paul wood

I had always translated "отличник"? as excellent but I must admit exemplary sounds better.

Paul

Is it a Sevadjian piece?

Paul

Cheers Nick,

I wish my knowledge of Russian was a 10th as good as your knowledge of English. I can often work out Russian words but the grammar is a bit like a supermodel's bedroom, way beyond my reach.

Paul

Alas there are people around with bigger wallets than sense who allow the blood to be sucked from them.

Paul

City of Moscow Economic Excellence Badge

Paul

A Very big price for a Ticchi medal.

Paul

its Nasr-ed-Din, Shah of of Persia (1848-96).

Paul

Well done, a good start to your collection, now for a fourth and third class.

Paul

It's a City of Moscow excellence badge, not having my Russian dictionary to hand I quite make out a translation for the righthand word. Unless Nick has forgotten his native tongue he should be able to give you an answer. It certainly looks pre WWII and I haven't handled one before.

Pavel Nicholiev

Ataturk was undoubtedly a great statesman. He respected all soldiers what ever their nationality because he saw the action first hand and realised the men fighting him were basically no different from his own. A great soldier who became a great statesman.

Paul

Huygelen had probably never been further than northern Europe in his life he was producing a stylised version for Belgian consumption and government propoganda. By the Great War the administration in the Congo was considerably better than it was in Leopold's day. The Casement report had stripped Leopold of his private fief and the colony was run by the Belgian government, it was probaly by then no worse but no better than other European colonies. Certainly many Congolese did serve with the Belgian Army for whatever reason. Mind you after Leopolds day the Congo was probably a lot safer than it is now with various rival armies comitting murder and rape on an industrial scale.

Paul

No these are commemorative art medals not award medals which were marketed in Belgium for collectors, they would have been advertised in various relevant publications. The double set would have been the most expensive and probably a relatively small number would have been sold, certainly no more than a few hundred. Certainly the Congo theme would make them more collectable than most Belgian medals of the period.

Paul

The Medals are a tribute to the participants in the African Campaign 1914-18 by the famous medallist Belgian Frans Huygelen, the medals were retailed by the Brussels jewellers Fonson, who retailed many of Huygelen's work s (who also were makers of Belgian Orders) as double set it is quite scarce. I am aware of single bronze examples which sell for about £100 but the cased double set I would have thought ought to be worth £400-500. A very nice acquisition.

Paul

Thank you Radmilo, I believe the buyer did well it looks 100%

Paul

Radmilo,

I hope it was right because there are some dangerous forgeries of Dragas about and given the short lived time of the Order if right $2,000 doesn't seem excessive.

Paul

The surround is clearly a Garter, can any one see a buckle on the Natalie? if so I need to go to go specsavers because I'm blowed if I can.

Paul

LCCMFB received a 1902, the 1897 was issued to the metropolitan fire brigade.

Alas I have no images.

Paul

Foreign dignitaries present at the coronation would have certainly received one. If there is a list of those present at the coronation that should give you the answer.

Paul

Keep them coming Radmilo, most interesting.

Paul

Both the Kings of Hanover and the Dukes of Brunswick were Knights of the Garter and both were incredibly proud of the award, the horse would suggest Brunswick.

Paul

Well at least he didn't have to do bird for it.

Paul

the 40 shillings fine and 40 shillings cost was probably over 10 times the value of the canary and cage and probably a couple of weeks wages, that and dismissal was pretty draconian but the norm the times.

Paul

Nice pair and well researched, shame he couldn't have stayed on another 6 months to get the 1911 Coronation.

Paul

Ah conspiracy theories, where would we be without them (the internet would virtually go out of business).

Paul

Not a book but get the DVD set of Sharpe (bound to be quite cheap on Amazon), it gives quite a good flavour of what it was like to be a soldier in the Peninsular War and it's damn good entertainment.

Paul