Elmar Lang

Hello, this medal is described in this book: Franco Scandaluzzi: "Medaglie e Distintivi della Resistenza e della Liberazione", Milan, 2001, page 124. There it's indicated as one of the various general commemorative medals given after the liberation, from the local veterans' organizations of the "C.V.L.". The book also indicates a "normal" tricolour ribbon. The purple one with tricolour borders, should be the one for the official volunteers' medal of the type for the National Liberation Corps. Best wishes, E.L.

Actually, the inner of this case allows us to suppose that it could be for the Kriegskreuz für Zivilverdienste I Klasse. My own case, complete with its decoration is of a dark red-brown colour though.

Just as a little contribution, my own piece of soviet production, bought back in 1992. I assume, an awarded piece.

I regret to say yes, although someone dates this type of miniatures to earlier years, like 1922-1938.

Hello, I'm glad that even after a long time, this discussion could have been of help. All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

Interesting remark indeed, thank you. Actually, I don't know who could have been the original owner: this chain was on display in the showcase of one of the many jewellers along "Ponte Vecchio" in Florence, Italy, on the occasion of a visit in that beautiful city with my father, back in 1982. The price seemed fair and I bought it (with an important, financial contribution from dad). Best, Enzo

Thank you. Well, behind the round button, there is a thin hook so, the thin chain, running behind the lapel, can be fixed to it.

Actually, I agree with the observation of Tomas: the miniature chains (as different types) are three, where the Commander's one, is updated with the miniature star, to signify the class of "Kommandeur mit dem Stern". I've just "simplified", considering the Kdr.m.d.St. as a miniature-chain alone, giving the wrong idea that there should be 4 chains of different design. Enzo (E.L.) Here, my own FJO miniature chain for a Commander:

Yesterday, when replied, I was very tired, not noticing that Resch was the first manufacturer, correctly quoted by Tifes in his post. Re. The miniatures, they actually aren't miniature "collars" but, simply miniature chains, for wear as pinned to the lapel, often with the miniatures of the other orders awarded to the FJO's recipient. All the best, E. L.

Actually, the miniature chains existed for the following classes: Großkreuz Kommandeur mit dem Stern Kommandeur Ritter Tifes gave all the necessary details to identify the badges of the FJO and their size. Among the manufacturers, I would add Messrs. Resch of Vienna, makers in the relatively "early" period of this order. That roman numeral, engraved in the inner cylinder of the reverse medallion is just a reference for the mounting of the decoration, at the manufacturer's laboratory, to be sure that each part would perfectly fit to each other. In other words, that decoration in the maker's tray, was no. XVII. All the best, E.L.

Thank you for your very kind words!...

Hello, beautiful medals indeed. It should be noted, that the "Al Valore Militare" and "Al Valore Civile" medals, with the exception of few cases, were officially engraved by the state mint, before actually being awarded. Collectors, in fact, are highly interested in the study of the various types of engravings, since many were the specialists in charge of naming the medals. It is also worth to be mentioned that during WW1, a special tool was prepared at the mint, to compose and impress the naming on the medals for military valour, because of the high number of awards. Soon, this complicate tool demonstrated itself to be fragile and unfit to accomplish the job and was discarded. The medals named with this machine are uncommon to see, although some of them are known in collections. All the best, Enzo

Hello, of course, this is a post-Anschluß mounted Große Ordensspange, prepared when the man entered service in the Wehrmacht. The Goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille, being a "Bronze HMA" piece, in my opinion shouldn't be considered simply as a replacement because, besides a limited number of awards of medals actually struck in gold, most of such decorations have been officially awarded in the gilt version (but with the old-fashioned suspension, typical of the gold medals). I agree that the "K" Auflage should be later than 1918, and this can be explained because the shop that prepared the bar, also added the "german-type", shortened Wiederholungsspangen and surely in his drawer there were also other small metal devices, like the said "K". The 2nd class Silver medal, really looks to me an original, award type piece in silver and not a zinc replacement. Let's say that the bar looks like a "mix", as it should be expected for a group like that. I also agree that it was an expensive piece. But a group with the provenance from a known war-hero, is expected to fetch a price higher than what a collector would pay for the single pieces. Well, with more than 5.000,- Euro, again I agree that we could buy a single, important order, but we cannot enter in the head and "project" of collectors... And sometimes collectors, when fighting at auction for a piece, could fit in this paraphrase of Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade: "(...)Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to bid and buy." All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

Hello, the STM II Klasse in Scheider's Ordensspange is a silver piece. Just different shades in the silver patina...

