman days, when other methods of clearing paths through narrow, crowded streets were ineffective. Kawassmen used their batons and strength to clear the way. Kawass work/activity has largely died out ( among the Jerusalem consular corps in the mid 1970s, only the British and French consul generals still used them). The Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalam still has several. It is impressive to see them leading a procession through narrow Old City streets, usually with the Kawassman heading the procession followed by two honor guards then, depending on visitor rank, the guest flanked by either two or four honor guards. Two honor guards follow the guest. For senior guests, a junior Kawassman follows the guard procession. Kawassmen have staffs or batons (the length, up to about two meters, depends on visitor and Kwassman rank) which they hold vertically and slowly wave from side to side in an arc clearing the path. Traditionally, their processions have the right of way over everyone, including police. To honor important people the procession encounters, the lead Kawassman will either stop waving his staff or deviate slightly from the center of the road.

Thank you for the information. Have seen only a few MilMerit pinbacks on uniforms with either grommets or thread loops. Thread loops more usual than grommets, similar to provisions for wearing stars. Again, a great item....did you find anything in the pockets? By the way, I saw similar belts on uniforms displayed in the old military museum in Sofia (ca. 1987).

He's missing Nordic & Russian....bottom row 4 (a) seems to be a four arm ball-tipped cross perhaps a Swedish Vasa or North Star and 4 (b) maybe St. Stan. perhaps twisted & reversed. (Rick notes color shift with old photos and that one appears to be two tone value.) And where's his Portugese, maybe the 2nd position neck badge has 4 swallow-tail arms, so a Christ? If it's 5 arms....

Wonderful uniform! Looks like all buttons are present too! Are there two grommets or thread loops for the MilMerit 4th class? Or is it pinned through the pocket material?

First group, second row unknown (black/blue strips with one star) may be the Italian Army long command medal. First group, bottom row unknown (red w/white/gray side stripes and one crown) could represent a Yugoslav White Eagle officer. If so, given other context, it might likely be an King Peter exile award. Another award with similar ribbon is the Czech White Lion Order but stripes would be unquestionably white. Neither of these two, however, would customarily use a crown on ribbon distinctive device. Second group, last place (red/black/red with crown) may be an ephemeral award. The color combination fits with the Congolese Order of Merit (1959) but a rosette, not a crown, would distinguish the officer grade. Belgium's Yser medal/cross --not a likely candidate here--has a similar ribbon too.

First type Bulgar Civil Merit officer & 2nd type commander

Thank you Megan--These are most likely Bichay of Cairo made pieces with reverses similar to the style of Egyptian royal Nile order insignia. Often the center will have an Arabic Bichay mark and sometimes Egyptian silver fineness marks appear on the reverse badge body. I have not seen the flat dull green enamel type (the neck badge) before-- the brighter hue with metal work visable underneath is more typical. I

The Legion of Honor loks to be an officer's badge, note ribbon rosette. Still, the entry level French award for most Foreign Ministers, regardless of county smallness, is commander of Order of National Merit or LoH cmdr. Years ago, each of the 5 members of the ruling junta of some South American country got LoH Grand Officers. They were happy until they learned that other "leaders" got GCs during that tour. Since only 1 GC was "available" for each country, French newspapers asked whether the junta members preferred one GC tied around the 5 of them so they would look like a bunch of radishes.

Thanks!

Hello Hipnos, Thank you for posting the star and documents. Is the reverse of your star marked? Besides Medina, Celjavo may have made this Order in Spain.

A EK2 list for Jutland might confirm Captain Langsdorff's {Graf Spee} EK2 award for that battle reported at Nationmaster.com

This type insignia is more usually identified as the Persian {Ghajar} Arts & Sciences Award (Order, Decoration, Medal as you will). A recent auction offered one.

