Elmar Lang

A fine piece indeed, but it's the Turkish medal of the type awarded to the Sardinian troops. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, I'm doing an historical research about this "Austro-British" medal, awarded to 8 British officers in 1794. Does anyone know where the surviving pieces are located, besides the many times published set belonged to Edward Pocklington? Any help would be most appreciated, Elmar Lang

Hello, I agree that Italian medals can be a mystery (making them a fascinating field of research and collection), but the studies of von Heyden, Ercoli and the definitive work of A. Brambilla (soon, we'll see the 2nd fully revised and enlarged edition), can give much light in the obscurity. It results that the Sardinian Crimea Medal was awarded as a "complement" to those who didn't receive the British issue. It appears both named and unnamed. This means why it's so rare. I've also known that the British Crimea medal was awarded unnamed to foreigners, but in my opinion the piece in my collection (awarded to General Durando) is named in the typical British style of impression: could it be that high ranking commanders were issued with named pieces? Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello Veteran, the name impressed on the edge of your medal means: 12° Reggimento Soldato Pellegrin Giovanni Battista (12th Regiment Soldier Pellegrin John Baptist). Pellegrin is a family name quite common in the Venetian region also. I find this thread most interesting! Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, I know of British Crimean Medals awarded to Sardinian officers, NCOs and Other Ranks with official naming. Similarly to its British counterpart, the Sardinian Crimea Medal was also named, but unnamed, awarded pieces do exist. 8o Cuneo: I think that it means "8th Regiment of the Cuneo Brigade" (Cuneo is a city in Piedmont and brigades or divisions took their name from the city where such units were raised). "SOL.o" means "SOLDATO" or SOLDIER "BASSo CANNe" surely is connected to artillery, but I don't have any idea of the proper meaning. In my collection I have the British Crimea Medal awarded to General Giovanni Durando. The naming is "LUOG.TE G.LE GIOVANNI DURANDO", impressed with the typical british naming, meaning "LUOGOTENENTE GENERALE GIOVANNI DURANDO" (Lieutenant General ...). It doesn't have any bar, as appearing in the pictures of him wearing the medal. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

I agree with your point of view. E.L.

Hello, welcome to the Forum and congratulations for your fine Knight's Cross of the Franz Josef Orden. Thank you also for the very good pictures, useful to anybody who would like to appreciate the high standards of Imperial Austrian jewellers. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, yes, the commander's cross with KD and swords is a Rothe-made copy, although very well made. Usually, even gold original pieces made by Rothe, don't have the hinged reverse medallion. Besides this detail, I can say that in the history of the Franz Josef Orden, the earliest pieces made by Kittner, have a fix reverse medallion. Starting from the Resch-made decorations, we begin to see this interesting characteristic. The Almanach posted by Rick is a fine piece of documentation: more "handy" than the other, huge, book "Der Oesterreichisch Kaiserliche Franz Josef Orden und seine Mitglieder"... Best wishes, Enzo

Hello, interesting site indeed! For the fans of albanian photography, I can say that at the Historical War Museum in Rovereto (Italy), there is an outstandingly interesting photo album filled with original pictures from the 1912-1913 period, made by the commander of the Austrian military mission. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, it will surely be an interesting exhibition, although I think that these "openings" of foregin sections of famous museums (see the "louvre" in Dubai, for instance) have a commercial, rather than cultural motivation. From what I can see from the posted pictures, I can say that the Maltese Order's cross is not an old piece, but a modern, Italian-made one, dating from the early '60s of 20th Century. I hope that the paintings on exhibition wouldn't be good scans of the originals... Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, the "ANCI" badge, is a lapel membership's pin of the Associazione Nazionale Carristi d'Italia; the association grouping retired and former members of the Armoured Troops. It is after the design of the tank driver's badge. Best wishes, Enzo

Fine pictures and very helpful details! Enzo

Hello Hugh, the right name for the Octo Lustra is "Ehrenzeichen f?r Vielj?hrige verdienstliche Mitgliedshaft bei einer Landsturmpflichtigen K?rperschaft" or "Decoration for long and meritorious membership in a Territorial Corps". "Kreuz" means Cross and the Octo Lustra (with his lower grade decoration, the "Quinque Lustra") is a "Medaille" or Medal. Yes, I remember the people at Hut Haller as very kind persons, also answering to the hundreds of phaleristical questions I was doing as a kid. By the way, the firm appears as still existing, but I'm not sure if only as a firm's name or if they still deal with uniforms etc. Best wishes, Enzo

