Elmar Lang

Interesting, thank you. The award document doesn't mention his military rank, but only that he had within the Tsar's court, a rank that in German would have been that of "Hof-Marschall"

Hello, after the withdrawal of the Turks from Lybia, the territory was not in peace, but the struggle against rebel tribes continued. During WW1 Lybia was almost completely lost, besides keeping control of Tripoli and the coastal cities and a few more settlements. After the end of WW1, Italy took further action of both pacification and repression of insurgents and rebel tribes. Most probably, Negusse Ailenchiel was a Zaptié (native, colonial Carabinieri) or a soldier from one of the battalions from Erithrea. Pity, his name is not present in the roll published by the Nastro Azzurro Institute. This roll is still incomplete, although listing almost all the decorated from 1833 onwards, Would you please provide a picture of your interesting medal? Best wishes, Enzo (E.L.)

Hello, for unknown reasons, one of the many bars for the Lybia medal was put on the ribbon of this Ethiopian Campaign commemorative medal. All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

Hello, what does "German made" mean? Being made in the 30s, it should be a wearer's copy. Is it made in gold or gilt metal? As previously said, a photo would help a lot.

The complete family name is Anrep Elmpt

Personal and family reasons kept me offline in the days when H.M. the Queen Elizabeth II passed away, thus being this late. I would like to express my sorrow to all the fellow members of GMIC from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. Enzo Calabresi, Italy

helIo, I hope not to upset the apple cart, but after my own, perhaps limited experience, I'd dare to say that not all modern ribbons are chain stitched. There are manufacturers, still making them in the warp/weft pattern. Where the difference from older ones, depends on the materials used to make them. Let's never forget, that a forger, quite often uses original ribbons, same as a forger of old masters' paintings often uses (otherwise expensive) original pigments and tools, for his creations: the quality of the material used, depends on the target: a high-end collector or an avid, but unexperienced one. Modern-made ribbons are a solution for fast-selling fakes (besides the honest replacement of temporarily unavailable original ones), especially via-the web or flea-markets, targeting to the already mentioned, unexperienced collectors. I would like to add a further "alarm-bell" towards certain modern ribbons, that appear as having been "age-enhanced", by immersion in tea or diluted coffee: they're quite soft and the white sections are of a uniform yellow-brownish shade (see the bavarian bar, illustrated in detail on May 6th's post). Such ribbons do exist either in the chain-stitchen and warp/weft pattern. Usually, the tea/coffee aged, soft ribbons are typical of the mass-produced fakes of a now passed away, german faker, whose "workshop leftovers" apparently are widely used by further, modern creatives. A German collector, decades ago, proudly said at a collectors' meeting "Lernen vom Original!" (learn from the originals!)... very wise words, but pity, he too was the victim of a fantastic, extremely creative forger. There's not a rule, to detect a falsification. A falsification, can be detected thanks to the experience acquired through study, confrontation, research and even after having learned something, after instructive mistakes. All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

Hello, better and sharper pictures could help, but I think that the piece could have been manufactured by Rothe, Vienna. It is an excellently-made piece: no surprise that there wouldn't be any star-mark; it happens. Same as it happens to see pieces made of gold, also without any mark: these pieces usually make collectors very happy. All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

Hello, nice group, showing an otherwise wrongly-mounted bar. Firstly, the Silberne Tapferkeitsmedaille 2.Klasse type Kaisr Franz Joseph should take the first place. Secondarily, the ribbons after the first award should be "under" each other. Said that, a further interesting witness of what happened especially after WW1. Best wishes, Enzo (E.L.)

Nice group indeed, belonged to a Bulgarian court dignitary

Thank you Tomas, I agree with you, attributing that EKO-III Kl.m.d.KD u.Schw. to the manufacture of G.A. Scheid. Being presently away from home and the availability of my collection I am unable to give more help on this subject, where my memory fails re. variations and their makers. Your contribution is again an invaluable one, giving more, precious info about the fine, hereby discussed wartime piece. All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

Hello, I regret to say that this is one of the "legends", quickly spreading around thanks to the web and some of its self-appointed gurus. I repeat that like in any field of collecting, also the imperial austrian phaleristic needs study and research, in order to build up a good experience. Again, I would like to suggest that the best investment, would be to buy the three parts (2-volumes each) of the Ludwigstorff-Ortner work. The Edition in the English language is excellently done, so that also the non-German speaking community, will have the opportunity to easily study the subject.

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1468154/strolling-players-medallion-belonging-to-medallion-unknown/ Some further info...

Hello, thanks to the pictures provided, I can say that your piece is a fine, late-war manufacture, 3rd Class badge of the Iron Crown with War Decoration and Swords ("Kriegsdekoration und Schwerter"). The piece is correctly put in a "Bergmann"-made case bearing Austria's coat-of-arms, embossed on the inner cushion, instead of the usual maker's logo. The piece itself has no maker's mark and cannot be attributed to any of the better known firms active in Vienna, like Rothe, Köchert, Rozet & Fischmeister or Mayer's Söhne. In this case, the "sharp" junction of the two halves of the lombardic crown, is not an alarm sign of a copy. Let's consider this piece, as a nice, 1918-made piece, belonged to a now unknown, brave officer. All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

This thread about the badges for the judges of the Mixed Courts is extremely fascinating. Here, this intricate subject is excellently explored. The news about the "Zamalek Treasury" (my wife and I, spent 10 days at a small, but beautiful hotel in the heart of Zamalek, back in 2001, after she was ready after a period of work at the INA conservation laboratory in Alexandria, as a base for visits to museums, monuments and excavations) Thank you for the always interesting updates, Enzo (E.L.)

