Elmar Lang

Hello, the "Campagne d'Africa" Medal, bearing the "SPERANZA" name under King Humbert I's bust, is the official, award type. Any other variation has to be considered as being for private purchase, produced by various firms, after the authorized type/model. All the best, Enzo

No matter how long since when one started collecting, it's always a fantastic travel through times and history. My first Imperial Austrian pieces, were those earned by my grandfather (from my mother's side) in WW1, while my first purchased medal, was a Verwundetenmedaille of a fine version for private purchase, stamped "BRONZE" to the rim: I was 13 years old and I can feel the same emotion of that day now that I'm 66... and some more pieces in my drawers. I've always enjoyed collecting, not necessarily by accumulating pieces, but for the pleasure of researching, studying, give an historical frame to the pieces found in the course of time; by meeting people, discussing pieces, confronting thoughts and opinions. I'll never forget the visit to the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum in Vienna with my late father, both of us accompanied by Dr. Franz Kaindl, then curator of the faleristic collections, in the second half of the 70s. He was generous of precious informations and kind enough to open some showcases: showing a Militärverdienstkreuz I Klasse-KD, I replied "my dream would be having one like this, one day..."; his reply was not much encouraging: "...and it will remain a dream, my dear boy!". And I cannot forget the immense kindness of Prof. Fattovich, who honoured me, by sharing his deep knowledge. After all these years, I'm not yet neither bored, or discouraged and each time I can study an old, Austrian award, it's the same joy as in the past. I repeat, the pleasure of collecting is not only in the pieces we are able to acquire, but in all that's around! All the best, Enzo

It looks a piece of the award type, because I think there is the signature "SPERANZA" under the King's bust. The naming appears as correctly done, at least from what I can see in the provided pictures and this is presumably his citation. All data appear as corresponding. (from the book of Vito Zita "Il Coraggio degli Ascari", 2014, page 994). All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

As said in another thread, opened about this medal, it is not an officially instituted medal, but an old, fantasy piece, as explained in my reply given in the mentioned thread. All the best, Enzo

Hello, it is an unofficial medal, struck with the obverse of the Militärverdienstmedaille "Signum Laudis" and the reverse resembling that of a 1780 coin from the Holy Roman Empire. By the way, Emperor Franz Josef was born well later than 1780. best wishes, Enzo

Good luck to the happy buyer. From what I can see in the pictures, it is an unofficially struck piece, made for private purchase at an undefined date between 1914 and well after WW1, to which an "old style" suspension was added. Best wishes, E.L.

I congratulate for having been successful in finding a decoration that has a deep, historical significance. with time and patience, you could try finding one with its original ring, green lacquer finish and, rare but not impossible, its proper ribbon. All the best, Enzo

I don't have the experience of Dr. Ludwigstorff of course, but I've had the opportunity to see many pieces of the MMTO in all its classes, and from the origins to 1918 (and later...), besides the few pieces I humbly own of this Order, in my collection. Messrs. Resch were extremely skilled jewelers, working at the highest level and quality and I think that they wouldn't have put their maker's signature on a piece of which they would have been just retailers. This cross doesn't resemble the manufacture of any other maker of orders whose activity could have been known in the 1840-1860 period, from whom Resch could have ordered the making of a piece. I can conclude that not existing a proof that this cross wasn't made by Resch, reading their engraved signature to the ring's inside, suggests that the piece was actually made by the then well-known firm from Kohlmarkt, Vienna. Best wishes, E.L.

A very nice, generic case of Austrian typology. The correct case for the Kriegsmedaille 1873 is of dark brown leather, with "Kriegs-Medaille" embossed on the lid. It is possible that retailers could have sold the medal in anonymous cases too. Best wishes, Enzo

It is a nice combination ribbon from the immediate post-1849 years, to be mounted on a then also called as "Mode-Spange", where usually on the bar the highest order was presented as an enameled miniature, placed to the centre of the bar itself. This bar shows the Imperial Austrian Order of the Iron Crown; the French Order of the Legion of Honour (from the Restauration, presumably), the Metallenes Armeekreuz a.k.a. "Kanonenkreuz" and the "Militärdienstzeichen für Offiziere". this last one, introduced in 1849. Just to add a little pictorial addition to this discussion, I would like to post the image of an Austrian "Mode-Spange" with combined ribbon, from my own collection. The reverse is struck with maker's and gold marks for the year 1805. All the best, Enzo

Hello, the medal appearing in the picture is not an official piece, but a piece for private puchase; the ribbon looks old, but wrong, being the one for the Cross for Military Merit, also used for the Cross for Military Valour (in that case, with a horizontally pinned, bronze gladium). All the best, E.L.

It is the Commemorative medal for the presence of the Crown Prince Umberto in Littoria, to honour the soldiers leaving from the city and province of Littoria (now Latina), to the Ethiopian campaign. It was struck in gold, silver and bronze. All the best, Enzo

Hello, nice pieces indeed. The MMTO is a well-made, post WW2 copy. Not made by Rothe for sure, but nice looking anyway. The golden medal of Kaiser Karl is not for "Merit" but for "Valour". Is there any mark struck to the rim? All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

Always glad to be at your disposal! All the best, Enzo

Hello again, Thank you all for the kind words. Re. the Franz Joseph Orden, honestly I would pass on it and spare those 680,- Euro for something else. The cross itself looks like a piece probably made by Mayer's Söhne, Vienna (although no maker's mark appears as having been struck to the round ring, passing through the crown's orb and the overall quality looks like being less accurate than what would be to expect even from a gilt-bronze piece made by Mayer). The long, grooved, tapering ribbon ring is typical of the awards made by Messrs. Johnson, Milan, Italy, from the early 50s of 20th Century onwards. Best wishes, Enzo