Hello, having quoted Hut Haller from Innsbruck, reminded my youth, when, moving my first steps in phaleristic (I was 14, then), I've visited that shop many times and bought some of my very first AH decorations... I think that the shop doesn't exist anymore, at least in the form we remember. Back to your fine pieces, the "big" orders (Maria Theresia, St. Stephen, Leopold, Iron Crown with KD and the commander of the Franz Josef Orden), are fine copies made by Rothe of Vienna, between the 60s and the 70s. Your "Octo Lustra" medal is a rare piece, awarded to the Landsturm only. In the hood old days it appeared in Tyrol and South Tyrol (Italy) mostly, and its dark brown colour didn't give the idea of someting difficult to find... Best wishes, Enzo (Elmar Lang)

Hello, thank you for your reply to this thread. I've bought that Cuban medal, because it looked interesting to me (I like "strange" awards...). Since you would like to buy it, it's highly possible that you could know some historical data about this piece. It would be nice if you would be so kind to share your knowledge with us. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, I regret to inform that on the market are appearing some fake breast stars of the Franz Josef Orden (Commander's type), of a relatively good quality. The rays are made of cast silver, while the centrepiece is made of gold and enamels; on the reverse there is the escutcheon of Mayer's S?hne, Vienna; more the piece is struck with the "Diana's head" silver mark and the "VM" one. These marks are also fake. The overall appearance of these stars is quite good, although lacking of the accurate finish one should expect from a piece made in the late 19th- early 20th Century. All the pieces observed have a dark patina (most probably, chemically applied). I've seen two such pieces in Kassel and one in Milan, this one, sold from an auction house of Trento, Italy, promptly given back to the sellers, as soon as the fake has been detected. It's worth to be noted that the sellers accepted the return immediately, with no discussion. An advanced colletor won't fall in error, since he knows how originals are made, but I think that a young collector who would like to make a "higher step", could have a very bad surprise. I hope I'll be able to post some pictures soon. In the meanwhile, did anyone see any suspicious star of the Franz Josef Orden? Best wishes, Elmar Lang

...should I assume that this medal is monstruously rare, and the one I've recently bought is the only existing/surviving piece? E.L.

Hello, I can confirm that it's a post-1945 re-strike (possibly made by Johnson, Milan or Pagani, also from Milan). Best wishes, Enzo

Hello, is there any detail of the third medal visible in the veteran's picture that we can't see on the scan? It could be a commemorative medal awarded from one of the many veterans' committees. Best wishes, Enzo (Elmar Lang)

Hello, recently, I've bought what in my opinion could be an interesting medal, awarded from the Congress of Cuba (in 1929) for exceptional merit. Attached, the image of the obverse and reverse of the piece. I'll be grateful for any information or historical info about this medal. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, I can confirm, without any doubt, that the Austrian pilot on board of the Savoia Pomilio plane is Josef Kiss. He was stationed at the Pergine Airport (what remains of that place is a few km far from my home, but I'm way too young to have known him...). In Pergine, the memory of that young war hero is still vivid. He was shot down and died over Lamon (province of Belluno), on May, 24th 1918. Best wishes, Enzo (Elmar Lang)

Hello, our upcoming auction at the San Giorgio on June 6th won't be a "big" soviet sale, but there are some interesting pieces from USSR, Albania and Mongolia. The catalogue can be seen online at www.sangiorgioaste.com and, of course, I'll be glad to reply to any question and enquiry. Best wishes, Enzo

Hello, a point that it's interesting to note about Hunyadi's GTM in zinc is that, although signed "KAUTSCH", it isn't made from the dies of this engraver. This will be well visible when comparing the piece with an official Kautsch one. Anyways, it's an interesting replacement piece, probably from the 1918-1930 years (in my opinion closer the 1st War years), well worth a place in a collection. Best wishes, Enzo

Hello, a fine field ribbon bar piece indeed. Many years ago, a friend of mine identified it as the ribbon bar to the Gro?e Milit?rverdienstmedaille type awarded under Emperor Franz Josef. A really scarce medal, awarded to the highest-ranking officers (with a couple of exceptions) and I've seen this type of ribbon quite seldom. Best wishes, Elmar Lang

Hello, I regret to say that it's a copy dating from these later years, agreeing to what has been said from the other Forum colleagues. I's a one-piece cast copy, usually coming from Hungary (and there sold as a copy). What happens after the first purchase, is unknown... It's smaller than the original medal because the mould-wax-cast operations obviously imply a size reduction. I'm sorry when I have to give bad news... Enzo