Elmar Lang

Hello, I think, it should be a piece of typical French manufacture, from the first half of 20th Century, although the case looks quite modern. The marks could possibly confirm my opinion. Best wishes, Enzo (E.L.)

Here, the pictures of the obverse and reverse, taken by me today. The already provided pictures, were still those from the sale's catalogue:

Hello, I need to warmly thank the colleague UnboxingCuba for the complete, interesting details about the origins of my cuban medal. This is one of the great qualities of this fine collectors' forum. I've posted the question many years ago and it just needed some patience until a solution, interesting to all our community, arrived. Now, this piece has its history and we all know something more about the interesting, complex history of Cuba's honour system. To complete the panorama of the "Gran Amigo de Cuba" award, do pictures of the definitive design exist - or of the two

I think that most of us posting replies, tried to put some humour, nothing to feel sorry about! your question was an interesting one, in its true meaning. In my case, I've always preserved my collection in velvet lined drawers so, protected from sunlight fading ribbons and easy to be examined witout opening boxes or frames. Now, sorry to say, due to the difficult times we're all living through, I've decided to keep everything in the bank, after a thorough inventory and photography of all my pieces. As soon as will have the time, I will prepare a photobook of my collection.

Well packed in tissue paper and stored in a bank vault...

Hello, this medal bar appears as appropriate, with a nicely made cross of the Merit Order of the Republic, in the new type (more recent pieces are horribly made). The Long Service Cross looks ok, same as the mission medal/cross. The "Order of the Iron Crown" is a "self styled order" that fortunately is now forbidden for wear. It's difficult to say whether a mission medal is an original or not, because they are always privately purchased, since our state mint discontinued the production of medals, besides those for military, naval and civil valour. So, we can see medals

Thank you Igor, I've always liked the Virtuti Militari, besides my interest in the Imperial Austrian awards...

"(...) disgusting herbal concoction (...)" I took note of this description, to enrich my otherwise limited, English "Wortschatz"...

Hello, many thanks for the comments. Since I'm more into the Imperial Austrian orders and decorations, I'd be glad to know which state/authority adopted the "cross" or "snowflake" mark, struck to the pin of my Tamara Order. The star looks like being made of silver and the centre medallion still shows an excellent gilding. All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

Thank you; very good photos and interesting details! Enzo (E.L.)

Hello, I would like to give my contribution to this interesting thread, posting a little group found some years ago, including the Order of Queen Tamara with its award document, the personal papers and a few correspondence from Georgia, of the man who received it, a German Gefreiter from the "Funkstation" in Tiflis (Tbilisi). The star is still in its "uncleaned" condition, as it was found; the pin, is struck with a tiny "x". All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

I've never smoked a single cigarette in my 62 years so I can't compare, but I can say that I like Lapsang Souchong tea, having tasted it the first time when I was 16, and a sea cadet. I'm not a Brit, though.

Hello, acutually, the Austrian Red Cross had no proper award, before 1914. Best wishes, Enzo (E.L.)

A nice collection, with very fine pieces, congratulations! Enzo

As a conclusion, I've been able to take a picture of the "Ersatz-Urkunde", released by the Federal Republic of Germany, framed and at the wall, in my late father's study-room. I think it could be considered as an interesting, rather uncommon document, especially for being given to a non-German. The original "Urkunde", for what I know, should be somewhere in the desert's sands between Tobruk and Alamein...