922F

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 son
  • Paul Lambrino
• 2) Jeanne Williams (1960-1977); one son
  • Ion 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.

Terrific bar!!! An aspect perhaps worth exploring--as Ed reports in his http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14945 post, Gardino of Rome made much 2nd type Orden de la Mehdauia {Mehdi} insignia, including collars. Plaques or stars usually bear Gardino's maker plate but badges often have Italian silver fineness punch marks (and sometimes a maker punch) on the reverse suspension ball or ribbon ring. Several Spanish jewelers (including Medina?) also made this insignia. The question of whether the appearance of crescents/stars in the badge points vs. floriated designs there actually means anything appears unresolved. (Some opine it's just a jeweller choice, others a change from/in the original or 1936 or 1945-6 regulations. Most Gardino pieces have the crescents/stars.)

Maybe the best easily accessible non-net source on this Order is de la Punte's Condecoraciones Espanoles. Although what one may term a Spanish colonial order, Halifia {Caliph} Muley apparently made awards on his own say-so, not always to his Spanish protectors' liking. Order records were kept in the Diplomatic Cabinet (office) of the High Commissariat and Muley's Grand Vizir offices. Thus, records may be available in Madrid or Teutan.

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?

He has the same blank look as Ted Knight in his role of Ted Baxter on the old Mary Tyler Moore show. He looks like he is prepared to say something totally off the wall and meaningless...

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

1. Baron Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen - Politician who Helped Adolf Hitler to power; Reichskonkordat Negotiator
2. 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.

Hi Unfortunately no picture attached

regards

Alex K

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

Very nice! Here is one from me - the Balkans are ready to meet the "Fortresses" in the winter of 1943/44

Very nice to see Bulgarian fliers!!

aha! the old switcheroo!

well, i guess if anyone is looking for a cuban case...i just might have one for trade towards a comparable item!

p.s. thank you very much, 922F!

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.