Wonderful photo of Langsdorff and the Spanish naval officers! Seems Spaniards got German Eagles and Germans, Mehudias. My impression is that the Langsdorff funeral cushion neck cross is a civil division Hungarian Regency Merit Order commander. The ribbon appears to be a solid color. Doubt it is an Italian Crown commander for that reason, lack of devices between cross arms and straight edge cross arms. While a Sts. Maurice/Lazarus would have a solid color ribbon, there are no devices in the cross arms or trifoil cross ends; Italian Military Merit not applicable for same reasons. Roman Eagle established in 1942. Following the coming to power of the Nazis, Langsdorff {EK II Battle of Jutland, EK I subsequent minesweeper service} requested duty at sea in 1934 but was instead appointed to the Interior Ministry. That assignment could result in foreign awards like a civil Hungarian Merit commander. In 1936 and 1937, on board the new Admiral Graf Spee while on the staff of Admiral Bohen, Langsdorff participated in the German support of the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War. This may explain his Mehduia. {Langsdorff bio data from Nationmaster.com}

While in no way competent to evaluate these bars, I can tell you that Croat awards (including Zvinomir and Trifoil medals) have been extensively faked; compare the two illustrated here with examples shown in Angola's books. The evidence & points you have discussed as to the apparent workmanship, ribbon age, and overall condition speak for themselves.

Ricardo, Thank you for this wonderful information! This clarifies and expands our knowledge immensely. I have not yet had a chance to look in Trost, Gritzner or Acovic but will report what they said next week.

Hello Carol I, While in French-Spanish-Portugese exile, Carol II awarded 'personal' decorations including the Honor Cross and it appears that his morganatic son {Carol} and perhaps grandson {Paul} (see below) did so as well. Paul now runs some sort of 'charitable' organization in Romania. There seem to be problems between Paul and ex-king Michael. There was also a supposed bastard son of morganatic Carol, Karl, born in Paris in the early 1950s--not sure if he was involved in orders/decorations affairs (c.f. www.chivalricorders.org/royalty/fantasy/paulof.htm.) May be discussion of this in Contre Ordres. Carol Lambrino, self-styled HRH Prince Carol of Romania (8 August 1920 - 27 January 2006) was the eldest son of King Carol II of Romania from his morganatic first marriage to Zizi Lambrino Joanna Marie Valentina Zizi Lambrino (3 October 1898 in Roman, Romania - 11 March 1953 in Paris, France). Paul Philip Lambrino (born 13 August 1948 in Paris), who styled himself H.R.H. Prince Paul of Romania and Paul Hohenzollern, is the grandson of King Carol II of Romania and of Zizi Lambrino. and the first wife of King Carol II of Romania. Carol Lambrino was married three times: 1) Helene Nagavitzine (1944-1950); one sonPaul Lambrino2) Jeanne Williams (1960-1977); one sonIon Nicholas George Alexander (born 1961)3) Antonia Colville (1984-2006)His lifetime quest to prove his legitimacy was finally resolved in Romania in 2003. The court's decision allowed him to claim the surname Hohenzollern and cast some doubt on the legitimacy of King Carol II's later marriages. His half-brother King Michael I of Romania is awaiting the result of an appeal regarding the verdict. The royal claims of Carol's line (to the defunct throne of Romania) continue to be pressed by his son Paul. {This info from Nationmaster.com entry for Carol Lambrino.} At any rate, what appear to be Spanish made Honor Crosses exist.

Hello Ricardo, Thank you for posting images of these magnificant pieces! These are glorious items! Do you know if the story about Dom Pedro I presenting Amalie with a jewelled set of insignia on her arrival in Brazil is accurate? The story about the Russian Grand Duke and the Order of the Rose and Order of the Southern Cross appears in a book entitled "Once a Grand Duke" written by the Grand Duke himself. If you wish, I can obtain information about the book for you. Thanks again for this thread!

Onward and Upward, EXCELSIOR! Pure research for it's own sake....furthering historical understanding. A noble tradition honored and advanced! Thank you for giving us insights into the gnomish charge. Or as others may put it, no good deed goes unpunished!

