paul wood

Balkan, I agree with you about any form of compulsory subscriptions, I am anti ads, as I feel that advertisers have taken over control of the internet and what you see is often what they want you to see. I am afraid advertisers want more than money, they want influence. However voluntary donations I think is the answer, a suggested figure (say $10) would not break anybody's bank (unless they are begging for spare change outside Tesco) and I am sure many would hopefully and happily give a somewhat larger amount. P

Nick as you know I have always contributed a few bawbeea now and then and am happy to continue to do so. Many people benefit from this site, especially from imfo acquired. I do not believe in subscriptions but I cannot see why most members cant voluntarily contribute a small amount, if every one gave the price of a baroom beer I think Nick will agree that it would be sufficient to fund the forum. Paul

Russian hallmarks are like women if they are too perfect they are bound to fake. The real ones have weaknesses and imperfections. P

I suspect that the majority of the ammended empire pieces are probaby 1st or early 2nd restauration (1814-15) Paul

More of a donkey than a mule, crown is almost certainly the child of a civil merit order, some moron will part with good cash for it. Why can't I meet such people and end up rich. For those not au fait with the Bulgarian Orders system, while the date on the reverse of the Military medal is given as 1891 (the same as the Civil Merit) it was not created until 1900 by which time the Imperial crown had replaced the Princely one, it's just so sad that two perfectly nice orders have been bastardised. P

Frank, Without seeing an image impossible to be certain but sounds like it could have been a First Restoration piece (1814-15), often the centre was applied on a type 3 Napoleon LdH a rare beastie-but without seeing..... P

Given the period NGS Palestine 1936-39 or an early Post war NGS is more likely, for an AGS the latest would be Somaliland 1920 as it is pre Kenya and therefore would have had to be 50+tohave received it. P

I believe it is connected with the Kosovo campaign of 1915 which ended with the Serbian retreat to Albania following defeat by mainly Bulgarian central power troops, It is a commemorative rather than an official medal. P

Could not resist this. BEM civil, London Gazette: 2 January 1956 "The Queen has been graciously pleased on the advice of he Majesty's Pakistan Ministers to approve the award... to Thomas Thompson Parham, Assistant Foreman of Laboratory, Royal Pakistan Navy Armament Depot, Malir." Nice and quirky. All the best, Paul

Apart from Africa, where the Maria Thresia taler became the preferred currency, the Spanish dollar or 8 reales was used in every other continent (Antarctica excepted), during the Napoleonic war Spanish dollars were used in England with a George III silver mark as countermark on the obverse, they were valued at 4 shillings and 9 pence, threepence less than a crown of 5 shillings, hence the contemporary jest about the coins as "2 king's heads not worth a crown". Paul

Reserve hospital no 1 Nuremburg. Probably belonged to a sawbones or those who cleared up wounds incurred in action in the local bordellos Fun P

Thank you GMI, most interesting. Obviously the company was around for at least 30 years, I wonder if any one has any information concerning the Orders and Decorations made by this company, be Interesting to see here an image of said piece, the enamel on the other side is quite smashed. Paul

A friend of mine sent me an illustration of a Zanzibar Order of the Brilliant Star breast star with the toughra of Khalifa ibn bin Said (1888-90), which looks like, condition wise, it has been used as a football, the reverse plate has the following maker's details "Compagnie Belge d' Ordres et insignes 13 rue Lebeau, Bruxelles". Any one have any information of the makers. I have never encountered them before. All the best, Paul

I agree with kvart but gold or silver gilt the Order of St Olav is a beautifully made piece where time did not allow quality to slip P

Privately made box?

Sivil is amazing, I wonder what he was up to to get the WWII medal, he would have been an OAP by then. P

Sounds like an award appropriate to Batman and other caped crusaders, the Society for the Encouragement of Good, founded 1862, makes several awards annually

Airman 2nd class., general dogsbody. P Re cons usuaĺy means constable, possbly was a pc on duty during the oronation parade

A Korea bar was being offered by a dealer some years ago for a huge price.i am afraid Indian korea medals are as rare as the proverbial rocking horse manure and would command a high price were such to appear. India sent a tiny cotingent to Korea. P

By Albert Keibel late 19th century

Originally instituted for gallantry against the Basmachi rebels, P

It is a locally made Nishan i Istiqlal 3rd class, Nice, probably 1920s or 30s P

The earlier illustrated piece is Kingdom 3rd class Iwill get the info tomorrow P

Its afghani will give you the id tomorrow cant remember off hand P

Sergei Patrikeev's 3 volume work on russian badges is by far the best work bilingual russian&english Costly but worth every kopeck P