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Good morning Antonio, I am of the opinion that this medallet is more of a souvenir or momento presented by HSI. I do not have any evidence of this though. I have yet to find an image of someone wearing this piece. I attach an image of the Genet Military Academy Medal. Kind regards, Owain

Antonio, Thanks - have you any documentation confirming the attribution as Military Academy? There is a medal for the Genet Military Academy which was opened in 1934 and the Harar Military Academy which as opened in 1958 has at least two medallions. Kind regards, Owain

Nick, These remain elusive - whilst not particularly rare, documentation concerning their status seems to be non-existent. Owain PS I attach some more images.

Many thanks, Owain

Many thanks. I think 'Yon Hwei' is a mis-attribution from the inscription, 'Jun Kong Hai Lu'- see above. From the link it is the 'Army, Navy, Air Force Medal (or Armed Forces Medal) in the following grades. Senior Grade, 1st Class (gold) Senior Grade, 2nd Class (silver) Junior Grade, 1st Class (gold) Junior Grade, 2nd Class (silver) My miniature being silver appears to be the Senior Grade 2nd Class awarded to those of the rank of Major or above. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, I believe the miniature to be a military award. Any suggestions? Many thanks, Owain

Gentlemen, Further to post on 26 May 2020, 12 January 2023 and 16 November 2023, another RAOB Palestine jewel - this one with three clasps. Obverse suspension, "Palestine". Obverse jewel, "Province of Palestine", with a central castle or fort, no doubt representing a location in Palestine - perhaps Kerak Castle? Clasps - "Brabazon Rees Lodge", "Jerusalem Lodge" and "Haifa Lodge". Reverse - "Bro. E.M. Hickey Member of the Palestine Province". Jewel is of silvered base metal with the makers name, "Fattorini & Sons Bradford House Birmingham". I have yet to see evidence of any specific Palestine Lodge jewels. Owain

Gentlemen, This time a silver gilt generic jewel from the Flying Six Lodge of Iraq - see my post of 12 July 2020. Obverse - "Nemo Mortalium Omnibus Horis Sapit" (No man is at all times wise) Reverse - "Presented to Bro. D. Poole K.O.M. By The Flying Six Lodge For Services Rendered As Trustee 1949-50". The hallmarks are for a silver piece made by the Birmingham company "F&S" (Cashmore & Company) with a date letter AE' for 1950. Suspension - "Flying Six Lodge No. 6546" Top Bar - "Trustee" Kind regards, Owain

Gentlemen, An older piece in silver and enamel. Obverse - Palestine - Examining Council - Justice Peace Philanthropy Reverse - Presented to ------ as President Examining Council 1932 (Maker's mark F & ? - Sterling i.e. silver) Top bar - President Lower bar - 1932 An attractive piece, missing its rear long pin, and a relatively light piece compared to similar pieces. It would seem that the recipient did not have his name engraved. Owain

Good morning, I attach images of: WWI Belgian miniature group with a DCM WWI French miniature group with a MM and a USA DFC Sadly no attribution to either. Owain

Svapr, For £500 you should get a nice undamaged one and in a case. The example you show has bent finials and damaged / missing enamel on the ends of the arms on both the obverse and reverse. There also appears to be a chip on the central white enamel on the obverse. I would leave this one alone. Owain

Svapri, It looks as if it is from the United Arab Republic for some manner of service medal - the last bit of the lowest line of text is illegible. Owain

Gentlemen, Previously illustrated in my first post from May 2020 I now illustrate another RAOB Dhofar Lodge No.9721 jewel however this would appear to be an earlier example of silver gilt with a hallmark dating it to Birmingham 1972 - date letter 'X', and by 'FCP' (FC Parry of Birmingham). Sultan Qaboos had only been Sultan for two years and the war against the insurgents in Dhofar continued until December 1975. I would suggest that this Lodge probably met at the RAF base at Salalah on the coast of Dhofar. During this period Omani forces and British forces were entitled to their respective General Service Medals - both with the clasp 'Dhofar'. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, A new acquisition - a previously unseen gilt Egypt jewel with a design incorporating a portico, pharonic wings, lotuses, the sphinx and a pyramid - to my mind a most attractive design. Obverse - the initials, "R.A.O.B.G.L.E." (Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffaloes Grand Lodge of England). The suspension brooch bears the word, "Egypt". Reverse - plain other than the inscription, "Bro. G.E.Seldon RAF Aboukir Lodge 3739". The makers name is noted, "Henry Slingsby Ltd. Nuneaton". As noted previously Aboukir is on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt and the bay in the Nile Delta is known for a sea battle of 1798 when the British Navy, under Nelson, defeated the French navy. Owain

Chris, This is a relatively scarce award for collectors. I have a 5th class which I have had for ages. I attach some images. No doubt the eagle/hawk suspension change as the various Republics proceed. Owain PS I think the Kingdom's original issue is a more attractive piece.

