Elmar Lang

Hello, yesterday I've visited my mother and have found, in my father's library, an example of the 1816 statutes and a VERY erarly knight's cross, with "smooth" white enamel. I hope this will be useful to all of us. Best wishes, E.L.

Hello, in my late father's library there should be an ancient statutes' book of this order. I'll take it at home as soon as possible and search for possible details. What I can say is that the crosses of the Order of St. Maurice & Lazarus had the St. Maurice cross with "smooth" white enamel in the pieces dating from the 18th Century. From the early 19th C., the "trefoil" shaped endings were even more and more raised, until they became like three "balls". Best wishes, Elmar Lang

This document is of the highest documentary importance in the phaleristical history of Albania (and Italy, of course!). Thank you Artan! Enzo (Elmar Lang)

Hello, it's the commemorative medal for the International Meeting for Physical Education and Sport, held in Venice, 1930 (or 1931), 9th year of the fascist era. The author of the die was Mr. Scarpabolla, a famous venetian sculptor, whose works in the typical "monumental/neo-roman" style are still visible in many p,laces of northern Italy. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

In Vienna, if you cross the Ringstrasse from the Oper, you'll find a very fine shop, specialized in AH orders & decorations. The owner is a true and deep expert in the subject. Besides that, a visit at the Dorotheum is an "uncontournable"!. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

It can be anything; but in my opinion is what in German can be considered a "Bastelarbeit". I think that it's a poor attempt to create a "wear piece" of the Große Militärverdienstmedaille, but such pieces never existed besides in the mind of some "creative" of nowadays. Elmar Lang

Another fine piece of this extremely well designed "Jugendstil" decoration. Its finish appears as nearly intact. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, Interesting to see one of original dise for the Unità d'Italia medal (in this case, the one from the now closed firm of Pagani, Milan). There were several contractors to produce it, based on the model of Rivalta, then engraved by Nelli. The piece shown was produced on behalf of the National Association of the Mothers and Widows of fallen Soldiers. There also exist official pieces without the association's inscription on the reverse. Military medals were officially made by the Royal Mint in Rome (and such pieces bear the tiny crowned "Z" mark), as in the case of the medals for military valour, etc.; others, as this is the case were -as said- produced by private firms like Johnson of Milan; Pagani, Lorioli (both also from Milan), etc. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, yes, all the still available publications can be ordered through the webpage of the OeGO. And all of them are very fine works indeed! Among those not out-of-print, the "incontournables" are "Oesterreichs Orden" ; "Vergänglicher Glanz"; "Barock"; "Fortitudini - der Tapferkeit" and, of course, the monographies on the Maria Theresia Order, the Leopold Order and that on Erzherzog Johann and his orders & decorations. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

I fully agree with Yankee, the monography published on the occasion of the 200 years jubilee of the Lepold Order (also available via the Oesterreichische Gesellschaft für Ordenskunde ( www.ordenskunde.at ) is an excellent work. Only I can't agree with the opinion that a gold Rothe copy can't have differences with an original. Original pieces of Rothe are much, much better than the best post-1918 piece from the same firm. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, if original, it's a rare, never introduced decoration, although specimens exist. Try to check if it's made of soft metal (like a tin alloy) or of "Kriegsmetall" (the usual war metal as used to make the Karl-Truppenkreuze). From what I can see in the pictures, the ribbon is modern. Best wishes, Elmar Lang P.S.: Buying Mericka's book would be an excellent idea, but consider also to get "Oesterreichs Orden" (Graz, Adeva, 1996), an extremely fine work too, that updates the "age" of Mericka's work.

Hello, it's a very fine WW1 piece in gilt bronze and enamels. I congratulate! Yes, the Imperial Austrian Order of Leopold is one of the most beautiful European orders. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, from what I can see in the pictures, the collar is of modern manufacure. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, I would like to add some more details to the interesting contribution of Yankee. The gilt-bronze pieces awarded during WW1, were usually struck (or engraved) with the "star" mark, but this not always happened. I have knowledge of absolutely original gilt bronze decorations of AH orders without this sign. It could have happened that they skipped the marking (as happened to Tapferkeitsmedaillen in silver or even in gold, where the "A" rim mark is missing). Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, I'm just back from Germany (Gunzenhausen). I agree with Yankee's remark on fakes. At the german show, I've seen that a very good copy (in gold) of the Leopold order (early type) is beginning to appear. From what I've been told it's made in Hungary. Very good workmanship and made of gold and fine enamels. Of course, who's seen an original (also in good pictures), couldn't be deceived, but a "beginner" could spend much money for something that has nothing much than the gold value. Regretfully, I couldn't take photos of it. Best wishes, E.L.

