Elmar Lang

Hello, I see that this fine case shows some damage, but it's an old piece from, let's say, 1870 ca. I think that it's worth the price asked by the seller. Yes, in the past, besides very rare cases (collars, grand crosses), they weren't really expensive. Best wishes, E.L.

Is the mark a "F.G." or a "F.G"?

Hello, a Colbertaldo Ruggero, with Royal Decree of April 29th, 1915 was appointed as 2nd Lieutenant, coming from the Military Institutes (Gazzetta Ufficiale del Regno d'Italia, nr. 128/Straordinario, May 24th 1915, page 3192). It's interesting to note that Italy entered in the war against Austria, exactly on May 24th. I think that we're talking of the same person: he could have survived the war and continued his career and reaching the qualification for the Long Command Medal in Bronze. Best wishes, E.L.

Actually, the case looks like one for the Verdienststern mit der Kriegsdekoration. Not bad indeed...

The case is already an important step. Sometimes, there are decorations looking for their home, and with some patience they arrive... All the best, E.L.

A very fine, old, typical case of Austrian manufacture: not very easy to see...

"The strange case of the empty case"...

Hello, I find it highly interesting to see the Italian China medal awarded to a German and mounted in a Große Ordensspange. All the best, E.L.

Hello, in my opinion, that case could be fitted for the Montenegrinian Obiteljeski Orden Svetog Petra (or Family Order of St. Peter). E.L.

Hello, in my opinion, the best dealer of Italian orders and medals is Mr. Adriano Brambilla of Milan who, with his Brother Alessandro is the author of the best book on the Italian awards, recently published in its 2nd -fully revised- edition; the 2nd volume will be published soon too. Mr. Brambilla is present to all the major militaria shows in Italy and to some, in Germany (Gunzenhausen, etc.). Books with "prices" are useless (again, in my opinion): better, would be to give the grade of rarity. I think that Italian orders and decorations are a fascinanting field of collecting. Best wishes, E.L.

Well, both the Hungarian and the Yemenite stars were made at the State Hungarian Mint so, no surprise that the "style", especially of the suspension could be very similar...

Well, let's say that I'm quite happy for having found the Callao Cross, although my collection of orders and decorations is in another field...

And now, I would like to add a full series of Austria's Goldene Tapferkeitsmedaillen, from the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II to Karl I. Those of Emperor Franz I appear in the two variations, engraved by Wirt and Harnisch; two variations of the Ferdinand type and, last but not least, the medal of Karl I is also in gold (the "K" ribbon badge is in gold too):

I do agree with Paul's opinion. The seller said that he bought the Callao cross with other jewels, brooches and a few (already sold) austrian medals, from a family in Vorarlberg. At an antiques fair, I would expect to find "usual" orders/medals. This one was a true surprise. If medals could speak... Enzo

Hello, a couple of weeks ago, I've visited an antiques fair in Innsbruck. Curiously to say, the only fine piece that attracted my attention was a South American piece, that I've purchased after a kind discussion with the seller. It's a cross in gold for the battle of Callao, May 2nd, 1866. Pity that the suspension ring is missing and that one arm has an enamel damage, but I'm feeling quite happy for this curious and rather uncommon find. A mystery is how this decoration arrived in Austria... An almost identical piece, was sold in Basel, at the Tammann sale on November 4th/5th, 2008, lot 747. Some pictures of the obverse, reverse and of the mark, struck on the suspension loop:

You're welcome, Michael. I don't have other medals of this type (I collect Imperial Austrian Orders & Decorations), but being Italian, I like to be well documented about our own award system. I should check in Mr. Brambilla's work (vol. II), where all the awards of the Italian Republic are listed and described. I think there were at least two more medals, for state visits to South America. Best wishes, E.L.

They're the Merit Medals for the State Visits of the President of the Italian Republic. As correctly noted by Jeff, the inscription on the reverse bears the name/dates of the presidential visit. All the best, E.L.

As a matter of interest and if it could be useful to anyone, I would like to post some pictures of my Tapferkeitsmedaillen of Franz Josef: the 1849-1859; the 1859-1866 and the 1866-1914 types:

It's a pity that the video is not available anymore, but the "Auferstanden aus Ruinen" Anthem is not difficult to find anyways. E.L.

...and my own piece of the interesting variation with the "Rudolphine" crown (as illustrated in Mericka's book, page 190, ill. 122 - 17/d/l):

The marks struck on the ring:

The marks on the suspension loop, right side:

The marks on the suspension loop (left side):

Reverse:

Hello, as promised, I would like to add the pictures of my 1st Class, officers' Militärdienstzeichen for 50 years service. The piece is in gilt silver and black enamel; the suspension loop is struck with the "A"; "Windhundkpof" and "FR" marks, while the suspension ring is struck with the "Windhundkopf" and "FR" marks. Obverse: