paul wood

Bulgarian and Portuguese diamond insignia turns up from time to time and don't make massive amounts. Paul

My apologies Lambert I assumed if it was the victory medal the final date would be MCMXIX as 1919 was the effective date of the end of WWI with the signing of the Versailles Treaty. Paul

From 2008 'The week concluded with Sotheby’s sale of works of art on June 12. The star lot was a diamond-set Badge of the Order of St. Andrew, which set an auction record for a piece from a military order when it sold to a Russian collector for £2,729,250 (est. £400–600,000). The badge was commissioned by the Tsar around 1800.' So I would reckon that Nicks valuation for the set was far from bullish. Paul

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2013/post-3085-0-60140700-1381417538.jpgLambert, It is for the Italian War Medal, not the Victory Medal but still extremely nice

Interesting I suspect this is late colonial period. Paul

I suspect he was educated privately

Jakob, As the company I work for frequently deals with high-end Imperial Russian orders, could you send me better images. If you PM me I will give you my E-mail address and I can put on my stolen file. Alas I suspect it was stolen to order for a very wealthy collector and may never see the light of day again but you never know. Paul

The way round shipping to US only for me is to use a friend's address in the US, pay him to send it to me and when I meet him once a year ply him liberally with Jack Daniels. Paul

It's a Polish Air Defence League badge rather than a Pilot's badge. Paul

Kerry, It is likely that his service records are available at the National Archives. avaiable on line at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk for a few pounds you should be able to download his service details, and if by some chance they are not available it will cost you nothing. All the best, Paul

The Tadley treacle mines are well known to any one in the Hampshire/Berkshire area and by connoisseurs the world over for the quality, darkness and thickness of the treacle, prices are becoming higher and higher as rumours of the seams becoming exhausted in the next 30-50 years. It is rumoured that a wealthy Japanese business man paid over £10,000 for a tin of the first production in 1894. Even a a tin from the new production retails at Fortunum and Masons for £110. Nick, I am surprised Russian oligarchs haven't been trying to buy the mines. The Italian spaghetti fields are especially known for their harvest festivities which usually tale place at the beginning of April, when the spaghetti which grow profusely in large fields throughout central Italy is picked. An orgy of drunkenness to the local god of fertility takes place ensuring a bumper harvest for the following year. But I am sure you all knew this already. PAul

Ampersand usage varies from language to language. In English and French text, the ampersand may be substituted for the words and and et, and both versions may be used in the same text. [NOTE] The German rule is to use the ampersand within formal or corporate titles made up of two separate names. http://www.adobe.com/type/topics/theampersand.html With more research I now see Amper is as factually accurate as The Tadley Treacle Mines or the Italain Spaghetti fields. Paul

Sounds like there was a bit of profiteering going on in the mint, presumably the profit on the lighter weight silver and gold pieces went into the pockets of the mint officials. We had the same problem in England in the reign of Henry I, but he cured the problem at the assizes of Winchester in 1124 by emasculating all those moneyers who were producing under weight coinage. Paul

A rare and nice badge Geoff. Paul

The problem with that theory is that as far as I am aware the two Birmingham makers quoted by Nick never made orders or decorations, I have not even seen their marks on Masonic insignia or Jewelled military badges. An ampersand is the symbol &, which was designed by German typesetter Manfred Johann Amper in 1634 as an abbreviation for the German word "und", which means "and" in English; hence the symbol was first known as "Amper's 'and' ", which was eventually syncopated into "ampersand", the term by which we know it today. If they invented it why didn't they use it? Paul

Looks like a crude & to me, I encountered a similar mark on a chinese piece circa 1912 and presumed it to be Godet. Paul

Thanks for the clarification, I assume that the weights on the gold would be stricter (as it could cost the treasury a lot of money) while on the bronze I can imagine there could be some variation. As to wear having any significant effect on weight, surprisingly it does not. Having dealt with coins for over 40 years (medals and orders slightly less). The difference in weight between a heavily worn coin and a perfect coin is minimal 1% or less (however fire or water damage can affect the weight signifcantly). Another question as there were a large number of Akka medals struck were they all produced at the same mints or were some produced in Misr and maybe other mints. Paul

Peron, It's the engraved ones you want to be worried about, unnamed ones are just fine. Paul

Is it possibly a privately made replacement for a lost original as the Russian versions are worth less than a packet of cornflakes. Paul

Jakob Seerup, on 06 Oct 2013 - 21:38, said: I don't think there are many complete uniforms around with perfect provenance and unspoiled orders and medals. How often do such uniforms appear, you think? Outside of institutions about as frequently as you see unicorns mate Paul

Thanks Avsar, what a pity. Paul

Thanks for the useful site. Paul

After the Stanislaus, Russo-Turkish War 1877-78, Storming of Gheok-Teppe 1881, Alexander III memorial, Coronation of Nicholas II, Nicholas I Memorial, Campaigns in East and Central Asia 1863-95, Prussia, Order of the Crown, Austria, Order of the Iron Crown, Romania, TransDanube Cross 1877-78, breast star at end Russia, Order of the White Eagle. Any idea who the recipient was. Paul

Chris Yes many were issued unnamed but some of them were later regimentally engraved or privately engraved by the recipient, others which bedevil collectors remained unnamed for over a 100 years and then were engraved up (usually to interesting units, including chargers).French Crimeas do turn up named and there are several styles of naming but again these were done on a regimental basis (I have no idea whether there is the same problem withrecently engraved unnamed French pieces maybe on of our French members will be able to enlighten us.). Paul

Alas Mark I have to agree with Rene, definitely not Kosher. Paul