I can confirm that officially struck pieces made of zinc existed. Among my a-h Tapferkeitsmedaillen, I have a "bronze" one, with signature of Tautenhayn, the rim struck with a "ZINK" mark.

Actually, I see a little defect to the soldering of the suspension, quite visible to the reverse.

In this post I see what looks like a fine piece of the 1859-1866 type Goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille.

Hello, just to add some further material to this discussion, I would like to post a scan of an old drawing dating from the '30s (tempera on thin cardboard) from the archive of an Italian firm, once producers of orders and decorations, depicting the "Hero" class of Albania's Military Order:

I agree that good info are what helps everybody to avoid bad "surprises"... All the best, E. L.

Hello, this fine badge, should have been mounted on the guard-valve of an Austrian, service sword for court dress or for state officials. Best wishes, E.L.

Hello, your contribution is an interesting addition to this discussion. In this case (the medals struck to be mounted on "german-style" Ordensspangen, after the Anschluß), such medals have to be considered among the pieces produced for private purchase, because the original, imperial Austrian medals, were easily mounted on german-style bars. Best wishes, E.L.

Hello, thank you for the kind information. I would like to reassure you: my collar is an original piece, complete and homogeneous, with no defects, excepts some minor wear to a few white enamelled "pearls". Its original case of issue is also present. The collar sold at the Dorotheum some years ago, if I correctly remember, had the centre link (that to which the badge is suspended), changed with a new part and the badge was also missing. Besides that, a very fine piece. Recently, another beautiful, cased collar, was sold at Künker: this piece had its numbers erased, the closure-piece missing and a restoration to the badge. I know the mentioned copies, that can be dangerous to an unexperienced eye. Some are made with cast parts, but sometimes I see also other collars, actually being the well-known, beautiful copies produced by Rothe & Neffe, Vienna, in the '60s, then "upgraded" with fake marks. I have already seen some of the fine copies, once in the collection of the late Prof. Giovanni Fattovich of Venice, Italy, auctioned in 2015/'16, now re-appearing, with fake marks and other treatments to give them a "venerable" appearance. Best wishes, E.L.

Hello, I see this curious Order of the Iron Crown: obviously, it's a copy/toy order. An identical piece appeared at newsstands as part of an "Orders of the World Encyclopaedia": I've bought it some years ago and the EKO became one of the favourite toys of my then 3 years old son. The accompanying booklet, contained some hilarious mistakes, both technical and historical. Just to educate me a little more, how much that toy's price went to sky? Where was it for sale/sold? Re. the suspension ring of the collar's badge of the Iron Crown, if compared to the sash badge's one, it was of a smaller diameter and the gold wire had a thicker section, as visible on a detail from my own collar in gold of the Order.

Hello, an officially awarded Tapferkeitsmedaille of the FJ type, period 1867-1916, should always bear the "LEISEK" (Golden and Silver 1st Class) and "TAUTENHAYN" (Silver 2nd Class and Bronze) signatures. That postcard is a well-known one, where is depicted also a Geistliches Verdienstkreuz "PIIS MERITIS" of a type made by Messrs. Rothe & Neffe, for private purchase (and produced/sold until the late '70s of XX Century). Best wishes, E.L.

Well, For the not-young-anymore collectors, the name of Mr. Blass is quite well-known. I've called workshop what probably was a true industry of fakes and copies, in any field of phaleristic. Besides that, this gentleman was a true expert, with a deep knowledge in the subject. I still remember one of his advertisements (on "Orden & Militaria Journal" or "Info") in the '80s, with a text witnessing his modesty and sense of understatement: "Ernst Blass, einer Der besten Kenner von Oden und Ehrenzeichen as aller Welt und aller Zeiten". Let's not forget though, what the ancient Romans used to say: "de mortuis, nihil nisi bonum". E. L.