paul wood

Gavin Goh's book on the Order of the Double Dragon, give full information on the inscriptions and how to tell the various grades. Gavin is a member of this forum and I expect he would be able to source you a copy. Paul

Fantastic Lars, where do you find such wonders. Paul

Graf The miniature star is most unusual also interesting crown variations. Paul

Georg I believe it is a Knight's Templar insignia. A quasi masonic organisation. Paul

Kris If you have been a good boy and written you letter to Santa Claus you should get it in time. Paul

The first group is lovely. Paul

It appeared at Glendinings on 3 occasions between 1919-1932. Information from site below. http://www.omsa.org/MedalRolls/result_w.php Paul

Graf, The first piece is an adapted Napoleonic piece, is normal for the First restoration and sometimes occurs for the Second restoration. The others have the standard Bourbon crown with lis. The body of the Second does not belong to a First restoration example, It should if you see my illustration previously have the body like the first piece so I think you were wise in returning it. Paul

Kris, Very nice bar, I suspect you had to pay a little more than the 40-60 euros, well done, I hope it is the first of many. Paul

I am afraid it looks rather like a modern ex-E-bay concoction

Very nice medal. According to the spread-sheet I have he is reported as K.I.A. at waterloo, hence the nice condition Paul

The Soviet in the Morton and Eden sale on 1 December was pretty well an unmitigated disaster with very little selling, so possibly if what you say is true the market is only dead in England. Paul

Hashim, Based on material and illustration I have accessed on both types there is no doubt that they were originally enamelled. The only possible unenamelled pieces would be Pakistan mint trials (of which I am sure several would have been made prior to production). Paul

John Can you show an image of the naming as there are many renamed specimens around (mainly because wearing a waterloo medal in the pub in the early to mid 19th century was a good way of getting a free pint). If the naming is fine he will be on the roll and then more research can be done. The medal itself looks fine. All the best, Paul

At my firm we frequently get Christmas cards from Muslim and Jewish clients (the one Sikh client I have insists on getting me blind drunk close to Christmas). Paul

The problem with Christmas these days it seems to start soon after August Bank Holiday. Children are bombarded with advertisements for extremely expensive toys which of course they all want to have. As a child circa 1960 Christmas did not really get underway till School broke up around a week before, then it was the Sunday School Christmas Party, a visit to Santa's Grotto at the local department store, where my mother paid over the odds for me to receive a very second rate "Empire Made" plastic toy. About 3-4 days before my Father would put up the Christmas tree. Christmas Eve it really kicked off dad finished work at 12:30pm (he was allowed a half day on Christmas Eve). The afternoon was the Crib and Carol Service at the local church while my mother was working like a slave to prepare the food for the next day. The night was always spent with me trying to stay awake to see Santa but I always dropped off before he came and then presents, Christmas dinner and my Parents falling asleep during the Queen's speech. I always associate Christmas with the smell of (cheap) cigars which was always my present for dad. The first working day after Boxing Day dad went to work and by 12th night the Christmas tree was positively verminous and that and all decorations were removed. Christmas really was something as it did not last half the year and the money spent was not so immoral as to leave many families in debt. I hope all your Christmas days are enjoyable and pass without too much stress (or fights). Paul

I have checked their website and it appears to be not working, also their frontage in Oslo now seems to be a Zara shop, unless they have relocated it seems like they no longer exist. Paul

Hashim, according to the 1957 Gazette of Pakistan Extraordinary 27 March 1957 it was only issued in three classes. It was issued to replace the British OBI and it's award criteria was very similar Paul

Hugh I believe it once had white enamel on the star which has since gone AWOL. All the best, Paul

Ilieff I am surprised they passed muster they shouldn't fool any serious collector. Paul

I would agree with Frank I now consider all Russian items to be fake until proved genuine and even when proved genuine if one so called Russian expert decides they are fake all the others follow like sheep and then brand it fake, also if a Russian buyer thinks he has paid too much for an item it also mysteriously becomes fake. I'm afraid it is a veritable minefield. Paul

Frank, from the illustration It looks good, the enamel loss on the flags is a favourable point, obviously without physically examining the piece one cannot be 100% certain but it is significantly better than the fakes being peddled by the Chinese cottage industry. If it is a fake then I would be extremely worried about any non provenanced Chinese piece on the market but my gut feeling is it is right. Paul

Hashim, I think Hugh mixed his Second and Fifth class up, by the way Hugh does the second class have a SSP hallmark? Paul

Nice group. Paul

If cast definitely a wrong un. Paul