Gentlemen, An finally today two oddities: A jewel for Shamal Lodge No.9948 which consists of a mounted silver Saudi riyal coin. The obverse reads, "Abulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud King of Saudi Arabia". The reverse reads, "One Saudi Arabia Riyal Struck at Mecca Al Mukarama 1270". The date equates to 1950/51. The 30mm diameter coin is 11.6 gms of 91.7% silver and was actually struck in the USA not Mecca! See also images in my posts of 8 July 2020 and 31 May 2023. A jewel ribbon and suspension only for the Golden Gulf No. 9683 Lodge - see my post of 8 July 2020 for an image of the jewel pendant, where I infer from the design that the Lodge was based on a British Aerospace compound in Dharhan, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Kind regards, Owain

Gentlemen, Today a 'new' RAOB jewel - gilded base metal, for Tabuk Shifting Sands Lodge No. 9962. Tabuk is in the north west of Saudi Arabia and is the home of a British Aerospace base. The obverse Arabic reads, "Tabuk Sands Shifting 9962" - the Arabic is a direct transliteration of shifting sands into Arabic script. The design is that of a sand devil on the sands of Arabia. The reverse bears the makers mark, "Parry B'ham". Owain Gentlemen, Now for two generic Lodge jewels featured before however these are better examples: An 'OURS' jewel - some manner of charity jewel but specific meaning unknown. The reverse is engraved, "Shifting Sands Lodge N.9962", with the makers mark, "Parry B'ham". An Overseas Buffaloes Association jewel with reverse bearing the makers mark, "Parry B'ham". Owain

Gentlemen Further to my post of 11 January 2023 I have obtained two examples of the Sands of Arabia Lodge No. 9963 with their ribbons and suspension - one is silver gilt and the other gilded base medal. As noted previously - Arabian numerals have been used. The obverse bears a crescent, palm tree and crossed swords and I have inferred that this lodge was (is?) based in Saudi Arabia - no doubt on on of the British aerospace bases. I suspect the 'pillar' to the right of the central disc is representative of a 'sand devil' or small whirlwind often seen in Saudi. The reverse markings are as follows: Silver gilt - FCP Birmingham silver, date letter 'E' for 1979 Gilded base metal - Parry B'ham Owain

Gentlemen, Thais time a group of four medals to Harry Yard: Generic RAOB medal in silver: Obverse - "Nemo Mortalium Omnibus Horis Sapit" (No man is at all times wise) Reverse - "Presented to Bro. H. Yard by The Ninak Lge No. 5201 for Services Rendered". The hallmarks are for a silver piece made by the Birmingham company "C&Co" (Cashmore & Company) with a date letter 'E' for 1929. Suspension - "Ninak Lge No 5201" Generic RAOB medal in silver: Obverse - "GLE" (Grand Lodge of England), "Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffaloes" & "Unity Liberty Charity" Reverse - "Presented to Bro. H. Yard by The Garden of Eden Lodge No. 3579". The hallmarks are for a silver piece made by the Birmingham company "C&Co" (Cashmore & Company) with date letter 'C' for 1927. Generic RAOB Iraq medal in gilded base metal Obverse - "Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffaloes / S.T.B. / Iraq" (I am unaware as to what STB stands for) Reverse - "Bro. Harry Yard / Member Of The / R.A.O.B., G.L.E. / In Iraq" & the London maker's name, "L. Simpson & Co. / 56 York Road / King's Cross N1" Generic RAOB Egypt medal in gilded base metal Obverse - "Justice Truth & Philanthropy" & "GLE" (Grand Lodge of England). Reverse - "Member of the Province of Egypt Bro. H. Yard", and the makers mark, "Fattorini & Sons Bradford". Suspension - "Egypt" All four pieces I would suggest, are from the 1920's when Harry Yard was serving with the RAF in Iraq and Egypt. Regards, Owain

Gro, The obverse {with military personnel - navy, army, air force} reads, 'October 1955'. I cannot read the designer/maker name - too small. The revers reads 'Armament Week'. The obverse figures are very similar in design/format to the figures on the 1948 War Medal. Owain

Gentlemen, To add to this thread I illustrate the awards of Sorabjee Pallonjee Patel - a prominent business man in Aden and of the family which established in 1864 the company Pallonjee Dinshaw & Co. By 1937 the company was owned Sorabjee. He was a member of the Aden Chamber of Commerce and also a member of the Aden Felix Lodge No. 355. His Indian Title Badge - Khan Sahib - was gazetted on 5 June 1920. He was engaged in some manner in the defence of Aden during WW2 and earned the Defence Medal. (In the UK Home Guard Service of 2 years 9 months to qualify for the medal.) His MBE Civil was gazetted 2 June 1962, ‘For Public Services in Aden’. The device on the ribbon of the Defence Medal is a tie pin that came with the group - I believe the symbol is the Hindu sacred 'Om'. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, It seems that there is some value to these jewels. Recently a jewel for the Trucial Oman Aero Trucial Lodge No. 9147 was sold on EBay for £770 - too rich for me. I did illustrate this badge back in 2020 but now am able to show the obverse and reverse of the recently sold badge. It is one of the more colourful and well designed badges and I am presuming that it relates to a lodge whose members were mostly, if not all, RAF personnel based in Sharjah during the period before the independence of the United Arab Emirates in December 1971. The hallmarks indicate that the badge is of silver struck in Birmingham by FC Parry in 1965 (date letter 'q'). Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, This Order was instituted in 1949 and became obsolete in 1958. The Order was made by Garrard & Co. of London. La Galerie Numismatique has one for auction in their 20-21 April sale with an estimate of Euro100,000-Euro150,000 + 35%fees. The set offered is a modern construct and does not quite follow the design of the original - the lack of a crown on the star and the different suspension on the badge and other discrepancies. The set also bears what appears to be a cast Spink back plate - the website images are not clear. Spink did not manufacture the Order of King Faisal. It is a very scarce award - in almost 40 years of collecting I have never seen one for sale. I have seen a real one on display in the King Feisal Foundation in Riyadh - a display of the awards of the late King Feisal of Saudi Arabia. There is also one in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle - awarded to Prince Phillip but it is not on display. Caveat emptor, Owain

Rusty, I note from the March 2024 issue of the OMRS Journal that Magdy has joined the society. Owain

Well done - I agree with you that it is a beautiful award - both in design and manufacture - congratulations. Owain