Alex K

Hi both Ed and Eric raise some good points, I like shiny well enamelled decorations and have many in that condition, I also have several enamelled ones which do have enamel damage (I actually asked a similar question in an earlier post of mine, do I repair or not, I was convinced that it's best not to, as it's part of it's history.). That being said, does how the enamel damage?ocurred make a difference?, If it was through honest recipient wear and tear, then leave alone, but what if it was through a "Modern" accident, such as being dropped, or otherwise damaged, is there an argument for restoring it back to it's known "Original" condition? Just my thoughts

regards

Alex

I thought I'd just show these, a pair of unissued WWII Royal New Zealand Airforce Pilots wings I picked up recently in a local "sell everything" type of shop, quite cheap too!

regards

Alex

maybeeee one day, the point is, who do I leave them to?? the wife n kids? they just think I'm odd and that they are pretty bits of tin, then some one comes along and says, "Not worth much, I'll swap them for this rare sewing machine"

Sleepless nights!!

regards

Alex

Hi Richard, I must admit that's one of the mintiest I've seen, quality seems superb, congratulations

regards

Alex

Hi Hugh, the prices quoted seem to be quite steadily similar, Certainly gone up in value since I purchased mine

regards

Alex

Hi Paul, thanks, I certainly have seen a rise in other former eastern block countries!, I like Bulgarian, Hungarian, Romanian and Serbian pre-communist awards. Getting to the stage where a mortgage is now required for some of these, Glad I bought a fair number before it all came crashing down.

regards

Alex

Hi bifter, welcome to the forum. This occurs because you are a probationary member. You needs to accrue more posts to become a regular member, then you should be able to gain access.

regards

Alex

Hi gentlemen, thanks for the comments and info. The prices you've quoted have suprised me somewhat. I must admit that it is not one of those orders that is seen for sale a great deal, and interest in it must have increased. It must be rarer than I had previously thought. As I mentioned in my opening post, it was a chance purchase a number of years ago, when obviously prices and interest was far less.

Thanks and regards

Alex

No one got any ideas to put me out of my misery!!

regards

About time too.

regards

Alex

Hi Danny, the beading on the 76's does seem a little sharper when I have a closer look, I think apart from mis-reading the ring stamp, the similarities between the dates on the front also threw me, as Dave B says, the 3's are quite distinctive, maybe they used a common core?

regards

Alex

Hi Kevin, I agree, since the dealer is asking a four figure GBP price !!, which seems a lot higher than I paid, I did buy mine a few years ago, but mine cost a tenth of that.

regards

Alex

obverse close

Hi another one in my collection, the Order of the White Lion, 3rd class commander. I havn't really given this one much thought as it was a passing purchase. That being said it is extremely well made and must have been labor intensive with the individual shield enamelling on the reverse. I don't normally get to worried about values of these pieces, but the reason for asking is that I have seen one on a dealers web-site for an unbelieveably high price, albiet the military version, (Mine is civil), therefore, as as matter of interest does anyone have an opinion as to what these are likely to be worth in reality??

thanks

Alex K

Hi Danny, nice cross, I also like the chunky Swaz,, it has a quality feel to the piece, here's mine, at least I now know the maker

regards

Alex

Addendum, I've just had a closer look at the one I posted earlier, in fact it's maker mark is 76, not 75, the ring is distorted like the one posted Danny. The similarities in the two crosses are really quite remarkeable. Any ideas as to the maker of 76?

regards

Alex

Hi Danny, nice cross, I also like the chunky Swaz,, it has a quality feel to the piece, here's mine, at least I now know the maker

regards

Alex

Hi James, welcome to the forum. Nice medal, I'll add one to my collection one day,

regards

Alex K

additional close-up

This has been puzzling me for a long time, is it genuine or not, any advice?

thanks

Alex

or this one, I would really like to know the maker of this one, any ideas?

regards

Alex

2

Hi Motorhead, How about this one. S & L 1914-18, but 39-45 manufacture, guaranteed pre 1945. It has all the hallmarks of an S & L.

regards

Alex K

I have just noticed that the Bulgarian Order for Military Merit bears on the reverse the founding date of the Bulgarian Order for Civil Merit (2 August 1891). While this detail confuses things instead of clearing them, the two Bulgarian orders appear to be referred to as two different awards rather than two divisions of the same award.

Hi Carol I, that info does seem to muddy the waters a little more. I am however now slightly more inclined to the view that they are two distinct awards, but running in parallel with each other.

thanks for the update

regards

Alex

Hi Colin, welcome to the forum, and thanks for the link. It always interests me to see how these things are made. This is obviously a modern semi precision automated process, I would assume that wartime of older processes would take a lot longer

regards

Alex

Hi Benten, the tinnie you posted is a very nice piece of propaganda from Mr Goebbels. The later events at Gleiwitz which were used as a pretext for the invasion of Poland was also a cynical piece of propaganda orchestrated, I'm sure by Goebbels to exploit the situation in favour of the Nazi's justification for invading Poland, why else would they have invited "Neutral" international observers to see what these "Insurgents", the modern word I believe, had carried out.

regards

Alex