Actually, this is not a telescope, but a rangefinder with a basis of 70,0 cm. as used to estimate distance with small calibre fileld artillery and machine-gun sections. Yes, it's made by Nedinsco, licensed by Carl Zeiss Jena in the production of such equipment. Germany exported any type of optics to China, from the early 20th Century, up to shortly before the 2nd World War. Carl Zeiss (through its branch Zeiss Ikon) very well exported their revolutionary, modern 35mm. rangefinder camera, the "Contax", in its versions I, II and III, now very well known in the collecting community for their engraving "For China", sometimes engraved in chinese characters too. Best wishes, Enzo

Hello, both, very fine pieces, where the one with crown looks made of patinated iron, while the second one, made of patinated Kriegsmetall. Nice, original ribbons too. Best wishes, Enzo (E.L.)

Hello, the Franz Josef Orden that started this thread, is a fine piece in gold, made by V. Mayer's Söhne, Vienna, at the end of 19th Century, up to 1914. The "war ribbon" with swords, indicates an award from 1916 onwards, where most decorations of this order were made in gilt bronze already, although exceptions were quite common. I can say, that the ribbon is also original and a fine one too. Re. the price: it can vary, depending on where it is sold, and who's the seller. I'd suggest to keep an eye on what's offered by European dealers and auction houses and decide accordingly. This means of course, all the necessary import fees. Another thing is what I call the "case frenzy", where as we read, a case influences a prospective price up to 1/3 of the overall value. Something I consider -permit me- just insane. Personally, I consider a case just a "plus" to a piece, where the piece itself -in my opinion- should have the "Hauptrolle", both historically and commercially. Best wishes, Enzo (E.L.)

Hello, some time ago, I've had the opportunity to see a portrait of a Russian officer, painted by the artist Dobrovolsky, in the 19th Century. Interesting to see, besides other decorations referring to the Napoleonic Wars etc., he is wearing the Prussian Pour le Mérite. I'd be very grateful, if anyone could help me identifying that gentleman, since the owners have this portrait since ever, inherited from their ancestors and would be delighted if any further info could be found about it. All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

Hello, this cross is a very fine piece and of fine manufacture, that sorry to say, suffered some major damage: the suspension broken away and so the Imperial crown on top of the double-eagle's head (of which, the pendalia are still present and well-visible, scrolling behind the two heads). I would like to add, that the eagle always rests on a disc (usually, very well polished too). All the best, Enzo (E.L.)

When started collecting, i was 13 years old then, my father (a collector himself, but in a different field), advised me to keep a written, chronological register of anything entering in my own collection. In other words, a sort of an "entry-book" not much different from what Howard Carter held, entering each finding from King Tutankhamen's tomb. Now, 51 years later, i have a large cardboard box, full of many different booklets, with a short description, date of purchase, price, provenance, and, when necessary, personal notes on each piece. I feel myself lucky, because although being not a boy anymore, still I can remember everything about my pieces. But I need to say that reading those old entry-books is a pleasant thing, taking my memory back to the circumstances where a piece became mine, or simply remembering and refreshing the memory about the people and fellow collectors I met in the course of time. Around 1977, my father presented to me a book, work of Prof. Vaclav Měřička, ("The Book of Orders and Decolations", London, Hamlyn), where the author -an immense collector himself- provided a layout of his own cataloguing cards. Extremely useful too. Collecting, to me is not just putting pieces together, knowing the whys and wherefores about their institution and award criteria, but also the pleasure (and disappointments) in increasing my collection; remembering the persons I met, the travels and... adventures that also a quiet collector can live. My wife, very skilled in the use of computers, in 2005 created a programme, that practically was an enlarged version of Prof. Měřička's cards (added with pictures), but still, I stick to my useful, old system of "entry books", while my wife is pleased to register the "core" of my collection only.

It depends on the award. I'd dare to say just the average cost of buying an original one. Besides that, I wouldn't mind finding a Maria Theresa Order without ribbon... Now, it seems that the big problem with austrian awards is when the case is missing. It's not a joke, but a while ago, a collector asked me to see my Maria Theresia Orders and, looking at a napoleonic Knight's Cross, his words were only "nice piece, pity that's without case"...

It is an officer's belt buckle as used during the reign of emperor Karl (issued in the 1917-'18 period), in excavated condition. Do you have any idea where it was found? Best, Enzo (E.L.)

Fine, original pieces, the piece to the left complete with surely original ribbon too. The different suspension loops indicate two different manufacturers. Best wishes, Enzo (E.L.)

best wishes for the arrival of your piece then!