Hello, I was off from home due to work and Now I've seen the pictures of Sergio's FJO cross mounted in a German Große Ordensspange. It looks like a piece made by W. Kunz of Vienna, due to the way the monogram is made. Just my opinion looking at the pictures though. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, I congratulate with you for this find and thank you for having posted the images of this rare miniature. It's very interesting to see that the piece bears the marks for silver and of the "Wiener Werkstätte". Best wishes, E.L.

Hello, the ribbon looks old, in my opinion. The two vertically arranged holes could be the sign of a former attachment of a "Kleindekoration" of the Militärverdienstkreuz, most possibly of the 2nd Class one. As already said, austrian ribbons are easy to change and everthing could have happened since 1918... Best wishes, E.L.

Actually, a very fine picture! Enzo (Elmar Lang)

Yes, everything is ok now: I cann see the pictures. It could be that my browser was a little bit lazy today. Enzo

Hello, many thanks to Josef for the precious data regarding the MVK II Kl KD/Schw. for 2nd award. This means that such decoration should be a rare one, also considering that surely more pieces were produced than awarded. My piece shows signs of wear, but honestly, I can't have any idea of the officer who wore it. It's a pity that the pictures posted by cimbineus are not visible: they could be an interesting addition to this thread... Best wishes, Enzo

Hello, the 1st type MVK posted by Josef, is a very fine example of this high-ranking decoration; being the piece complete with its original etui, makes the whole even more interesting and rare to see (btw., the etui with dedication from the Kriegsmappierungsabtlg. N° 6 due to its quality, is something a collector of dedicated/named pieces, would dream about). Knowing the names of the 6 officers with the double award of the MVK II Kl KD/Schw., would be most interesting to us all, thank you! Best wishes, Enzo (Elmar Lang)

"penmanship"... right. I often feel myself sad, because I use my fountain pen less and less times, lately. It's civilization, maybe. Oh, well, excuse me the off-topic, Enzo

Dear Josef, thank you very much for your comments and especially for your interesting historical information. The MVK I KD/Schw. belonged to FM Conrad was acquired in the '90s at HH in Munich when a group of orders and decorations attributed to him was put for sale (on that occasion, I've bought also the Verdienststern v. Roten Kreuze / KD). My only cased MVK I is Conrad's one. The MVK I Cl. "Friedensdekoration" is also a Marschall type piece and all pieces are struck with the right marks. Of course, besides the first two pieces illustrated (I Cl. KD and I Cl. KD/Schw.), all other pieces have to be considered as "Vorlagestücke", since the monarchy didn't survive the war... I think that these curious pieces are also interesting although never awarded, because most probably the majority of them were destroyed, in the need of precious metal. According to the plate in Michetschläger, there should be more combinations... but I don't remember which ones, now. One day, I would like to undertake a research in order to ascertain on how many pieces were ordered, made, and -later- destroyed. Who knows, maybe in the KA there could still exist papers. The MVK II Cl. KD/Schw. f. Zweimalige Verleihung, yes it's also rare. Thank you for the precise data about the number of such awards. I knew that such double awards happened to MVK KD/Schw. only. Is that true? Looking at the green enamelled wreath, I see that it's composed of laurel and not oak leaves. I agree that early MVK and their variations are most interesting!... Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello Brian, perhaps, the rapidity with which we obtain data while searching thhrough the Web, allow many people to think that a question should receive a proper answer in the same time needed to open a Google page. I'm old enough to remember the time needed to send a letter to the US and feel happy when the reply arrived in Europe after 3-4 weeks. A late reply, like in the case of the Italy/Germany African Campaign Medal, is simply due to the fact that being myself a collector of Imperial Austrian awards (living in Italy), I rarely look through the pages devoted to the III Reich (of which I was a collector, many years ago, though). I've searched in the fake-decorations room to help a friend of mine and *hop*, I jumped in this discussion. I thought that it would have been helpful to fellow collectors, knowing a little more about this medal. Experience taught us to be suspicious before spending our money... especially when buying III Reich items, but I agree that being as much open-minded as possible, would help us better to identify dangerous pieces and enjoy original ones. Best wishes, Enzo (Elmar Lang)