paul wood

Radmilo, thats more like a riband bar. Re the retreat to Albania, near where I come form in England there is a pub named after an English woman who as a member of member of the Serbian Army took part in the retreat to Albania, Flora Sands, she was the daughter of an English clergyman. At the outbreak of the war she went over to give medical assistance, once her medicall mission was taken by the Austrians she joined the Serbian Army and was awarded the Soldiers cross of the Order of Karageorge. She married a Serb and settled in Belgrade, there are two photographs over in the pub, both in Serb uniform, wearing a nice row of Serbian medal, and also marching imperiously in Belgrade. So in Thornton Heath Surrey there is a part of England that is for ever Serbian. Certainly after Kosovo it's one of the great episodes of Serbian heroism, unfortunately little known of in the west although it certainly deserves to be Paul

I'm not suprised you can't find them in the DRC (would you have wanted to be seen with one after Tshombe had been defeated unless you had a death wish?), not surprised that it turned up where it did as I am sure many of Tshombe's men fled to other lands nonetheless a nice find. Paul

Second attempt at posting legs hope the b***** doesn't permanently save, Non ChristianStan 1 class set £50,000, badge £40,000, Star £10,000 Paul

St Sava is Serb, many were issued to the British mission in Serbia up to the end of 1915, the following the retreat to Albania for service wiith Serbian forcea in Macedonia. Paul

Answer is quite a few, many to medical personnel (R.A.M.C.) &c. If you go on the London Gazette site, advanced search. World War I and then key in Sava you will find a good number. Paul

A sloppy piece of pure fantasy. I could have done better stitching in my needlework class aged 6. As amatter of curiosity why does the Alexander Coronation Medal (yes the ribbon is correct) come before the bravery medal. Paul

Demir, The Rothe marks look odd to say the least any chance of an enlargement. With best wishes Paul

I accept that I am going to encounter very rare things more frequently if they are extremely valuable than if they are not (like many things, extremely rare but the collectors are even rarer) . Also in the 1990s during the restoration cases I had the opportunity to visit many schlosses in Germany and Eastern Europe and thus was able to see things that will never apppear in sale, I even once (and that is unique) saw a collar and badge of the Serbian Order of St Lazarus and thus this can distort the rarity graph. Paul

Paul For the Anne 4th post 1911 I would say very rare given that it has a very high survival rate. Now were you to find a cased example with bestowal document that would be a different kettle of fish, I would say of the highest rarity (I don't like unique unless, like the Duke of Wellington's collar, there is only one example). With British medals you have a totally different ball game because, in the main, British medals are individually named.So for example you can have a GSM Malaya an extremely common medal but named to a regiment which in which 3 were attached to another unit but named to their parent regiment, hence a common medal which is of the highest rarity (in my collection of British medals to Indians I have a few pieces which in that category are definitely unique). As to the Victoria Cross it is not rare per se, there are many campaign medals and clasps which are considerably rarer, however with the exeption of the early ballot issues each one is unique and given the level of bravery needed to win one, hence (that and Lord A) the high prices. It is the medal that virtualy every collector of British medals, if funds were no object, would want to own. Probably my views on rarity are a reaction to many of the German numismatic catalogues where everything that turns up infrequently is auf der grosse seltenheit (usually at least 50 lots per sale). Rarity really has three catagories, the number of examples issued, the survival rate and the frequency it either appears in commerce or collections. I think that's my polushkas worth. All the best, Paul

Ah you don't have Patrikeev and Boynovich, the ultimate work on Russian badges,, comes in 3 volumes, volume 1 Civil, volume 2 Military and volume 3 additions and corrections (3 also has some details of fakes). Volume 2, 1.1 is the badge for all members of the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky regiments serving during the reign, Thre Officers badge is in silver-gilt, other ranks bronze, this was etablished 1 March 1827. Volume 2, 1.2. Badge for those in Military Service during the reign of Alexander I (i.e. all regiments excepting the 2 in 1.1.), established 12 December 1879 (all surviving recipients probably would have had little recollection of being in the military given their age), as 1.1. but silver with gilt cypher and crown. Volume 2, 1.3 For those in the Civil Service During the reign of Alexander I, also established 12/12/79, as 1.1. but gilt badge, with silver cypher and crown. Volume 2, 1.4. For those holding the rank of Aide-de-Camp in the suite of Alexander I, as 1.1. but silver also established 12/12/79. The books are not cheap but it would be worth seeing if you can get at least vols 1 and 2 on line. Hope this explains things. Paul