Hi Ricky, Thank you for this wonderful posting including Poliano's work/illustration. People who told me about a green enamel insert being the difference between grand cross and grand dignitary stars include Robert McNamara {died 1996}, Bill Corbin, and George Seymour {died 2004}. All three were/are specialist collectors who began work in the 1940s-50s--McNamara studied Grand Cross awards of all countries, Corbin follows imperial/royal American (Brazil, Haiti, Hawaii, & Mexico) awards, and Seymour speciaized in German States awards but also had experience with more esoteric orders like the Rose. None cited any specific written materials. Colonel Guyadier of Paris told me he didn't know why some stars had green enamel in star crowns but in the 1970s had 5 or 6 stars some with green enamel insert crowns and some without. I myself have seen about 15 Rose stars with crown; I'd guess most had the green enamel crown insert and the balance did not. I recall one star with a red enamel insert either in the Prague castle collection or in a Vienna collection. Well-known expert Dragomir Acovic published a booklet on the Rose Order in the 1980s, my copy is in storage. I do not remember what he says, if anything, about this issue. I do not recall what Gritzner or Trost report regarding th Rose Order but will try to find their work along with Acovic's. I would suspect, however, that Poliano used his direct access to Brazilian archives and would be likely the closest to original sources. Ricky, have you had the opportunity to see original statutes? Your point on how much someone could spend on insignia may be directly on point. I have read an account by a Russian Grand Duke stating that he received his insignia of the Orders of the Southern Cross and Rose directly from Dom Pedro II so maybe some people did not have to buy their own insignia? Thank you again for your work on this topic, Ricky, and best regards! 922F

Could Elmar's insignia with suspension crown [post 9 above] be a Carol II exile-in-Spain award? It is unclear whether Carol II sanctioned insignia variations for his "personal" exile awards but that might explain it. The "cravat loop" style and basic cross body form/finish do not look like Weiss work in the least [to me!]. They appear to be more of a Spanish workmanship tradition. {And we cannot forget "exile" awards made by Carol II's bastard offspring in Spain or Portugal.}

Hi Ricky, Could you suggest a comprehensive written study of this Order? Many people have told me that a green enamel insert within the surmounting crown is the chief difference between the Grand Cross and Grand Dignitary star. I always questioned that and/or the idea that different size insignia equaled different classes. I would appreciate your guidance on these questions. Cheers, 922F

Very nice and excellent condition! This is a Grand Cross star, correct? Are there any maker's marks or plaques? Congratulations!

What a GREAT 'growler', Ed!! Somehow I didn't see this thread until today and am completely bowled over or is it 'shocked and awed'? Fantastic groups, Ed, and the documentation/stories make it complete!!!

This medal commemorates Boris' and Giovanna's 1930 marriage (obviously!). Bulgarian royality websites fully describe the ceremony [date, venue & c]. R. Campi designed the medal and it likely was struck by an Italian firm. Cast versions have also been reported--these generally lack Campi's signature. It is seen in 3 different metals (bronze, silver and silver gilt); a few examples have royal Bulgarian 2nd type crown suspensions in the appropriate metal. These crowns appear to be taken from Bulgarian merit medals and added by persons unknown. The medal diameter is 28 mm or so making it noticably smaller than Bulgarian official medals. Ribbons usually seen with this are a equal width Bulgar green/white/red tricolor or a vertically half green-half red ribbon with a central narrow white stripe. Sometimes these medals have safey-pins attached to the suspension, suggesting there was no ribbon. It is NOT listed anywhere as either an official Bulgarian or Italian medal but one known Bulgarian group includes a silver example among other official awards, including an Italian Crown Order knight. Prince Romanoff describes this medal in his Bulgarian book; he attributes the 2nd ribbon described above to it. Denkov pictures it but I do not recall if he mentions a ribbon. Value.....hard to say. A couple of Bulgarian vendors offer these at prices for $20 to $100. Many unofficial Bulgarian medals exist from 1880 on--including various Plodiv fair medals. Apparently some people bought these and added them to their groups.