Ribbons look brand spanking new, either that or some one has soaked them in Vanish stain remover. Paul

Yes surprisingly, mind you the Brits got a fair few of the 80. One, cased which was later in an esteemed auction houses sale turned up in a south east provincial auction, another in another auction of that prestigious auction house. One in the Foerster collection Sothebys 1999, couple in Sotheby's Geneva in the 90s (both British sources) (the Foerster could be one of these), Miniature in the Roy Stevens collection of miniatures (loop damaged and test mark) another in a private collection but with undamaged loop. Paul Paul

1.1. was issued in 1827 and therefore theoretically would have been issued to all surviving (serving?) members of the two premier life guard regiments. I doubt if any survived in Russia, a few may exist although I know the two major collections do no have one. 1.2-1.4 can hardly have been issued as they were not authorized until 52 years after the Czars death and so apart from a few pages all recipients would have been in their 70's or over. All Imperial suite badges are rare and for every genuine example there are many more fakes. Paul

Nick, you say Ultra Rare 4th Class to foreigners. Ultra rare in Russia but I have handled at least 5 full-sized and 2 miniatures in 20 years. They were effectively issues to replicate foreign awards, such as the Red Eagle 4th Class, MVO and other such issues, whcih under the statutes of the order of St Anne had not existed. Paul

Rene, Seen copies but never an original so I would suggest it is super rare. I handled A suite of Nicholas I, Officer's ADC, in silver-gilt, Moscow 1866 which realised realised £7,000. I would suggest a genuine suite of Alexander I would realise considerably more. Paul

Don't like the look of it especially the number 13, suspect it is one of our Chinese Cottage Industry friends. Paul

Radmilo, Thank you so much for your help with the Takovo and the book, most helpful (hopefully it will post on this occasion). Paul

Hello everybody. I have just examined a most interesting piece of insignia of the Order of the Golden Grain (or Precious Crop depending on what mood you're in). Alas it was an out of curiosity enquiry and the owner was not prepared to let me scan it. It is an early type 1, 3rd Class with the suspension ring stamped Godet 920*. So presumably awarded to a German Official from Kiaochow no later than 1914. has any anyone else encountered other Godet made insignia, certainly it is the first I have ever seen and I would assume that any Godet made republican insignia are quite rare. All the best, Paul

Best of luck Owain. Hope you find some interesting inexpensive loot. Paul

If they were awarded by the INA then there should be some certificate or paperwork with it. The Souval copies are fine and are popular with collectors but unless you have undisputed evidence that they are awarded pieces the buy as a souval copy and depending on the grade up to a few hundred dollars. As a collector of medals to Indians I often get he may have been awarded XY or Z, unless I can prove it I am only going to pay what the medal is worth and no premium. Paul

I think someone has thought that the Blenheim angle makes it worth the earth. In the end it is a 4th class cross, nice thing but looks $2,000-3,000 max although we did have a 4th class George to an RAF man who took part in the Civil War Tsaritsyn Campaign which made nearly $10K mind you uncle Joe always gets th bucks in. Paul

Never seen it before I thought most of the decorations of that period had pictures of that charming man Trujillo. Paul

Actually it would make $7000 problem free at one of the Russian weeks sales in London (a bit of advertising there). I don't actually miss the lunacy of 2008 a market like that is positively unhealthy, mind you it is still very strong for the really good and rare stuff and funnily enough the jeton and badge marked is somewhat better than then. Paul

Thank you again, this is obviously a book I need to purchase, can you give me the details of who to contact to purchase a copy. Finally I wonder if you can help me with a query I have concerning the Takovo when was the monogram of Michael III replaced by that of Milan IV? Many thanks in advance. Paul

Nothing like it would have made in the heady days of 2008 Paul